Musings from Students of the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies in Jerusalem
Posted on July 16, 2011 by Tamara Frankel
Dear Friends, Tonight I am writing to you from my backyard in Toronto. It’s not exactly Jerusalem, but the weather is pleasant as the sun sets and the birds are chirping. Literally. I can’t really tell if I’m ‘acclimatized’ to Toronto – not just in the meteorological sense – but so far, so good. Now Continue Reading »
Posted on July 14, 2011 by Avi Strausberg
in this week’s parsha, after yet another plague in which an empassioned God wipes out large numbers of israelities, 24,000 to be exact, God tells moshe to take another census of the jewish people. the last census was back in the beginning of parshat bamidbar, where we reached a grand total of 603,550 israelites. and Continue Reading »
Posted on July 14, 2011 by Barer
[From my blog] After taking another census of the nation, the first claim for equal rights for women in Jewish history is documented in this week’s parsha when the five daughters of Tzlophchad, a man who left Egypt with the Israelites but has since been killed for sinning, petition Moshe and the entire congregation to Continue Reading »
Posted on July 13, 2011 by Daniel Weinreb
4. The entrance to the Shrine’s underground level, similar to entrances to ancient sanctuaries. It’s not only the confluence (conflation, overlap and confusion) of ritual and secular life that makes life in Jerusalem out of the ordinary. Another aspect of life in Israel in general (b’gadol as Israelis say) are the layers of history piled one Continue Reading »
Posted on July 11, 2011 by Cheryl Stone
Check out THIS POST to see photos of the AMAZING new mural at Pardes! The first annual Yom Iyun envisioned, planned, run, and taught by the Pardes Educators Program took place on ט”ו בשבט 5771/2011. Facilitating both formal and experiential sessions, the Educators focused on the four גלגולים – embodiments or incarnations – that the Continue Reading »
Posted on July 10, 2011 by Mary Brett Koplen
Mary Brett Koplen, Pardes Summer learner, shares her Rosh Chodesh experience with Women of the Wall. For more of Mary Brett’s writing or to see her original post, visit her website: Where the Gnome Goes (A Traveling Blog). At 6:15am, I am showered and partially coffeed. I stand on a Jerusalem street corner with my Continue Reading »
Posted on July 8, 2011 by Tamara Frankel
Dear Friends, This week I have been blown away by the ways in which God (the forces of the Universe/nature, if you prefer) works, sometimes mysteriously and other times very inconspicuously. I’m not one to believe in signs or superstitions but sometimes you can’t ignore experiences that awaken and speak to your emotions and thoughts. Continue Reading »
Posted on July 7, 2011 by Barer
[Cross-posted from my blog] This week’s parsha documents the continuation of the Israelites interactions with the nations surrounding Cana’an, this time focusing almost entirely with the kingdom of Moav. Specifically, the king of Moav, Balaq, fears the Israelites and hires a local sorcerer, Bil’am, to curse them. However, Bil’am is constantly thwarted from doing so, Continue Reading »
Posted on July 7, 2011 by Avi Strausberg
this week’s parsha strangely focus on the story of one non-israelite, balaam the diviner, and his journey of how he came to know and understand God. okay, let’s back up a little bit. there’s a bad guy in this story, balak, head of the amorites, who summons our diviner-friend balaam to curse the jewish Continue Reading »
