These and Those

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

Tag Archives: spirituality

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 »

[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 »

Reflections

Posted on June 3, 2013 by Ari Abelman

From my blog: It’s hard to believe, but my time in Israel is almost done.  Two days from now, I’ll be in the air on my way home.  And while I haven’t been the best about blogging here regularly, at the moment I feel like a little bit of reflection is in order.  I’m going Continue Reading »

Homemade Pop-Tarts for Davening on the Tayelet!

Posted on May 28, 2013 by Aliza Geller

I made homemade pop-tarts for tomorrow’s Community Davening on the Tayelet!   [expand title=”click here for info about tomorrow’s davening”] We will begin at 5:05am. Sunrise is at 5:36. Our schedule for the morning is: Birkot HaShahar and Psukei led by Mike Nash and Laura Marder with simultaneous yoga led by Emly (Yoga mats will Continue Reading »

How Pardes Changed My Life: A Reflection

Posted on May 28, 2013 by Daniella Adler

I feel really lucky to have had the opportunity to come to Pardes this year. It is taken me on a journey of Jewish learning and spiritual growth that has exceeded my wildest dreams and expectations. Around March of 2012 I was working three jobs, I felt tired and disconnected from myself. I was missing Continue Reading »

[Alumni Guest Post] Peter Avniel Salzman of Blessed Memory

Posted on May 24, 2013 by The Director of Digital Media

Alicia Jo Rabins (Year ’99, Fellows ’00) wrote the following in memory of her friend Peter Avniel Salzman z”l A few weeks ago, when the current Pardes students asked me to write something for this blog, I planned to write about how the two years I studied there changed my life. How I was, at Continue Reading »

Kohenet Shacharit prepared by Kohenet Annie Matan Gilbert

Posted on May 2, 2013 by Annie Matan Gilbert

Wednesday morning, at our weekly Creative Shacharit, I led a Kohenet style davenning. This means that the liturgy of the service follows the arc of a traditional shacharit service but is often not traditional liturgy. This particular service is compiled from chants and prayers from the Kohenet siddur and from my own writing and repertoire. Continue Reading »

[Alumni Guest Post] A Holy Stranger with Open Arms

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

Alissa Thomas (Spring ’11) blogs about relating to Jewish Converts, inspired by her own father: There is nothing like seeing my father dressed head to toe in all white. His soul hearkens to the time of the Kabbalistic rabbis who, draped in white clothing, would sing Kabbalat Shabbat in the fields. I imagine my father in his Shabbat white Continue Reading »

A Peek into the Black and White World

Posted on April 13, 2013 by Naomi Bilmes

From my blog: I have Haredi cousins. I did not know this until last Friday night, enjoying couch-conversation with one of said cousins before Shabbat dinner. “So what do people in this neighborhood call themselves?” I asked, wondering (after seeing all the black hats and streimels) which sect of Ultra-Orthodoxy I had resigned myself to Continue Reading »

My Ayeka Journey

Posted on April 2, 2013 by Annie Matan Gilbert

Among the many blessings I have experienced this year is the Ayeka course facilitated by David Bogomolny.  I share here some of my favourite take-aways from the course (handily preserved in my writing exercises and reflections.) This module was about bringing God back to the conversation.  I felt like it gave me a place to Continue Reading »