Musings from Students of the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies in Jerusalem
Posted on January 12, 2013 by Eva Vadasz
My uncle, as we call him in Hungarian, Otto, wrote an open letter to the MP of the Hungarian Parliament who called for a list to be drawn up of the Jews in the Parliament. My uncle, who survived Auschwitz and lives in Israel, is from Gyöngyös, Hungary and the name of the anti-Semitic lawmaker Continue Reading »
Posted on January 10, 2013 by Cara Abrams-Simonton
Although this week’s parashah, Va’era, is full of many rich elements of our story as a Jewish people, I am drawn to the four promises that God makes to the Jewish people in chapter 6, verses 6 and 7: “Wherefore say unto the children of Israel: I am the LORD, and I will bring you Continue Reading »
Posted on January 4, 2013 by The Director of Digital Media
Shira has left us for another adventure, and we miss her… But her insightful writing continues (x-posted here below)! Legacy. A pretty big word around here. Here being Jerusalem, a city that many nations hold dear due to its history and importance in relation to their people, their culture, their religion. As a proud member of Continue Reading »
Posted on January 2, 2013 by The Director of Digital Media
By Mira B. Shore [Summer ’09 and ’10, Year ’12] It has been 7 months since I was in the Pardes Beit Midrash. 7 months since I walked the streets of Jerusalem, honoring my ancestors and being part of the Jewish story. 7 months since I actively and constantly questioned my religion, my spirituality, and Continue Reading »
Posted on December 28, 2012 by Laura Marder
Shabbat Shalom Pardes. I wanted to share a portion of my Dvar torah that I am giving to my Shul tonight… Shabbat Shalom, Last week as my facebook followers know I was standing on a mountain over the dead sea welcoming the Sabbath at a meditation retreat. If I close my eyes I can Continue Reading »
Posted on December 27, 2012 by Jenna King Brill
I gave over this dvar at night seder this week: This week’s parasha is Vayechi, in which, among other things, Jacob dies and we see a scene of apparent reconciliation between Joseph and his brothers. At first, this seems to be an intimate moment in which everyone comes to understand each other, and by the Continue Reading »
Posted on December 14, 2012 by David Bogomolny
We spent last Shabbat with a friend and his partner. He is a Jewish convert who is currently not halakhically observant, but his Jewish identity is very important to him, and his attitude towards Jewish tradition and halakha is very respectful. His partner is a woman whose father is halakhically Jewish, but she is not halakhically Jewish herself. Therefore, she must go through Continue Reading »
Posted on December 8, 2012 by Mary Brett Koplen
Originally posted on my CowBird: I AM THAT I AM. Julie is 52 and plays the dulcimer. She is a teacher and a doodler. She strikes a note. “Listen up, Israel,” the first note says to the next. Danielle is 20 and is Pro-Israel, Pro-Palestine, Pro-Peace. She tells me: “To get to the Holy Western Continue Reading »
Posted on November 27, 2012 by David Bogomolny
Evan was my first flatmate in Israel; he and I studied at Pardes together, and we had plenty of conversations about our shared Jewish heritage over the course of that year. He had fond childhood memories of his grandfather, a traditional, American shul-going Jew, and recalled the smell and texture of the tallit that he had worn at Continue Reading »
Posted on November 22, 2012 by The Director of Digital Media
ויצא If Leah were alive today, this is what I think she would tell us. “‘It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.’1 Rahel and I are twins2 born five minutes apart. I am the older sister, and like any set of twins, we had our good days and we had Continue Reading »
