These and Those

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

Tag Archives: inclusion / exclusion

[Alumni Guest Post] I live in Brooklyn?!

Posted on August 9, 2014 by Laura Marder

From my blog: Emotions are high as I walk the streets of Brooklyn and even venture into the big city. I just keep walking. Trying to get my mind to catch up with my physical being. I am no longer wandering the streets of Jerusalem. These are not the same people, not the same corner Continue Reading »

I’ve been saying Watermelon a lot.

Posted on August 1, 2014 by Rachel Dingman

I don’t formally blog, but I did spend some time reflecting on something I shared at our 2014 Pardes Summer Program Tish. Here are my reflections: At a dinner at Yaffa’s house she made the joke “sing along if you know the words, if you don’t just say Watermelon”. Needless to say, I said watermelon Continue Reading »

Raising the Issue – My Torah

Posted on May 14, 2014 by Meira Cohen

The place: a little shtieble near my house in New York. The time: the holiday of Simchat Torah. I am accompanying my brother and his two children to hakafot, the joyous circle dancing celebrating our people’s connection to the Torah. As I walk into the women’s section past the sign delineating proper and modest dress Continue Reading »

A Grey Kotel

Posted on May 9, 2014 by Andrea Wiese

I originally posted this on the Grey Zone Blog: I have felt to be in a Grey Zone before. There have been times that I felt that I didn’t fit in. But last Rosh Chodesh at the Kotel with Women of the Wall may have made me feel to be in the “greyest” zone of Continue Reading »

[Student Profile] Emet Ozar and Jessica Baverman would like to get Married. Once.

Posted on March 12, 2014 by Avi Benson-Goldberg

The time was, that when you came into Pardes, the first thing you would see in the morning was Emet Ozar (32) and Jessica Baverman, MSW (27), being cute. Not snarky, but god’s own living Bambi. Unfortunately for us, but blessedly for them, the love birds have flown back to the United States to prepare Continue Reading »

Best dad in the world.

Posted on March 4, 2014 by Andrea Wiese

From my blog: Last Thursday I received an email from my dad. (This is normal, we email a lot.) The email said, “i am getting plates and bowls for you, do you need separate silverware? please let me know your dietary needs. what do you want to eat while you are here? what can you Continue Reading »

My Personal Experience at Pardes

Posted on March 3, 2014 by Eileen Gamzuletova

Once I finally arrived home, after twenty seven hours travelling time, my mother asked me, “What was the best thing you gained out of your time at Pardes?” to which I answered, “A sense of belonging.” Upon completing my formal education in a Modern Orthodox and Zionist school, Mount Scopus College, and commencing life in Continue Reading »

What is so Disrespectful about my Public Voice?

Posted on February 28, 2014 by Taylor Winfield

This week I read from the Torah for the first time. I stood up in front of my closest female friends, and sang the words of our people. I had been preparing for weeks, and I expected the moment to come with a high, a relief, a joy. But instead a seed inside of me Continue Reading »

10 FAQS ABOUT BEING GAY AT PARDES

Posted on February 16, 2014 by Avi Benson-Goldberg

1. WAIT, YOU’RE GAY? I WOULD NEVER HAVE GUESSED! Probably I don’t get this as much as I feel like I do, but hey, we are all humans and so sometimes I go to work in my normal pants and sometimes I go to work in my garish neon-rainbow-flag leather tuchus-less chaps! This is really Continue Reading »

Shabbat: New Experiences and Emotions

Posted on February 4, 2014 by Jessica Baverman

From my blog: Since I’ve been keeping Shabbat, I have had some that are absolutely fabulous and some that aren’t as much. It depends on whom I’m with, mainly. This past Shabbat was so amazing; I can only attempt to explain it. On Friday night, Emet and I went to a Reform shul. I haven’t Continue Reading »