These and Those

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

Tag Archives: personal growth / transformation

Lollipops and Gumdrops

Posted on September 1, 2013 by The Director of Digital Media

From my blog last week: A little over a year ago, on August 9, 2012, I went to a conference called the Hillel Institute in St. Louis. It was my first introduction to the many, many Masa Programs that I would spend the next year convincing people to participate in. The conference had many different participants including: Continue Reading »

The Kotel

Posted on August 30, 2013 by Jessica Baverman

From my blog: Yesterday morning, I went to the Kotel for the first time since May. The last time I went, I had the realization that the current system of gender segregated prayer disallows for people with gender-variance to pray comfortably on either side. This time, I wanted to go to Robinson’s Arch, which is Continue Reading »

Investigation: ‘Leading from Behind’

Posted on August 21, 2013 by David Bogomolny

The Genesis at Brandeis University program where I’ve worked for the past two summers has many moving parts on the participant, staff and faculty levels. The ‘investigation’ component of a residential staff member’s responsibilities is an opportunity for professional development, through which the staff person explores an element of hir work at Genesis (or its Continue Reading »

[Alumni Guest Post] Chalk and Rivers

Posted on August 16, 2013 by Eli Steier

Studying at Pardes was amazing, and I gained much. One of the things I learned from my experiences at Pardes is how to be more comfortable with not knowing the answer, to not be so worried about getting life wrong. Let me explain, and lay my position on the table. I do believe there is Continue Reading »

[Alumni Guest Post] What I Learned At Pardes This Summer

Posted on August 13, 2013 by Adena Kemper

I spent three weeks at Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies this summer, and what did I learn? Yes, I learned about Birkat Hamazon in the Gemara and halachah pertaining to women and even postmodern philosophy. Sure, I learned a few new zemiros tunes and how Karaites differ from rabbinic Jews. But above all, at Pardes Continue Reading »

Why accept a job that is guaranteed to break your heart?

Posted on August 7, 2013 by Andrea Wiese

Every summer when I start working with forty reform North American teenagers, I know exactly what is going to happen. I am going to pour my heart and soul into being their mechanechet (educator), taking them through Europe and Israel, into keeping them healthy, and making sure they feel loved. And when they leave five Continue Reading »

An Even Stronger “Am”

Posted on July 12, 2013 by Andrea Wiese

I wrote this dvar Torah after a four-day desert adventure with NFTY: This week we start reading the book of Devarim / Deuteronomy. Devarim takes place right before the Israelites are going to enter the land that God gave them. And Moshe is reminding the Jewish people of the laws that God gave to the Continue Reading »

[Alumni Guest Post] Nevatim Conference: More Alive, Outside!

Posted on June 20, 2013 by The Director of Digital Media

Lisa Bodziner is currently the special programs and curriculum coordinator at the Pearlstone Center. She received a Bachelor’s degree in comparative religions from the University of Wisconsin- Madison. She then lived in Israel for four years, receiving a Master’s Degree in Jewish Education from the Pardes Institude and Hebrew College; working at an Ethiopian restaurant Continue Reading »

[PEP Graduation ’13] The Dove need not Return

Posted on June 10, 2013 by Stu Jacobs

The following is my PCJE Commencement dvar Torah from last week: 2002-2003: Pardes Year Program July 2008: Pardes Summer Session And now, 2011-2013: Pardes Educators Program I guess the only thing left to do is to talk to Robby about coming back, maybe in 2040, for the Executive Learning Seminar. But, in all seriousness, as Continue Reading »

15 Shekel Shawarma

Posted on June 9, 2013 by Tadea Klein

A little over a year ago, I went out for my first shawarma. I walked past the Kinyon Hadar, and turned into this vaguely sketchy open-wall joint that said “15 Shekel Shawarma” in big neon letters. Bogo, who was accompanying me, showed me what to order. When we were finished eating, he pulled out a Continue Reading »