Ever wonder what it's like to be Jewish on the other side of the Atlantic? I'll start by saying that we don't have our own European Jewish teen magazine like JVibe, but there's definitely more to it than that. Let me introduce myself.

My name is Josh, I'm 18 and I live in London, England. I am in my last year of high school where I am studying English Literature, History and Geography. I spend my spare time with my friends, playing double bass, reading, and going to gigs and museums in London.

Next year, after I graduate from school, I'm taking a gap year where I will be working for five months at The Sunday Times in London, and then I'm going to be teaching primary school for six months in a small island country in the South Pacific Ocean called Vanuatu. After that, I plan to go to university to study social anthropology and geography, though I am undecided where just yet.

I live in a place called Pinner which is in northwest London. I am very involved with my local Jewish community there and am a warden in the youth services that we have at my synagogue. Pinner Synagogue belongs to United Synagogue, which is a Modern Orthodox union.

An important event in the British Jewish calendar is Limmud, a conference for over 2,000 people which aims to modernize Jewish learning and culture and make it accessible for everyone through lectures, workshops, concerts and film.

I have been going to Limmud events throughout my life and it is a strong part of my Jewish identity. In the last few years, the annual conference has been replicated around the world with Limmud events happening in Israel, France Germany, the U.S. and even Turkey. So what is so special about Limmud? Why has it become so popular and what is its future?

Limmud (which means learning) was established in 1980 when 80 British Jews spent a few days together learning from each other about a variety of Jewish topics. Today, Limmud brings Jews of all ages and levels of religious observance together for a chance to learn about one another. It allows people to debate issues about Israel, learn about Jewish culture and history, and talk about the future. There's a ton of high-level theological debate between Orthodox, Reform, Conservative and Liberal Jews as well as interfaith discussions and talks.

One of the biggest highlights of the 2006 conference was the U.K. debut of the American singer Joshua Nelson and his Kosher Gospel Group. Nelson was extremely popular, singing Adon Olam and other well-known songs in his signature gospel style. The audience had never heard anything like it before, and were wildly enthusiastic. There were Liberal female rabbis clapping and dancing next to Orthodox grandparents, and kippot -wearing students cheering as enthusiastically as middle-aged businessmen. It was at that moment that I realized how special and unique Limmud is.

Limmud has grown in popularity recently because it seems that Jews in the 21st century are finding it hard to engage and become enthusiastic about their Jewish lives. The dry routine of community life and charity work leaves people seeking something new, exciting and involving. Limmud hopes to answer this by giving its participants experiences they would never normally find during the rest of they year, and the 2006 conference was no exception.

The future of Limmud is in its expansion—its ability to reach more people while retaining its core values. It gives all types of Jews worldwide the opportunity to learn from each other in a unique, creative environment. Limmud celebrates being Jewish in the modern world, and the wide range of speakers and sessions brings a new dimension to Jewish life that is fresh, original and appreciated by all who take part.

Limmud New York is in its third year, and is the principle Limmud event in the U.S. There are plans to expand Limmud events to Los Angeles and Boulder, Colorado. Check out www.limmudny.org for details of your next Limmud event.

For more information about UK Limmud events see their website www.limmud.org

Josh wishes he could have a free ticket to travel the world; though admits he would miss life in London because it is the best place in the world, after Israel, of course.