These and Those

Musings from Students of the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies in Jerusalem

Tag Archives: beginnings

Jerusalem Diaries #8….Study, study, and more study!

Posted on September 7, 2014 by Ariella Siegel

From my blog: September already! Time flies when you’re being Jewy, I suppose. What a whirlwind! And I’m exhausted! Last we left off, it was orientation and more orientation and lots more orientation and then shabbat. The contrast between doing, doing, doing and then not doing at all (except actually doing, because Shabbos is a Continue Reading »

[PCJE Dvar Torah] Pillars of New Homes

Posted on April 3, 2014 by Josh Pernick

“I’m not totally sure what the appropriate response is” was all that I could come up with in the moment. How could I effectively convey my feelings towards my friend, who had just informed me that she was going to be moving halfway across the country? While moving to new cities has become a way Continue Reading »

First day of student “teaching”

Posted on March 11, 2014 by Andrea Wiese

From my blog: I put teaching in quotations because even though it was my first day at Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School (JDS for short) in Rockville, Maryland, I definitely didn’t teach. I observed, a lot.

Tribal gowns and knit kippot

Posted on February 13, 2014 by Sam Stern

From my blog: She believed in dreams, all right, but she also believed in doing something about them. When Prince Charming didn’t come along, she went over to the palace and got him. For anyone who hasn’t already heard the play-by-play (or can’t wait to hear it again) of the Beit Din/mikva experience, click HERE Continue Reading »

Putting on Tefillin for the First Time

Posted on February 7, 2014 by Jessica Baverman

There has been a lot of hype around women wearing tefillin lately (see here, here, here, and here). Since I just started taking the “Women and Mitzvot” class, this is a topic that I have followed. I’ve also been intrigued by the whole idea of tefillin for a while now. For most of my life, I saw tefillin as Continue Reading »

(Im)perfect Together

Posted on January 21, 2014 by Taylor Winfield

I found this Jerusalem Bible sitting on the hefker table without a cover or binding. It just sat there distressed, pages falling out, looking for a new home. I knew that I could not let this bible be buried. I had to find a way to fix it. I stood for a minute and let Continue Reading »

[PCJE Dvar Torah] The Hardening of Pharaoh’s Heart and Breaking Bad Habits this 2014

Posted on January 4, 2014 by Cara Abrams-Simonton

There are many interesting events, aspects and themes in Parashat Bo. One theme that emerges is the notion of free will which the hardening of Pharaoh’s heart and the purpose of the plagues in general present. I find this theme extremely relevant and accessible for people of all ages.While student teaching last year at the Continue Reading »

Blessed for 13 Days

Posted on September 17, 2013 by Stefanie Groner

I shared these parting words at Community Lunch today at Pardes: In three weeks, I will start my first-ever, grown-up, real-life job as a consultant. From my understanding, a consultant comes in as an outsider to a space, gets to know the ins and outs and upside-downs of that place, and develops creative and effective Continue Reading »

[PCJE Dvar Torah] Ha’azinu – Transitioning

Posted on September 4, 2013 by Cara Abrams-Simonton

This week marks many significant transitions in my life. I return to study at the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies for my second year of intensive text study in a Beit Midrash. I celebrate my Hebrew birthday for the first time in my life, כ”ח באלול, turning the much anticipated 30. I honor my father’s Continue Reading »

I’ll Try to be Brief

Posted on September 4, 2013 by The Director of Digital Media

From my blog today: Hello there! First blog post as a 22 year old – Sheheichanu moment? I have so many things that I want to say and just don’t think that it is going to be possible right now. I started classes at Pardes this week and have been inspired from the first moment. Continue Reading »