Musings from Students of the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies in Jerusalem
‘Are You Having a Boy or Girl?’ Is More Complicated Than You Think
Posted on May 24, 2018 by Shira M. Cohen-Goldberg
Thanks for The Marilyn and Sigi z”l Ziering Omer Program 2018/5778
Posted on May 22, 2018 by Mark S. Cohen
To feel at home: Shabbat in Turkey (Pardes Turkey trip 2018)
Posted on March 26, 2018 by Gavi Bernat-Kunin Kornsgold
Posted on March 23, 2018 by Maxim Delchev
We just came back from the Ulus School in Istanbul, where we spent our two days learning together with the high-school students about Pesach. And we decided instead of sharing with you what we taught in the school (we hope that the kids will share that next Friday on their Pesach celebrations at home), all Continue Reading »
Posted on March 23, 2018 by Maxim Delchev
A Rabbi, a medical doctor, a biologist, 12 teenagers and a director of spice trade corporation went together to a dining hall…. And that is not the beginning of a very strange joke. But it was exactly what happened to us in our second day in the Pardes trip to Turkey. While we spent most Continue Reading »
Posted on March 22, 2018 by Nate Swetlitz
Bright and early. Well, it’s not bright yet because it’s too early. But we make it to the airport, and in no time we’re back in the city of sinuous streets, countless spires, and constant noise. Istanbul spans many cultures and two continents. We began our day back in Turkey on the Asian side, visiting Continue Reading »
Posted on February 27, 2018 by Alex Ronay
Hope Enough Took a trip down south— Not so far, but far enough. Tzion drove the bus— Not so fast, but fast enough. Saw a monument to the fighting farmers— Not so true, but true enough. Walked through farmland, wildflowers— Not so wild, but wild enough. Slept in a Kibbutz, played “Potato Pirates”— Not so Continue Reading »
Posted on February 27, 2018 by Doug Russ
A few weeks ago, while on the Pardes trip to Poland, I and our group visited the hometown of my paternal grandfather, William Russ z”l. It’s a small village named Gniewczyna, located in Southeastern Poland. My grandfather grew up there with his two brothers and parents – one of the twelve Jewish families in a Continue Reading »
Posted on February 26, 2018 by Sarah Palmer
After a busy day with the students at Ulus, we all headed back to our billets to get ready for Shabbat. We welcomed in Shabbat with Rabbi Nafi at the Ortaköy synagogue. Rabbi Nafi exploded with the most most exciting energy that inspired us and the community to sing and dance for just about the entirety of Continue Reading »
Posted on February 25, 2018 by Sarah Palmer
Today was an exciting day at the Ulus Jewish School. We davened Shacharit at Alef (the Jewish community center next to the school) and then had six classes full of games, laughter, and song. We met students in the 6th, 7th, and 11th grades who shared some of their upcoming plans for Purim. In the Continue Reading »
Posted on February 23, 2018 by Nate Swetlitz
In Turkey, the time is different than it is in Israel. It’s not just that it’s an hour later here. In Turkey, we have two days in one. After one and a half days of experiencing the city of seven hills (imagine a combination of San Francisco for the streets, LA for the traffic, and Continue Reading »
Posted on February 22, 2018 by Morane Bensoussan
After an eventful day visiting Istanbul’a main synagogues and touring around Buyukada island, popular summer destination among the Turkish Jewish community, we took the last ferry back to the city for an evening at “Aleph”. Aleph is the youth movement affiliated to the high school we will be teaching in tomorrow and on Friday. Thanks Continue Reading »
Posted on February 22, 2018 by Benji Elson
Today, we met with members of the Chief Rabbinate of Turkey. Unfortunately, we were not able to meet with the chief Rabbi himself, the Haham, as planned due to his being ill (he should have a speedy recovery!). But we did get to meet with four important rabbis of the Turkish community. Each of them Continue Reading »
