These and Those

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

Tag Archives: creative writing

Losing, or Fingerprints

Posted on May 30, 2013 by Tadea Klein

You fear that we will lose each other And you are right, we will We will part, promising to keep in touch, and then We will forget Real life will intrude, new friendships will form And we will move on and let go And yet, and yet… When I laugh, it will be with his Continue Reading »

Holy Arithmetic

Posted on May 16, 2013 by Laurie Franklin

One An outlander arrives in J-town. Not my first time and G!d-willing, not my last. In a newish role: student, not teacher! The book is open. Minus one Disequilibrium: distance from home and life partner, Jitters, does anyone understand who I am? Do I understand who I am In this novel circumstance?

Yearning

Posted on May 8, 2013 by Annie Matan Gilbert

From my blog: This piece was an assignment for the Hartman Rabbinical Students Seminar. We were asked to choose one poem or song that we studied and one other piece of text that we studied, share a line or a paragraph from each and a reflection on it. Ever the overachiever, I ended up weaving Continue Reading »

Reflections on “Poems on a Journey’s End” and “B’reishit”

Posted on May 8, 2013 by Laurie Franklin

This year, while learning in the Pardes Year Program, I also attended the Shalom Hartman Institute Rabbinic Student Seminar. I learned weekly on Wednesday evenings with 20 + rabbinic students from N. and S. America and Europe under the guidance of Melila Hellner-Eshed and Yossi Klein HaLevi. My sister Pardesnik and ALEPH rabbinic program student, Continue Reading »

Born From a Lightning Bolt

Posted on May 5, 2013 by Naomi Bilmes

From my blog: This poem is inspired by one of my wonderful friends. Born from a Lightning Bolt You were born from a lightning bolt. Your life unfolds in storm: violent here, crashing there, silent now as you wait for the flood. Your sharp hair whips at your chin and the gold in your ears Continue Reading »

I’m in…

Posted on May 4, 2013 by Laurie Franklin

Don’t count me out. I’m not young. In fact, I am rightfully considered to be among the elders of our community. But I didn’t grow up in yeshivish Judaism, and my knowledge, is how shall we say… Limited by the circumstances of my origin. I’m acutely aware of it here, in Jerusalem, at Pardes. Nonetheless, Continue Reading »

Okay, so setting goals isn’t my strong suit…

Posted on April 29, 2013 by Ma'ayan Dyer

From my blog: Previously, on Lost in Jerusalem, I made the grand pronouncement that I was setting for myself no less than three goals in an attempt to be healthier, happier, and perhaps something more of a writer than a poser who talks about how nice it would be if I were a writer. If Continue Reading »

Pressure, Poetry, Potpourri

Posted on April 23, 2013 by Naomi Bilmes

From my blog: I really need to write a blog post right now, but I must first overcome many obstacles. The above statement has two parts. I should know what they’re called because I was an English major, but thankfully, I managed to receive my degree without taking a single grammar class. So, there might Continue Reading »

A Question for a King’s Mother

Posted on April 23, 2013 by Tadea Klein

What did you see when you went willingly before the King, Batsheva? Did you see a melekh in his glory, A broad-shouldered warrior with a light in his eyes and a song in his mouth Or a sorrowing, grief-stricken brother, body covered in scars and empty in his heart, Rage covered only half-way by desire? Continue Reading »

Jews in funny hats and leather straps.

Posted on April 23, 2013 by Avi Benson-Goldberg

From my blog: The thing is, the apparatus of “traditional prayer” are sort of kinky. The thing is, we’re ten men tying ourselves up in leather straps too early in the morning. And we’re enshrouded in these huge sheets, and some people cover their heads and faces and it’s very anonymous even when I know Continue Reading »