Musings from Students of the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies in Jerusalem
Posted on June 12, 2014 by Carolyn Gerecht
My dvar Torah from PCJE graduation: To commemorate the last day of our Gemara class this year with Rahel, we looked together at a special passage from Masechet Avoda Zara, Daf Yud Tet, Amud Alef. In the passage, Levi and Rabbi Shimon are studying together with Rah-bee. When they finish the text, Levi demands that Continue Reading »
Posted on March 31, 2014 by Sam Stern
From my blog: Magic mirror on the wall, who is the fairest one of all? It was 3:30 on a beautiful Friday afternoon when Judy and I started to embark on our big trip to Alon Shvut. The plan was simple: go tremping, make a left, find the green garbage cans, go down the stairs Continue Reading »
Posted on February 13, 2014 by Sam Stern
From my blog: Tuesday (Jan 28/27 Shevat): It was a normal Tuesday evening. Finish Pardes classes at 5, frantically run to the bus stop, ride around Jerusalem for about an hour, sit through my lady learning class, talk to Rav D, go home angry. But on this particular night, I left thinking “ma nishtana ha’lila Continue Reading »
Posted on September 17, 2013 by Stefanie Groner
I shared these parting words at Community Lunch today at Pardes: In three weeks, I will start my first-ever, grown-up, real-life job as a consultant. From my understanding, a consultant comes in as an outsider to a space, gets to know the ins and outs and upside-downs of that place, and develops creative and effective Continue Reading »
Posted on August 15, 2013 by Talia Kern
Here is the poem I read at the closing lunch for the ’13 summer program: We started Pardes on the eighth of July Little did we know, that time would fly At our opening circle, there are so many names “Come hear about the classes,” Alex exclaims. Nechama, Tzvi, Yaffa, Reuven, who should we choose? Continue Reading »
Posted on July 26, 2013 by Michal Kohane
In Pirkei Avot (5:25) we find, “turn her, turn her, everything is in her” – הפוך בה, הפוך בה, הכל בה. We knew this theory before coming to Pardes, but feeling it on an almost daily basis for the last three weeks has been a whole different story. Perhaps there is no better place to Continue Reading »
Posted on June 12, 2013 by Hannah Perlis
Here’s my Dvar from last week’s PEP Graduation! Ralph Wiggum from The Simpsons once said, “When I grow up I wanna be a Principal or a Caterpillar.” When I was younger I thought I wanted to be a supermarket cashier because you get to stand near the candy all day. I learned a lot about Continue Reading »
Posted on June 11, 2013 by Leah Kahn
Here is my dvar Torah from the PCJE Graduation ceremony! Martha Graham was one of the sages, entrepreneurs and Rebbes of modern dance. Says Graham: “I believe that we learn by practice. It is the performance of a dedicated, precise set of acts, physical or intellectual, from which comes shape of achievement, a sense of Continue Reading »
Posted on June 7, 2013 by Aileen Heinberg
I presented this dvar torah at the Pardes Center for Jewish Educators commencement ceremony on Wednesday: Almost two whole years ago, as we were first settling in at Pardes, a classmate looked around the room at our PEP cohort and said, “Wow, we are a group of very different personalities.” And it’s true; we all Continue Reading »
Posted on May 24, 2013 by Naomi Bilmes
From my blog: The most challenging course I am taking at Pardes is called “Critical Issues in Modern Jewish Thought.” There is no Hebrew involved. There is no Aramaic. I don’t even have to memorize birth and death dates of famous Jewish thinkers. What I do have to do, however, is think for myself. And Continue Reading »
