Musings from Students of the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies in Jerusalem
Posted on January 15, 2017 by Hirsch Fishman
Karen Feuer (Year ’99-’00 and current Pardes staff member) shares her thought about Tu B’Shvat. Seven years ago I underwent induced labor with twins at only 21-weeks into my pregnancy. The pregnancy was no longer safe for me, and this forced, early labor (that sounds nicer than “abortion”) was the result. It was a gut-wrenching Continue Reading »
Posted on July 29, 2014 by Jamie Bornstein
“Zvi ruined my life.” That was the common refrain heard in the hallways of Pardes at the conclusion of Rabbi Zvi Wolff’s class in 2005. Said with a shake of the head and a smile, we uttered these ironic words with love. We even considered making t-shirts. For several hours every week the brilliant Rabbi Continue Reading »
Posted on July 28, 2014 by Joanne Pollack-Reed
It was a gigantic leap of faith to apply and attend Pardes this summer. Forefront in my mind was if I, a 51 yr old – out of school forever- mom would be able to keep up. Would I be that student that clearly did not belong? My fears were put firmly to rest at Continue Reading »
Posted on March 4, 2014 by Arlene Harel
by Arlene Harel (Year ’85), staff member since ’03 Most people think that on Purim we get dressed up in costumes. But it’s really not that way. All year long we wear masks. On Rosh Hodesh Adar, the Pardes “staff ladies” decided to take off their masks, and become “real”. What you are seeing here Continue Reading »
Posted on February 23, 2014 by Falynn Schmidt
by Falynn Schmidt (Year ’99-’00), Pardes staff member, from her blog: It’s a strange thing how quickly a year can pass, but exactly one year ago today, I boarded a plane with a freshly minted aliyah[1] visa glued in to my US passport. My three-bag allowance and I got on an average plane flight, incognito, Continue Reading »
Posted on January 28, 2014 by Hirsch Fishman
by Debra Weiner, Pardes Staff I have lived in Israel for over 20 year yet had never visited Turkey – only 2 hours away yet worlds apart. When I heard that a group of students would be traveling to Turkey with Rabbi Levi Cooper, I jumped at the chance to travel with them. I had Continue Reading »
Posted on January 26, 2014 by Jenna King Brill
It was maybe five minutes after I first walked into the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies’ beit midrash that I thought: “Woah. The people here are incredible!” Anyone you talk to who has spent time at Pardes will tell you that it is the people who make it such a unique and wonderful place. It Continue Reading »
Posted on December 28, 2013 by Andrea Wiese
From my blog: This isn’t the first time I have written about The Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies, and honestly, it probably won’t be the last. Today, Shabbat, Parsha Va’Eira, was very special. There was a Bar Mitzvah of Avi, a son of one my teachers at Pardes, Meesh Hammer Kossoy. I have no idea Continue Reading »
Posted on December 10, 2013 by Arlene Harel
by Arlene Harel (Year ’85), staff member since ’03 Take 5 Pardes faculty, add in 6 staff members, mix with 4 spouses, sprinkle in 11 kids, stir well and dump them all near the Dead Sea at Nachal Og. What do you get?? The First Annual Pardes Faculty/ Staff Hannukah Hike. Why should students have Continue Reading »
Posted on December 9, 2013 by Debra Weiner-Solomont
by Debra Weiner, staff member since 1998 Pardes is more than a place to work, Pardes is family. Staff and faculty are connected outside of the office and Beit Midrash. This year I had the special zechut (privilege) to spend the last night of Chanukah with Arlene Harel. Arlene lives in the Nachlaot neighborhood of Jerusalem, Continue Reading »
