These and Those

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

Tag Archives: humanity

I Encountered Myself

Posted on January 2, 2014 by Sarah Pollack

From my blog: Standing in Bethlehem, in a circle of Americans, Israelis, Palestinians, Muslims, Christians and Jews, we played a game. The rules of the game were simple. One, listen for the statement to be read in English and Arabic. Two, step into the circle if the statement applies to you. I AM A PERSON Continue Reading »

[PCJE Dvar Torah] The New King

Posted on December 19, 2013 by Lisa Motenko

I chose to write a dvar torah for this week’s portion of Shemot because it is the week of my birthday and this was also the portion for my bat mitzvah 17 (gasp!) years ago!  I have been privileged to study Shemot in depth this semester at Pardes and could describe dozens of fascinating insights, Continue Reading »

The Patriarch’s Plea, or: Abraham’s Moment of Doubt and Pain

Posted on November 11, 2013 by Benjamin Friedman

Performed on the Negev tiyulduring the Talent Show: I sat in fire with my faith I smashed the idols of my race I left the land of father’s rules To wander far and play the fool Against great doubts I had to fight All to be keep your vision bright To keep you fixed within Continue Reading »

[Jerusalem Medley] Omar

Posted on October 8, 2013 by Candace Mittel

About Jerusalem Medley Omar We’ve been here in this same location three hundred eighty five years. We came from Jerusalem, we owned a house seven hundred years ago, we still own it, we live upstairs.  I was born and raised upstairs.  The store was closed for eight days during the Six Day War.  In 1967, Continue Reading »

A Name for Us / A Name for You

Posted on October 6, 2013 by David Bogomolny

I presented this dvar at our Shabbaton yesterday: Parshat Noach contains one of my favorite Biblical stories: that of the Tower of Babel. Together with you, I’d like to tease a few details out of the p’shat (the simple reading of the text), explore two midrashim (early rabbinic exegesis), and suggest a metaphor for the Continue Reading »

[Jerusalem Medley] Adam

Posted on September 30, 2013 by Candace Mittel

About Jerusalem Medley Adam I want to be a creator.  To do my own stuff.  Write songs, write music.  Ever since I was like fifteen years old I wanted to do this.  I started listening to music that influenced to me in a different way, a more powerful way than before.  Before, okay, music was something. Continue Reading »

[Jerusalem Medley] Odalia

Posted on September 23, 2013 by Candace Mittel

About Jerusalem Medley Odalia I am from Beit Shemesh.  Twenty minutes away from Jerusalem.  You are invited to come and see.  She is very nice city.  The people there… very, very… heart persons.  Lovely.  I come to Jerusalem a lot.  I love this place because when I was teenager I was here a lot with Continue Reading »

About Jerusalem Medley

Posted on September 15, 2013 by Candace Mittel

About Jerusalem Medley As a current resident of Jerusalem, I crave to understand the Whats and Whys and Hows behind the faces I pass by every day. What is life really like here? I mean, let’s get down to it. How do you coexist in one of the world’s most disputed and contested over cities? Continue Reading »

[Alumni Guest Post] One Wish for Iran, Love Israel

Posted on August 5, 2013 by The Director of Digital Media

Joseph Shamash (Year ’12, MAPP ’13) and Andrew Lustig (Year ’12) have produced their latest video:

To Feel – To Know

Posted on June 2, 2013 by David Bogomolny

Here is the reflection I shared at Community Lunch last week- One of the many things that I tell people when discussing Pardes is that I wanted to study here before I ever knew that Pardes existed. As a college student I started wearing a kippah publicly before I had any idea what halakha was Continue Reading »