Musings from Students of the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies in Jerusalem
Mahloket Matters: How Traditional Texts Can Inform Modern Civil Discourse
Posted on October 7, 2019 by Sefi Kraut
Pardes Seminars . . . ‘ Pluralistic, genuine, immersive, non-denominational, spiritual and academic’
Posted on August 25, 2019 by Larry Brooks
Posted on July 30, 2019 by Tamy Jacobs
Imagine sitting in the shade on a Saturday morning. There’s a bit of a breeze. We just finished davvening (praying) and had a snack. It’s our final Pardes Shabbaton. We are in Tavor Alon at a retreat center. Everyone is relaxed and happy. We’ve broken into small groups to reflect back on the past year. Continue Reading »
Posted on July 30, 2019 by Devra C. Aarons
This blog piece was written by Devra Aarons, alumna of the Summer 2019 Pardes Executive Learning Seminar. I have vivid childhood memories of sitting in my family’s synagogue on Shabbat, just listening to everyone’s voices coming together during the prayers. Somehow the tune to “Vishamru” always felt big – like a symphony and a call Continue Reading »
Posted on July 15, 2019 by Carole Daman
This blog piece was written by Carole Daman (Year ’73-’74, Spirituality Retreat ’13, ’14, ’15, ’17, ’18, WLS ’08, ’09, ELS ’12, ’13, ’14, ’15, ’16 ’17, ’18, ’19) Every year for the past eight years coming to Jerusalem to learn at the summer Pardes Executive Learning Seminar has been a major highlight and focus Continue Reading »
Posted on June 10, 2019 by Charles (Chuck) Freedman, Ph.D. and Aviva Freedman, Ph.D.
This reflection was written by Charles (Chuck) Freedman, Ph.D. and Aviva Freedman, Ph.D. Pardes Community Education Participants We have been attending the Pardes Omer program every year since we made Aliyah almost 5 years ago. This year it lasted 5 weeks (between Pesach and Shavuot as the name indicates) and was, as usual, very rewarding Continue Reading »
Posted on June 5, 2019 by Julia Laibstain
This poem was written by Julia Laibstain (PEEP ’18-’19) for the closing day lunch. Machon Pardes, oh what a wonderful place! The building may be old but let me tell you.. everyone’s always “holding space” Start the week on sunday, rushing down to Rahel And if one more person’s late, she just might Continue Reading »
Posted on June 5, 2019 by Amalia Mark
This blog was written by Amalia Mark (PEEP ’16-’17, Year ’18-’19) “I am a product of my upbringing; a world of black hats and streimels, a world of Hassidic tales, a world of Eretz Yisrael not Medinat Yisrael, and a world of gendered lines.” Two years ago, I stood in the same spot, at this Continue Reading »
Posted on May 28, 2019 by Alex Griffel
Over the last few weeks, a palpable depression seems to have set in the 3rd floor of 29 Pierre Koenig. Maybe depression is too strong of a word; melancholy might be better. Perhaps that’s just me, but everyone I talk to about it concurs that things have felt different. The year is ending, and Continue Reading »
Posted on May 28, 2019 by Branden Charles Johnson
This has been the most difficult blog post to write this year. As I type these words, I can’t even believe they’re describing reality. That we just returned from the final Shabbaton of our year at Pardes feels like the awkward punchline to a joke someone told back in September. “This year is going to Continue Reading »
Posted on April 8, 2019 by Jason Gusdorf
I grew up in St. Louis, Missouri in a reform Jewish household. My seminal Jewish experiences were my Bar Mitzvah and Jewish Summer camp, which I attended for 7 years. OSRUI was formative in my identity and I have a deep love for the institution, the friends I made, and the time I spent there. Continue Reading »
Posted on April 3, 2019 by Daniella Silverstein
Last week Pardes students enjoyed three days of exploring the Golan, drinking in the scenery. Rainy plains covered in wildflowers, mountains built of rocks, green for days, a shout of exaltation spilling across the landscape. We met crumbling and rebuilt temples, abandoned war bunkers, and UN personnel manning the Syrian border. And through it all Continue Reading »
