Kotel Prayer

Posted on June 3, 2013 by Annie Matan Gilbert

From my blog:

Stu and I spent our last afternoon in Jerusalem running errands. One of those errands was a final visit to the Kotel to put a note in the wall. Stu collected prayers from family members and hand-copied them from emails, even including typos so each person’s prayer went in exactly as written. I wrote my own prayer on the bus on the way to the old city.

I had been to the kotel 4 other times this year but this was the first time I went all the way up to the wall, pulled up a chair and took the time to pray there and really be present with all my complicated feelings about the place. And it was the first time I felt its pull. I was suddenly really aware of how privileged I have been to have access to this holy spot all year. I thought about my grandparents and great-grandparents and others who wish(ed) they could spend time here. And I felt some sadness over my months-long ambivalence over spending time here. I backed away slowly and Continue reading →

Shining Bright

Posted on May 30, 2013 by Brian Blumenthal

“למען ציון לא אחשה ולמען ירושלם לא אשקוט עד יצא כנגה צדקה וישועתה כלפיד יבער”

For Zion’s sake will I not hold my peace, and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest, until her righteousness goes forth like radiance, and her salvation like a burning torch. (Isaiah 62:1)

This semester in Yaffa Epstein’s Bekiut Talmud class we studied the 16th perek of Masechet Shabbat, titled “כל כתבי” (All of the writings). The perek focuses on what you can save from a fire on Shabbat—including holy writings (such as a Sefer Torah) and food for the Shabbat meals. The discourse in the chapter encompasses the meaning of holiness in relation to texts, Shabbat, and community.

Following a lengthy discussion of Oneg Shabbat (the joyful essence of Shabbat) and all of the actions associated with the special day—including preparation (Hachana), welcoming (Kabbalat Shabbat), eating (Seuda), and even escorting (Melava Malka)—the Gemara brings up the topic of what you are NOT supposed to do: desecration (Chillul Shabbat). This then launches into Continue reading →

Connections

Posted on May 30, 2013 by Laurie Franklin

Here are the words I shared in the Beit Midrash today -

Today, at this time of leave-taking, I want to talk about connections, unexpected connections.

First, a little background: This week I had two divrei Torah to compose, one for DLK’s Dvar Torah workshop and one for today. The first one was for Parashat Hashavua, Shlach, and the second, for today, was for sharing something about our learning in Michael Hattin’s Bekiut Neviim Rishonim class.

For Shlach, I knew what I wanted to address, I wanted to talk about Exhibit A, those really big grapes that the spies hauled back from the land. And for today’s talk, I began to reread Sefer Yehoshua, in which there are many mentions of the miraculous role of the aron kodesh; sometimes the Israelites follow it, sometimes they lead it, and sometimes they pass before it, as for example, when they cross the Yarden on their way to the defeat of Jericho. This seemed like rich material for a dvar. Continue reading →

[PCJE Dvar Torah] ‘By a Hair’ – by Laura Marder

Posted on May 2, 2013 by Laura Marder

What if

What if we were all self absorbed and never helped one another? Could you imagine never grasping a hand if you stumbled, or borrowing a bit of money in a pinch. What would our world look like if we never supported each other? Emotionally. Financially. Physically. Spiritually. Would you ever feel empowered or strong? In this week’s double Parsha Behar / Behukotai it says

If your brother becomes destitute and his hand falters beside you, you shall support him [whether] a convert or a resident, so that he can live with you.

וְכִי יָמוּךְ אָחִיךָ וּמָטָה יָדוֹ עִמָּךְ וְהֶחֱזַקְתָּ בּוֹ גֵּר וְתוֹשָׁב וָחַי עִמָּךְ

To support him

The Torah uses the word החזקת to describe support. Not help, or fix, or take care of. We are talking about support, with the word חזק (hazak) seen inside the Hebrew. Hazak is strength. We are being instructed to strengthen our brother when he falters. Note, that it is not when he has fallen. For we should be aware and Continue reading →

Present and Accounted For

Posted on April 16, 2013 by Naomi M.

Naomi Minsky (Year '13, PEP '15) came to Pardes this year
for the Year Program, and will be returning next year as a
member of the Pardes Educators Program!

Since my teenage years I secretly wanted to pursue a career as a doctor. This is not because I am scientific and enjoy learning about the human anatomy. In fact, I go into panic-mode at the sight of blood. I was attracted to helping others live life to the full. Thankfully I have found an alternative route to achieve my aim.

Unlike medicine Jewish education does not literally save lives. However, it supports people to have meaningful experiences and relationships. It is a way to help others appreciate Judaism and approach it with confidence. My Bat Mitzvah involved facing the community and saying the shema prayer. The whole time I looked directly at my grandparents. They were sitting in the front row saying the words back to me. I am indebted to my Jewish education teaching me that the shema is an affirmation of Jewish identity and love of G-d. I felt the beauty of the experience as I was connected to my family, community and religious tradition simultaneously. Jewish identity today is multifaceted, for some it is Continue reading →

[Alumni Guest Post] Connection by Distinction – by Eryn London

Posted on April 8, 2013 by admin

X-posted from Eryn's blog post:

Eryn London (Summer ’06 & ’07, Community Education ’10, Year ’10-’11, Hourly ’11-’12) made Aliya from New Jersey three years ago. She is currently studying in the Manhiga Hilchatit Program at Midreshet Lindenbaum, which is a 5 year advanced Halacha learning program. Beyond learning she also runs activities at a nursing home, teaches theatre, and directs plays on the side.

The brand-new Divrei Mahamal blog is written by the women that are currently studying in the Manhiga Hilchatit Program. The blog should be updated weekly by one of the women. The d’vrei Torah will be written in English, Hebrew or French.

Why is it important to distinguish between things? Twice in this week’s Parsha, Parshat Shimini, B’nei Yira’el are told להבדיל, to create distinctions.

The first time it is mentioned is after we are told that Nadav and Avihu were killed for bringing a “strange fire” into the Mishkan, and the Torah gives a ruling: Continue reading →

[Alumni Guest Post] Educating my Jewish Daughter by Whitney Fisch

Posted on April 5, 2013 by admin

Whitney Fisch (Year 2008-09) shares a personal challenge
of hers, regarding the role of women in Judaism:

Whitney Fisch grew up within the Reform movement in Marietta, GA. She started her career in Jewish communal work at the University of Georgia Hillel as the Jewish Student Life Coordinator, which led her to other positions in the Jewish world, most notably as the Outreach and Education Coordinator at the Jewish Council on Urban Affairs in Chicago and Education Director for the Anti-Defamation League’s Florida region. Tired of being considered a ‘super Jew’ for working in the Jewish world but feeling like she needed or even required more Jewish education for such a title, she decided to attend Pardes’ year program from 2008 – 2009. She met her now husband while in Jerusalem for that year. She is a middle school counselor at a private Jewish day school, a new mom and blogger at JewHungry.

Eight months ago my life forever changed… I became a mother of a daughter. My husband and I decided to find out the sex of our baby at 20 weeks and, of all things to say to all people, the ultrasound tech looked at me and said, “Oh! You have a little princess!”

: Whitney with her mother
and her daughter Siona

: Fellow Pardesnik, R. Andy Shugerman leading Siona’s Simchat Bat ceremony

Oy. Listen, I get it. Our culture celebrates women/girls as princesses. But in that moment, in that exact moment, I thought to myself, “this is exactly what is supposed to happen.” See I’m a social worker. I’m also a feminist and Continue reading →

Singing and Kol Shofar at Women of the Wall

Posted on March 13, 2013 by Annie Matan Gilbert

Singing and dancing at the Kotel

This Rosh Hodesh was my second time attending Rosh Hodesh davenning at WoW. Last month, I was glad to check it out and feel like I was part of something important but between the cameras and security, I struggled to feel like I was davenning.

This Rosh Hodesh, two amazing things happened. 1) I got to sing shacharit and hallel liturgy with gusto, led by Pardes alumna Lauren Henderson and Joanna Selznick Dulkin. I realized that for me, singing was important medicine in healing my relationship with the Kotel. From my very first visit, when I was 16, I have longed to sing praises to God at the Kotel. Singing is how I express myself in prayer most openly. Raising my voice in harmony with the Women of the Wall, especially singing Min HaMetzar, I felt so present with the narrowness of our situation and my prayers felt so real.

All of this is not to say that our davenning went without incident. While no one was arrested, thank God, there were Haredi women screaming at us that our prayers were an insult to God and calling us names. Some of them planted themselves in front of our group and chanted tehillim at the top of their voices, in an effort to drown us out. And when they were not chanting their prayers, they were shushing ours.

And on the men’s side… I was astounded to hear someone blowing a shofar to drown out our Shma. The thought occurred to me that it must be a sin to try to block someone’s prayers from reaching God. (I don’t believe one can succeed at such a thing.) I was upset and appalled at the ingenuity of the method. But then I got to thinking about the shofar and had my second amazing moment.

2) Kol shofar – the voice of the shofar. I remembered a teaching that on the yamim noraim, the shofar is God’s voice crying into our world. And suddenly, I recalled these shofar blasts on Rosh Hodesh not as an interruption in our prayer, but as God’s voice, either praying along with us or crying out with us.

I am still marveling at the healing of both of these experiences.

I realized Monday night that I only have a few more months here when I will have the luxury of showing up at the Kotel, wearing my kippa and tallit, singing my praise in blessing and protest. I made a commitment to myself that night that even though it makes for a really early morning for me (and I am not a morning person) I need to get up and show up to support this cause. And then, I showed up and got to sing and struggle. And now, I find myself looking forward to next month’s gathering with joy that even overshadows the sense of commitment and duty. Who knows what blessings will find me in Iyyar?

The Big Fat “R”

Posted on March 6, 2013 by Naomi Bilmes

From my blog:

I am presently having an odd experience of disconnect. The premise is this:

Reality to the left. Brain to the right. Keep reading for further explanation.

Bad things keep happening to me. In the grand scheme of life, they are not terrible things: no death, no serious illness, no natural disasters. But sometimes the little things seem even more powerful, especially in a world of rampant individualism and competitive goal fulfillment (but I can only speak for myself. I can’t say the same for you because I’m too busy maximizing my own potential).

Without getting too specific (it’s tempting, but I have to keep in mind that this blog is public), let’s just say that all of the bad things in the past week can be lumped together into one category: Continue reading →

Granted

Posted on March 3, 2013 by Bogo

I often find myself reflecting upon something that my father shared with me about his early impressions of Israel after he made Aliyah from Moscow in ’74. He told me about his being a security guard on Mt. Scopus before the Hebrew U. campus had been fully constructed, and gazing from his post across the hilltops of Jerusalem (the view today is obstructed). He said he felt then as though he could see his ancestors walking along those very hills… and felt deeply that he was living in the Land of his People Israel.

Even now I’m touched by this, but it is not my own, despite my deep connection to this Land – the Land of my birth – the Land that changed the course of my family’s history forever – the Land that I frequented during my childhood on visits to grandparents and cousins. My own connection feels less dramatic to me – no moment of epiphany.

While my parents’ lives were changed forever with Aliyah from the Former Soviet Union (FSU), my life literally began with Israel. Continue reading →

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Tag Archives: connection / disconnection