Musings from Students of the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies in Jerusalem
Posted on January 3, 2012 by Eliyahu B.
Here is a dvar tzedek I wrote and gave to my Social Justice class today on our last day of class: Shalom classmates. I am here before you today to share with you my views on humanism and universalism, two topics which have been prominent in my way of thinking for many years, at Continue Reading »
Posted on January 3, 2012 by The Director of Digital Media
She’s super… she’s duper… she’s Falynn Schmidt! Falynn studied at Pardes in 1999-2000 before moving to Atlanta, and founding Pardes Atlanta with the help of Marc Baker (97-98, 99-00 Fellow, 00-02 PEP). She coordinated all the parts that were not teaching — publicity, planning, scheduling, venue, Shabbatonim, and shiurim, and Marc and a few other Pardes alumni taught Continue Reading »
Posted on December 31, 2011 by Barer
[Cross-posted from my blog] In Jewish culture, there is a high value placed not just on learning, but on learning lishma — learning for its own sake (a source for this would be much appreciated). This is not a familiar concept for secular academics, where knowledge gained has a practical purpose, even if that purpose Continue Reading »
Posted on December 31, 2011 by Barer
The podcast for the parsha that we read this morning features Michael Hattin discussing the birth of Yocheved on the way down to Egypt. Vayigash 5772
Posted on December 31, 2011 by Barer
This week’s parsha marks the end of the Yosef narrative (though he is still alive and present in at least one important scene in next week’s parsha too), where he is finally reconnected with his family, and, perhaps most importantly, with his father. There is an interesting verse when the brothers return to Yaakov/Yisrael where Continue Reading »
Posted on December 31, 2011 by Derek Kwait
(X-posted from my home blog, Yinzer in Yerushalayim) Menorah at the Jerusalem Great Synagogue This was actually my second Chanuka in Israel, I was here on Birthright in December 2008. So the menorahs on the streetlights, the Chabad menorahs in every public square, the impossibly delicious-looking sufganiyot* everywhere, and the total lack of anything Continue Reading »
Posted on December 31, 2011 by Andrea Wiese
Over Hanukkah break from Pardes, I had the opportunity to help deliver some much needed winter thermal shirts and gloves to soldiers in the south on the border of Sinai. I went with an organization called Standing Together (http://www.stogether.org/) which buys and delivers items to soldiers in the IDF that the government can’t afford. They Continue Reading »
Posted on December 29, 2011 by Austin C.
Posted on December 29, 2011 by The Director of Digital Media
One of this year’s Pardes Fellows is studying at Pardes for her first time this year – last year she was studying at the Conservative Yeshiva. Réka Eszter Bodó is one of Pardes’ international students; she’s from Hungary, and These&Those (Th&Th) thought it would be interesting to interview her to learn a bit about her Continue Reading »
Posted on December 28, 2011 by The Director of Digital Media
Many students have been lucky enough to study with Tovah Leah Nachmani – her ‘Personalizing Prayer’ class is a favorite for students seeking to connect to Jewish tradition in a meaningful, personal way, and we appreciate her for being such an incredibly deep listener. Below is a dvar Torah she recently wrote, with a bonus Continue Reading »
