Musings from Students of the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies in Jerusalem
Posted on July 29, 2013 by Jim Sumner
We three friends come from different professional backgrounds. One of us is a teacher, another an asset manager, and the third is in politics. Last summer each of us was motivated to take time out of our lives back home to study at Pardes. We arrived at Pardes with different expectations, but from the start it was clear that we were going to be spiritually and intellectually moved. Along the way, we befriended each other along with many of our teachers, havruta, and classmates. Many of our dear memories of Israel are rooted in those three weeks spent on top of the Mazda dealership.
Friends Gil Bar, Jason Kravitz, and Jim Sumner (from left to right) studying at Pardes
We returned home and found it difficult to find engaged havruta and an enviroment that was so unique and conducive to learning. We decided to return to Pardes this summer because we yearned to make our time at Pardes even more meaningful, while reuniting with friends and faculty was a wonderful bonus. Fortunately, upon our return we found the spark still remained. We made new friends, shared Shabbat with old friends, and came away with an even stronger connection to Judaism.
The three weeks flew by, but at the same time they seem to last us a lifetime of knowledge and memories. As we return home, the challenge will be how we’ll continue to build on our enhanced Jewish education.
