Blogs posts and reflections from students and alumni
studying at the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies in Jerusalem
Have a story or reflection to share? Email us: info@pardes.org.il
Student Reflection: Kim and Neal Holtzman—Pardes Learning Seminar Winter 2023
Posted on January 25, 2023 by Kim and Neal Holtzman
Student Reflection: Peter Stein—Pardes Learning Seminar Winter 2023
Posted on January 25, 2023 by Rabbi Peter Stein
Posted on September 23, 2022 by Gila Gwen Sack (Year '87-'88)
From the Fast of the 17th of Tammuz until Hoshana Rabbah, the Jewish calendar is filled with emotion. First, there is the period of national introspection leading up to Tisha B’Av. Then from Rosh Chodesh Elul until Hoshana Rabbah, there are some 50 days of personal introspection and, hopefully, personal growth. As a single Jewish Continue Reading »
Posted on July 2, 2022 by David Gutbezahl
I first want to thank the community for inviting our group from Pardes to learn with you this week in Warsaw. We will be having classes on Sunday at the Polin Museum and all are invited to join us. When I began to prepare this d’var I intended, of course, to use material from the Continue Reading »
Posted on April 27, 2022 by Jack Snyder
It was a typical Tuesday morning in my middle school history classroom, and I was ready with my class plans and coffee, anticipating the day’s lesson. The students’ task for the day was to try and define “religion.” Simple, huh? The classroom environment was teeming with thoughts brought from home, synagogue, and past years at Continue Reading »
Posted on April 7, 2022 by Carole Daman
The focus of this Dvar Torah is the maftir for Shabbat Hachodesh. The maftir, referred to as Parashat Hachodesh, consists of the first 20 verses of Chapter 12 of Shmot. Not only does it relate to Pesach, but it mentions both my and my son Avi’s Hebrew birthdays, the 10th (on an actual Shabbos Hagadol Continue Reading »
Posted on January 26, 2022 by Bracha Lieberman
This post was written by PLS participant Bracha Lieberman. To learn more about the Pardes Learning Seminar program, which runs during the summer and winter, please visit www.pardes.org.il/seminar. I grew up Modern Orthodox and studied in Orthodox schools through high school. My mother had wanted me to learn about the Jewish people, Jewish values, the Continue Reading »
Posted on January 13, 2022 by Sarah Klein
Today, Tehilim 130:1 was on my mind all day. “A song of ascent: Out of the depths I call to you Gd.” שִׁ֥יר הַֽמַּעֲל֑וֹת מִמַּעֲמַקִּ֖ים קְרָאתִ֣יךָ יְה This verse is also my personal addition to the end of the amidah which starts with the first letter of my name ש and ends with the last Continue Reading »
Posted on January 12, 2022 by Josh Rolnick
I had so many reasons not to apply for the Pardes winter seminar on Cultivating Courage and Resilience. It took place during the holiday break, when my four children were off from school, a time of family and togetherness. Every day for five days, I knew, the seminar would take precious time away from my Continue Reading »
Posted on January 11, 2022 by Jonathan Chamberlin
This blog was written by Jonathan Chamberlin, a current student in the year program at Pardes. Jonathan chose to attend the Poland trip in part to explore his relationship to the Shoah as a Jew by choice. Sunday – Tikocyn As we walk on the path, I am looking for rocks. I left the one Continue Reading »
Posted on January 5, 2022 by Julie Kohl
This post was written by PLS participant Julie Kohl. To learn more about the Pardes Learning Seminar program, which runs during the summer and winter, please visit www.pardes.org.il/seminar. When the COVID surge caused my plans to go skiing in Colorado to fall through, I unexpectedly found myself with extra time during the final week of Continue Reading »
Posted on October 18, 2021 by Dani Satlow
Daniel Satlow is a first-year PCJE student. Growing up attending Jewish Day School, I always knew that the Fast of Gedalia was done in commemoration of the assassination of a Jewish leader in charge of Israel following the destruction of the First Temple. This leader, Gedalia, son of Ahikam was accused of collaborating with the Continue Reading »
