These and Those

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

Tag Archives: reflections / testimonials

[Alumni Guest Post] The Intersession Bible

Posted on February 8, 2014 by Nina Gordon-Kirsch

On Sunday morning, I arrive at Pardes to empty hallways and a quiet Beit Midrash. No hassles or traffic jams, I find my locker and take my class materials into Room 5, or rather, the space that has been my womb for sometime now. Fall semester ended just three days prior, and I’m not yet Continue Reading »

Thoughts on Constructive Conflict and the Pew Study

Posted on February 6, 2014 by Deborah Renert

As I reflect on Rabbi Daniel Roth’s introduction to “Constructive Conflict ‘for the Sake of Heaven’…” I cannot help but also reflect on the Pew Study, and the Pew Survey program which took place here at Pardes this past December. The Pew Research Center published on October 1st 2013 findings that reflected that the intermarriage Continue Reading »

The Pardes Kollel Experience

Posted on February 3, 2014 by Jeff Amshalem

This past week, while I was substitute teaching a halakhah class here at Pardes, I mentioned by way of introduction that as well as being a proud and very busy member of the Pardes Educators Program, I am also, in that context, a member of the Kollel here. People immediately asked, what is this Kollel Continue Reading »

[Alumni/Staff Guest Post] Down the Stairs of Your Local Coffee Shop

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 »

Pardes *is* my family

Posted on January 23, 2014 by Melissa Scholten-Gutierrez

As I progress in my pregnancy and it becomes so visibly obvious people become more and more free with their questions, and one of the most common ones I get goes something like this: Person: Are you going to have the baby here or go back to America? Me: Here! 🙂 Person: Is your family Continue Reading »

[Alumni Guest Post] A message to all those who are considering studying in Israel.

Posted on January 9, 2014 by Hirsch Fishman

David Gutbezahl (Year ’13) reflects upon the year thathe spent at Pardes: Within every Jew there is planted a seedling. This seedling, the desire to learn Torah, has the ability to grow into one of the most beautiful trees in the world, the Tree of Knowledge. While it is true that trees can grow strong Continue Reading »

Hillel in the snow.

Posted on December 13, 2013 by Andrea Wiese

There is a very famous story about Hillel, which follows: “Most famous perhaps is the incident which occurred before his rise to leadership, when he was not yet a scholar, but had a burning desire to study Torah. At that time, Torah study was tightly controlled and limited only to those of the highest caliber Continue Reading »

MASA Security and Diplomacy Shabbaton 11/22-11/23

Posted on December 9, 2013 by Benjamin Friedman

The following are a few notes about my experience at the MASA Security and Diplomacy Shabbaton, which took place in Jerusalem from November 22-23. I attended with several other students from the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies, (where I am a year-student enjoying financial support from MASA), and can, on the whole say that it Continue Reading »

[Guest Post] Jewish Studies, a Poem by Abraham Leibson

Posted on October 17, 2013 by The Director of Digital Media

Early in 2013 my wife Sharon and I visited Israel for the first time. We rented an apartment in Jerusalem (Rehavia), and used it as a base to explore as much as we could in one month. I had prepared a long list of objectives and almost all of the objectives were achieved. One of Continue Reading »

[Alumni Guest Post] Awakening the Divine

Posted on October 13, 2013 by Baruch Tauber

Dear Friends In January, I attended my first meditation retreat at Awakening the Divine. As a beginner to meditation practice, I definitely had my doubts. Sit for hours at a time?! Not talk to anyone?! Really?! Will I have a million emails when I get back? Will I die from boredom? What the hell will Continue Reading »