These and Those

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

Tag Archives: life in Israel

Shrine of the Book – Postcard Commentary #4

Posted on July 5, 2011 by Daniel Weinreb

3. The stairs connecting the upper plaza to the shrine’s entrance resemble those in a mikveh excavated at Qumran. Ritual life in Jerusalem is like nothing I have experienced elsewhere. The mikveh on the front of this card is only one part of life here that is enveloped in symbolic acts. The food in Jerusalem Continue Reading »

Shrine of the Book – Postcard Commentary #3

Posted on June 29, 2011 by Daniel Weinreb

2. The fountain on the Shrine’s dome – a symbol of purity and life. Without question, the living standard is lower here. “Ahhh,” you say, “who sets the standards and what, or whom – do those standards serve?” A very good question! I could say the standard by which Israel would be ranked lower serves the interest of Continue Reading »

Volunteering at the Yaakov Maimon program

Posted on June 10, 2011 by Avigail H-P

This year at Pardes, I volunteered at the Yaakov Maimon program, & I wrote 2 posts about it on my blog, which I’d like to share here:     #1. volunteering. Dec. 21, 2010 in Jerusalem I have lots to learn about the Ethiopian immigration to Israel – and will likely start by reading this wikipedia article. Continue Reading »

Memorial Day and Yom HaZikkaron

Posted on June 6, 2011 by Zach

Earlier this week, I was talking with a friend who works for an American company, and she mentioned that she had a day off.  I was confused for a minute, since she works all the time.  Then she reminded me that it was Memorial Day in the US.  Having just recently witnessed the the big Continue Reading »

Promises, Promises

Posted on May 23, 2011 by Aviva P.

Prior to coming to Israel, my mother tried made me promise her three things: I won’t date an Israeli I won’t move to Israel/want to make aliyah I won’t become orthodox While somehow I believed that there was no reason for my mom to be concerned (1) Israelis are difficult, 2) I liked living in Continue Reading »

Modern Days

Posted on May 18, 2011 by Shibley

The time between Pesach and Shavuot is marked in Israel with four modern holidays. Yom Hashoa, Yom Hazikaron, Yom Haatzmaut, and Yom Yerushalayim. Colloquially, this time of year is called y’mei yamim. The days of days. It has been an incredible experience to watch Israel move from Pesach into these modern celebrations. Israeli flags adorn Continue Reading »

[PEP Student] From the Mountain Top…

Posted on May 15, 2011 by Tamara Frankel

Dear Friends, This past Monday I visited Mount Herzl in Jerusalem with my classmates to commemorate Yom Hazikaron, Israel Remembrance Day. We visited the graves of young soldiers who had fallen recently and those of heroic figures like Hannah Senesh. Many questions raced through my mind as we walked among the graves: Where am I Continue Reading »

The Moments After

Posted on April 20, 2011 by Aviva P.

Note: I began writing this post almost a month ago, a day following the March 23 bombing at a Jerusalem bus station I call the first time I came to Israel, the last “Golden Year” of summer programs.  I was here in 2000, several months before the start of the second intifada.  No one thought Continue Reading »

Universal Liberation or Universal Cleaning?

Posted on April 13, 2011 by Shibley

Passover is rapidly approaching. Next Monday, across the world Jews of all denominations and traditions will sit down to festive seder meals. In only one country, however, is Passover cleaning a universal activity. Yes, there are plenty of secular Israelis who take their toothbrushes to the grout between their kitchen tiles. Cleaning products are flying Continue Reading »

(More Than) a Week Later

Posted on April 2, 2011 by Shibley

Over a week ago, Jerusalem was struck with the blight of terrorism once again. I am not going to spend time or words rehashing the events, as they are no doubt well known by now. However, in the 10 days since the most recent act of terror perpetrated against Israel, we have continued to live Continue Reading »