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
Posted on September 24, 2019 by Grant Besner
It’s hard to believe that it’s already been three weeks since Orientation and the 2019-2020 year kicked off. Though the days are often long, starting every morning promptly at 8:30 with Chumash or Mishna and sometimes stretching until 9pm with Jewish Meditation, the weeks surely are short. Already, this passage of time is a reminder Continue Reading »
Posted on August 25, 2019 by Larry Brooks
This blog piece was written by Larry Brooks, alumnus of the Summer 2019 Pardes Executive Learning Seminar. Pluralistic, genuine, immersive, non-denominational, spiritual and academic? For years I’d heard others describe Pardes this way. Still, I began the 2019 ELS summer program with a healthy dose of New York skepticism. Would the teachers be truly engaging? Continue Reading »
Posted on August 1, 2019 by Rabbi Irv Elson
This blog piece was written by Rabbi Irv Elson, alumnus of the Pardes 2018 and 2019 Summer Programs. Many years ago, (did I say MANY”?) when I first arrived in New York to attend college, I was faced with the task of opening a bank account at a local bank. The choices were many. In Continue Reading »
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 »
