Musings from Students of the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies in Jerusalem
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 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 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 »
Posted on May 28, 2019 by Branden Charles Johnson
This has been the most difficult blog post to write this year. As I type these words, I can’t even believe they’re describing reality. That we just returned from the final Shabbaton of our year at Pardes feels like the awkward punchline to a joke someone told back in September. “This year is going to Continue Reading »
Posted on April 3, 2019 by Daniella Silverstein
Last week Pardes students enjoyed three days of exploring the Golan, drinking in the scenery. Rainy plains covered in wildflowers, mountains built of rocks, green for days, a shout of exaltation spilling across the landscape. We met crumbling and rebuilt temples, abandoned war bunkers, and UN personnel manning the Syrian border. And through it all Continue Reading »
Posted on April 3, 2019 by Danielle Plung
The first time I traveled to the Golan Heights was as a child, one July, on my first trip to Israel with my parents and brother. We were surrounded by brown, seemingly barren, mountains with straw-like grass, parched in the summer sun, and, when our tour guide said that this was his favorite part of Continue Reading »
