These and Those

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

Tag Archives: role models and/or heroes

Finding Self in Love & Torah

Posted on May 18, 2014 by Andrea Wiese

My dvar Torah from the Final 2013-14 Shabbaton: In Leviticus 26:42 (ויקרא כו:מב): וְזָכַרְתִּי, אֶת-בְּרִיתִי יַעֲקוֹב; וְאַף אֶת-בְּרִיתִי יִצְחָק וְאַף אֶת-בְּרִיתִי אַבְרָהָם I will remember the brit of Yakov, even the brit of Yitzchak, and even the brit of Avraham. What I want to focus on here is that the text doesn’t just say Avot… it Continue Reading »

What Exactly Is Experiential Jewish Education?

Posted on February 22, 2014 by Carolyn Gerecht

This year, studying in the Pardes Center for Jewish Educators’ Program for Experiential Jewish Education (PEEP) and Yeshiva University’s Certificate in Experiential Jewish Education, I’ve been fortunate to have had many, many opportunities to answer the question, “What exactly is Experiential Jewish Education?” Typically, I respond in a couple of short sentences. “Most people think Continue Reading »

Institute

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 »

Nataliya’s Bat Mitzvah – Photos & Video

Posted on December 15, 2013 by Sara Spanjer

On Monday, December 9, one of our fellow students, Nataliya Naydorf, celebrated her Bat Mitzvah at Robinson’s Arch. Despite the cold weather and wet ground, we were all warm listening to Nataliya read beautifully from the Torah, and her meaningful and well written D’var Torah on Parshat Vayechi. Nataliya is, beyond question, a role model Continue Reading »

KEEPing Israeli Kids on Track to Succeed

Posted on November 18, 2013 by Sydni Adler

In Israel, universities and many jobs require their applicants to be fluent in English. Unfortunately, many low-income children struggle with English acquisition as a result of lack of personal attention in school and family life. Every year, several Pardes students volunteer with KEEP (Kol HaNeshama’s English Enrichment Program), a program to help 4th-6th graders from Continue Reading »

[Jerusalem Medley] Adam

Posted on September 30, 2013 by Candace Mittel

About Jerusalem Medley Adam I want to be a creator.  To do my own stuff.  Write songs, write music.  Ever since I was like fifteen years old I wanted to do this.  I started listening to music that influenced to me in a different way, a more powerful way than before.  Before, okay, music was something. Continue Reading »

[Alumni Guest Post] ‘Setting the Right Example’ by Rabbi Peter Stein

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

Peter Stein (Kollel 2009-11) sent us these words of Torah on Parshat Re’eh – In this week’s Torah portion Re’eh, we find the commandment concerning the ir nidachat, a city consigned to destruction because its inhabitants have turned to idolatry. The Torah commands that should an Israelite city ever arise where the citizens go astray 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 »

[PEP Graduation ’13] For the Sake of Heaven

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 »

[PEP Graduation ’13] Be THE Example

Posted on June 6, 2013 by Ilan Weismark

Here is my Graduation Speech from yesterday: From Masechet Eruvin: אמר רבי אילעאי: בשלשה דברים אדם ניכר: בכוסו, ובכיסו, ובכעסו. ואמרי ליה: אף בשחקו. Using the translation from Steinsaltz…. R. Ilai said: By three things a person is recognized and it becomes known what his true character is: at a time of drinking; when he Continue Reading »