These and Those

Musings from Students of the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies in Jerusalem

Archive: May 2021

Failing to Hear God’s Call

Posted on May 2, 2021 by Carole Daman

This blog piece was written by Carole Daman (Year ’73-’74, Spirituality Retreat ’13, ’14, ’15, ’17, ’18,  WPLS ’08, ’09,  PLS ’12, ’13, ’14, ’15, ’16 ’17, ’18, ’19, ’20). Sefer Vayikra begins with an invitation and ends with a warning of alienation. According to Ramban, the Sefer sets forth laws meant to protect the Continue Reading »

Personal Reflections: Who Am I? The Complexity of Identity in the 21st Century

Posted on July 15, 2020 by Beryl Levinger

This was written by Beryl Levinger who studied at Pardes in the summer of 2008 before joining this summer’s PLS. I love that Judaism is a religion of doing. In practical terms, this means that Jewish learning should help us to grow both spiritually and behaviorally. Unpacking the multiple meanings of a text in beit Continue Reading »

An Amazing Opportunity to say ‘Hineni’

Posted on July 15, 2020 by Michael Conway

This was written by Michael Conway, a participant in the 2020 Summer online Pardes Learning Seminar. Michael lives in Miami Beach, FL. In the fragmented, post-modern world in which most of us live – busily bouncing between responsibilities of jobs and families – Pardes Learning Seminars (PLS) provide a refreshing and renewed connection between ourselves, Continue Reading »

The Winter Pardes Learning Seminar 'An odyssey that opened my mind and soul'

Posted on January 9, 2020 by Rhoda Weisman

This was written by Rhoda Weisman, alumna of the Winter 2019 Pardes Learning Seminar. I love the Oxford English dictionary’s definition of transformation: “a complete change in someone or something.” I am that someone who’s been transformed and the wonderful catalyst was this year’s Pardes Winter Learning Seminar. For those of you reading this post Continue Reading »

Pardes Seminars . . . ‘Illuminating. Challenging. Grounding. Provocative.’

Posted on January 8, 2020 by Rabbi Joshua Katzan

This blog was written by Rabbi Joshua Katzan of Los Angeles, alumnus of the Winter 2019 Pardes Learning Seminar and Pardes Year Programs ’90-’92. “Illuminating. Challenging. Grounding. Provocative. The essence of the Pardes Learning Seminar is to practice the art of seeing ideas and Jewish text from various points of view, and to feel more Continue Reading »

Pardes Seminars . . . ‘ Pluralistic, genuine, immersive, non-denominational, spiritual and academic’

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 »

ELS Summer 2019 Reflection

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 »

Pardes Executive Learning Seminars. . . ‘a major highlight and focus of my entire year’

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 »

What it was like for me as a parent on this retreat with my daughter

Posted on February 4, 2019 by Charles Marder

I want to attempt to describe an experience that words cannot adequately do justice. When my daughter Laura suggested I come join her on her third time attending Awakening the Divine: The Pardes Spirituality retreat co-sponsored by Or HaLev: Center for Jewish Spirituality and Meditation and NYU, I said “I think so”, but I already Continue Reading »

Pardes Executive Learning Seminars. . . ‘truly a part of paradise’

Posted on October 9, 2018 by David Greenspoon

“What is Pardes’s Executive Learning Seminar? For me it is a chance to engage in serious study with amazing learners and teachers, concerned with an application of Jewish wisdom to our larger world, in a setting dedicated with a radical commitment to real pluralism. For me, Pardes is not just The Orchard. It is Gan Continue Reading »