These and Those

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

Tag Archives: emotions

[Self / Soul & Text] Practice of Visualizing G-d

Posted on April 23, 2012 by David Bogomolny

The practice of visualizing Hashem is not very powerful for me; I strongly prefer to have no image of the Divine. When I focused upon visualizing a particular character trait, I saw an image of a woman that I have romantic feelings for. I believe this has something to do with being motivated to be Continue Reading »

2012 Poland Trip: A Journal Entry from January 16, 2012

Posted on April 21, 2012 by Laura H.

Today we went to Majdanek. I walked around the camp thinking a lot about why I came back to Poland. I had a hard time focusing on what was around me and found myself intellectualizing, rather than feeling things. I pictured much of the imagery from Survival in Auschwitz to try to visualize camp life. Continue Reading »

A Shabbat in Hevron

Posted on April 4, 2012 by J. Belasco

About a month and a half ago, I went to Hevron for Shabbat with a few Pardesniks to visit a fellow student’s wife’s family. His wife actually grew up in Hevron; and her parents still live there today. I was very grateful for the family’s generosity and hospitality, and for the chance they gave me to experience Continue Reading »

Poland V

Posted on March 29, 2012 by Lauren Schuchart

(The fifth in a series of 5 posts detailing my heritage trip to Poland… originally posted on my blog) ___________________ Righteous Among the Nations   “Whoever saves one life, saves the entire world”- Talmud In a world where morality no longer existed, where any action could lead to one’s death, there were people who stood out Continue Reading »

Poland III

Posted on March 28, 2012 by Lauren Schuchart

(The third in a series of 5 posts detailing my heritage trip to Poland… originally posted on my blog) ___________________ Houses of Life We visited several Jewish cemetaries throughout Poland. In ordinary circumstances, a cemetery would seem like a low point on an itinerary. In Poland, cemeteries were a way to remember and memorialize great lives that were lived. Continue Reading »

[Self / Soul & Text] Storytelling

Posted on March 20, 2012 by David Bogomolny

My mother tells me that when I was a child, I would stand on the perimeter of the playground, mouth agape, watching the children play with one another. She’d have to nudge me towards them before I’d move. In retrospect, I think I went through my childhood feeling overwhelmed by sensory and emotional inputs. Every Continue Reading »

[Self / Soul & Text] Singing

Posted on March 6, 2012 by David Bogomolny

Weariness wrapped itself around him, and in moments of reflection he realized he missed his family. This was a moment of such reflection. He’d wanted to spend some time singing several days earlier, but after meditating and speaking to G-d, he’d been interupted by his roommate before he could begin his song. The interuption had Continue Reading »

[PEP Student] Memorable Educator Quotes:

Posted on March 5, 2012 by W. Keller

Here are a few impressions that members of the PEP program have shared during their student teaching interships in North America! Esther Dubow: I taught in Hebrew on Friday and it was no big deal, such a relief!

Pardes in Poland-Auschwitz-Birkenau

Posted on February 21, 2012 by Leah Stern

This was it. This was the part of the trip that I had most been afraid of. I had always been afraid of visiting this place, it was part of the reason I had delayed going to Poland until now. The name that is engraved on the heart of every Jew: Auschwitz. I have always Continue Reading »

Week 24: More Leftovers

Posted on February 19, 2012 by Derek Kwait

(Mostly X-posted from my home blog, Yinzer in Yerushalayim) * For Tuesday’s group lecture, Robby Berman, head of the Halakhic Organ Donor Society came to give a riveting, inspiring, infuriating talk. I’ll sum it up in brief: There is no valid Jewish (or non-Jewish) reason to not save lives by being an organ donor. If Continue Reading »