Musings from Students of the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies in Jerusalem
Posted on January 31, 2013 by Annie Matan Gilbert
This week’s parsha, Yitro, mentions Moses’ father-in-law (known by seven names in Tanakh.) In Yitro, he swoops in, Jean-Luc Picard style, to teach Moses how to delegate and manage his community more efficiently and then swoops out again. This midrash was written at Pardes in 2009-2010 and tells the story of their meeting and how their Continue Reading »
Posted on January 30, 2013 by Annie Matan Gilbert
I don’t consider myself to be much of an artist but I am pretty happy with the way this turned out! Thanks to Jessica Katz, Stuart Matan Lithwick and Abayiss Ancselovits for encouraging me! Karen Feuer is looking for some more art for the Jewish Holidays for Pardes’ Jewish Holiday guide, which is in the Continue Reading »
Posted on January 5, 2013 by Annie Matan Gilbert
From my blog: This past week, I taught my first Peer Teaching lesson at Pardes. It was a chanting workshop on the personal experience of Yetziat Mitzrayim. Often, when I lead chanting workshops, I offer kavannot once the group is lost in the chant. Words of yearning or blessing that float about the sounds of Continue Reading »
Posted on January 5, 2013 by Annie Matan Gilbert
From my blog: It seems silly to me now, but I have resisted writing a blog because I couldn’t fathom writing prose with enough frequency to make it viable and I doubted I had anything of use to say. And then… In the past couple of weeks, I wrote some poems. And posted them. And Continue Reading »
Posted on January 3, 2013 by Annie Matan Gilbert
Thanks to Joseph Shamash for leading an inspiring Creative Shacharit this morning! We spent time practicing the Desire meditation from James Jacobson-Maisels’ Self, Soul and Text class, then were given paper and pens and markers to express what came up for us in the form of a drawing or a prayer, etc. Here is what Continue Reading »
Posted on January 2, 2013 by Annie Matan Gilbert
When I was applying for rabbinical school in 2011, I was inspired to write this poem: I’m on a lifelong quest for wholeness. Understanding, of course, that wholeness has broken edges, that every circle is a shard of light that every soul is a piece of God that every shadow is a trick of the Continue Reading »
Posted on December 27, 2012 by Annie Matan Gilbert
This week’s PCJE Dvar Torah is on Parshat Vayechi and is heavily inspired by the amazing divrei Torah of Yaffa Epstein and Jenna King-Brill at recent Pardes Night Seders. It’s also a little bit connected to this week’s learning in Ayeka, about “The Hard Stuff” in relationship with God and others. I have been pondering Continue Reading »
Posted on November 21, 2012 by Annie Matan Gilbert
This was post for my Self, Soul and Text class about a practice of eating with awareness and intention (kavannah) Eating slowly with intention to feel every juicy tingle & salty crumb to scrape it across my tongue & lick drops & specks from my lips suck bite down exploding tart pomegranate seeds red, sweet-sour Continue Reading »
Posted on October 25, 2012 by Annie Matan Gilbert
I have been prompted twice this year so far to share these poems – once inspired by Rav Landes Shabbat Shuva Shiur and then after I read them at Salon Pardes. I wrote these as part of my final project for an Aleph Rabbinical School class exploring the concept of tzimtzum in Jewish texts. My Continue Reading »
Posted on September 12, 2012 by Annie Matan Gilbert
I am a returning student this year. I was in the Year Program in 2009-2010. My goal that year was to attain the skills I needed to be accepted into rabbinical school. It was an incredible, eye and heart-opening year that changed my life. When I returned to Toronto, I found my besherte and indeed Continue Reading »
