Musings from Students of the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies in Jerusalem
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 »
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 »
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 »
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 »
Posted on June 3, 2013 by Stuart Matan Lithwick
It is so hard to believe Annie and my year in Israel is already over! We are sitting in our hostel room in Tel Aviv, taking in the sounds of the city, as we contemplate returning to Toronto, changed in so many ways. This year has been a year with so many different facets. Challenging, Continue Reading »
Posted on May 30, 2013 by AdAm Mayer
This what I shared at the Final Community Lunch: I love Purim. Do you remember Rosh Hodesh Adar? I can still see the Pardes staff dressed up as hippies, spreading messages and cookies of peace and love. Purim is the time where the truth is revealed and the inside is shown on the outside. This Continue Reading »
Posted on May 30, 2013 by Stu Jacobs
All the way back in December, I shared some insights on Parshat Vayigash, a parsha I mentioned as near and dear to my heart, as it is my bar mitzvah parsha. This week’s parsha, Parshat Sh’lach, is also very dear to me, as it is the parsha of our daughter, Elinoa’s, birth. I’d like to Continue Reading »
Posted on May 12, 2013 by The Director of Digital Media
Sarah Margles (Year ’02, PEP ’04) reflects upon preparing for Shavuot… what does “readiness” mean? I remember when I first started at Pardes, I would spend much of Fridays getting ready for Shabbat – shopping, cooking, cleaning. When the siren went to light candles, my roommate would inevitably yell out, while running from the bathroom Continue Reading »
Posted on May 1, 2013 by Stuart Matan Lithwick
I can’t believe we are down to our last 5 weeks in Israel! David Bernstein said that it would absolutely fly by, but I never realized how right he was! I feel like my time in Israel is slipping away, and there are so many things still on my bucket list! I have had such Continue Reading »
Posted on April 28, 2013 by Ilan Weismark
From my blog: Should our students be allowed to study Torah on an iPad? Does it change the Kedusha of the text? For thousands of years Jewish tradition was rooted in the oral passing of history. In the first and second century when Yehuda HaNassi compiled the Mishna, he changed the future of Jewish education. Continue Reading »
