In Hebrew, Limmud means “learning.” Limmud Atlanta & Southeast is part of the international Limmud community, which is dedicated to Jewish learning in all its variety.

LimmudFest is located at Ramah Darom in the beautiful North Georgia mountains. It is about a two hour drive north from the Atlanta airport. 70 Darom Lane, Clayton, GA 30525

The safety of our community is our primary concern. We will follow the guidelines of the CDC and Ramah Darom in our planning. We will respect social distancing as reasonably necessary and may implement a podding policy for dining and lodging. Please check back often as the situation is ever changing. COVID-19 Prevention Protocols COVID-19 Prevention Protocols Vaccines & Testing • To participate at LimmudFest, we require all guests and staff ages 12 and up to be fully vaccinated from COVID-19 and be 2 weeks post-vaccination before the start date of the retreat. You will be asked to upload a copy of your vaccination card in the pre-event policy agreement form. • The only attendees ages 12 and up exempt from this policy will be those with proof of a medical reason why they cannot receive the vaccine, pending approval from our Medical Committee. • Anyone who has received a COVID-19 vaccine must still adhere to all prevention protocols applicable below with no exceptions. • All participants over age 3 must take a PCR nasal swab COVID-19 test and receive results no more than 48 hours in advance. Proof of negative test results and date of result must be submitted upon arrival to campus. • All participants, both vaccinated and unvaccinated and of all ages, will be administered a rapid nasal swab COVID-19 test upon arrival to the retreat. Tests will be done as participants drive into the campus and will stay in their car for 15 minutes until the results are ready. These tests are done in the front of the nose and are non-invasive. • As always, we do require that all guests are up to date on all other immunizations. You can review our immunization policy at the following web address: https://www.ramahdarom.org/retreats-immunization-policy/. General Requirements of Guests & Staff Handwashing & Sanitizing • Washing hands with soap and water for a minimum of 20 seconds is required before all meals, after going to the bathroom and recommended as often as possible throughout the day. • Hand sanitizer and disinfectant will be stationed at locations around campus to utilize throughout the day after touching shared surfaces. Face Masks • Masks will be voluntary for vaccinated participants outdoors but required for any indoor programming and in the dining room. •Masks are required for all unvaccinated participants ages 3 and up when entering any public building on campus, when in the dining room except when sitting at your table, when participating in any facilitated program and strongly recommended during any interactions with guests or staff members not in their immediate household, both indoors and outdoors. Monitoring and Post-Event • A medical professional will be onsite for the entirety of the event for any medical concerns which may arise. • Upon arrival to campus: Guests will enter the front gate and stay inside their car during the intake process which includes thermal temperature readings, follow up symptom questions and a brief orientation. If any individual in the car is exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19, everyone in the car will be placed in quarantine in a designated location on Ramah Darom’s campus until the medical professional onsite determines the appropriate next steps. • If an individual has a normal temperature but has taken ibuprofen or acetaminophen within six hours of arrival, or naproxen within 12 hours, they may enter campus and remain in their assigned housing but will need their temperature re-taken and may not enter the dining hall until their medicine has worn off. • If a guest leaves the retreat because they are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 we will request that they get tested with an administered nasal swab test and inform Ramah Darom of the results. • If Ramah Darom is informed of an individual’s positive COVID-19 result, we will keep their identity anonymous but will notify all guests who were in attendance during the retreat with applicable recommendations. Housing • All cabins, hotel rooms and cottages will be supplied with disinfectant spray for personal use by guests throughout the program. • Cabins, hotel rooms and cottages will be fully prepared prior to arrival. No housekeeping will be provided during the retreat. Extra linens, towels and toiletry items will be available upon request. No housekeepers will enter housing spaces for these services. • All residential buildings will be provided with commercial-size trash depositories for trash removal from waste bins in your housing space. • Room maintenance and additional housekeeping needs will be addressed contact-free through the Help Desk and the Ramah Darom online service form. Food Service & Dining • Water fountains will be discontinued from use, and water bottle filling stations will be set up throughout the campus. • The dining hall will be closed to guests between meals. • Upon entry to the dining hall, all guests must wash their hands with soap and water for 20 seconds before entering the buffet line or going to their tables. • Only vaccinated guests may handle plates and food at the buffet line. Please note that your children under 12 may stand with you in line while masked but may not take food for themselves at any time and must be served by a vaccinated adult. Unvaccinated adults will be assisted at the buffet line by vaccinated staff. •Outdoor dining will be available to anyone who would feel more comfortable dining distanced.

Because LimmudFest is a Shabbaton this year, we are not offering one-day registration.

Kids get to participate in the Gan or Camp Limmud during the day, both included in the child registration fee. In the evenings, babysitting or Kids’ Night Out is available for an extra fee. Please see the Camp Limmud page for more details.

Visit our Get Involved page or send a message to info@limmudse.org to get plugged in to a volunteer team! There are many ways to help, both before, during and after LimmudFest. Below is a list of our committees and some of what they do to put on LimmudFest. LimmudFest is incredibly special, and volunticipation is our driving force. This festival cannot come together without the hard work of our volunteers. Learn more about them and join our team in leading Limmud into the future. Have you heard about Limmud? Marketing--if you are at one of our events, it is because our marketing chair, Leslie Anderson and her committee got the word out. If you like putting your artistic skills to use creating Instagram posts, designing websites, writing catchy emails, blasting out social media, calling Jewish organizations around the Southeast, or networking in the community--this is the committee for you. You have got to see this. Programming--this is at the heart of Limmud. Our programming chair Heather Blake and her dynamic committee is pulling out all the stops to bring you the stellar lineup of presenters at this year’s Fest. If you’re the one always sharing great speakers you’ve heard, fabulous books you’ve read, good movies you’ve seen, or amazing people you’ve met, you would love this committee. You get to create the experience that is LimmudFest by finding the most interesting and diverse presenters to come teach. If you are more detail oriented, love to organize and have an editor’s eye, you should join Carolyn Lippman--our dauntless Program Book Chair--who is responsible for crossing our t’s and dotting our i’s. Let’s Party! Gala--the celebration that shines the light on amazing performers like the Sandcatchers is chaired by Drew Cohen. This is definitely the place to be if you want to find the hottest musical/comedy/performance act to come entertain Limmud-goers and help us raise the funds to bring even more people to LimmudFest. Shabbat Shalom. Shabbat--if Programming is the heart, then the Shabbat Committee is the soul--led this year by the unflappable Itana Pinansky. If Shabbat is your favorite day of the week, if you love ritual, and if you are passionate about creating a meaningful, spiritual Shabbat experience for every attendee at Limmud, then this is your home. Find volunteers to lead services, create new prayer experiences, and help everyone connect to the beauty of Shabbat in the mountains. Where can I find . . .? Logistics--this committee keeps everything running smoothly. Enjoy working behind the scenes? Like flow charts? Do spreadsheets, jot forms, and lists make your heart beat faster? Don’t miss a beat, and join the Logistics Committee led from near and far by Shannon Martindale. If the tables are set, the volunteers are coordinated, the rides are arranged, and the presenters have their supplies--you have the Logistics Committee to thank. Who’s the guy smiling ALL THE TIME? That would be Fest Chair Howie Slomka. Why is he smiling? Because Howie loves Limmud and it brings him joy. If Limmud is your happy place, and you are ready to step up and truly take the wheel, there’s no better place to be than in the driver’s seat. The Fest Chair coordinates all of the committees and serves as liaison among the Chairs, Limmud Board, and Ramah staff. How do I get involved? Before and after LimmudFest, let us know you’re interested on our website by visiting our Get Involved page on the website, or contact Program Manager Adina Rudisch by email at info@limmudse.org or by phone at 404-507-6322. When you register for Fest, there will be a question listing options to volunteer during the Festival by helping with set-up, break down, kids' camp, participating in a Shabbat service, and more. At LimmudFest, find someone with an orange lanyard that says “Ask Me,” and come to our Volunteer Appreciation Oneg on Friday night from 9--9:30 in Lakeside Dining.

Limmud brings together hundreds of of Jews from diverse backgrounds who come with a wide range of observance, Jewish knowledge, and comfort with Jewish tradition. During LimmudFest, we seek to create a Shabbat atmosphere by asking participants to refrain from using cell phones, electronics, cars, cameras, and musical instruments in public spaces during Shabbat. Ramah Darom provides delicious Shabbat meals with the traditional ritual needs. There are usually 'Tisch' sessions with singing and an open bar for socializing and memorable shabbat vibes. There is also an eruv around the camp.

To respect everyone's Shabbat practices, the LimmudFest planning team takes great care to make sure sessions that are not Shabbat Friendly are scheduled on non-Shabbat days. Sessions will not have any writing or electronics. Music sessions may make use of acoustic instruments which will be noted in the program book.

The kitchen facilities at Ramah Darom are under the year-round supervision of the Atlanta Kasruth Commission (AKC) which adheres to Orthodox kashrut standards. No outside food or drink is permitted into the dining hall at any time. Please email info@limmudse.org with any concerns or questions.

Join our Tent Cities – Quiet Camp or Social Camp. Bring your tent and all camping supplies. You will have access to shower and restroom facilities in a nearby cabin.

Ramah Darom runs offers children's programming for a range of ages from toddler to preteen. Ramah Darom counselors and staff create age appropriate, fun camp activities for your children. Everyone comes together for meals and there are many LimmudFest sessions are labeled "Family Friendly"--meaning that all ages are welcome. At night, counselors will also be availble for Shmira (night listening) when a counslor will sit in a common area after your children are asleep so you can comfortably enjoy late night programming.