These and Those

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

Archive: May 2011

Students Published

Posted on May 26, 2011 by The Director of Digital Media

Students Louis Sachs and Merissa Nathan Gerson have both been recently published! Read about their experiences at Pardes!

[Take 5] Cheryl Schaindel Stone: Two Precious People

Posted on May 25, 2011 by Joel D.

על ויקרא, on vayikra

Posted on May 25, 2011 by Avi Strausberg

i was scared to begin the book of vayikra.  for that matter, others were scared for me.  sefer vayikra, which primarily deals with laws surrounding ritual purity, sacrificial offerings, as well as other priestly business, is often written-off as that dry middle section of the Torah necessary to skim through in order to get back on Continue Reading »

Promises, Promises

Posted on May 23, 2011 by Aviva P.

Prior to coming to Israel, my mother tried made me promise her three things: I won’t date an Israeli I won’t move to Israel/want to make aliyah I won’t become orthodox While somehow I believed that there was no reason for my mom to be concerned (1) Israelis are difficult, 2) I liked living in Continue Reading »

[PEP Student] Establishi​ng an Enduring State

Posted on May 23, 2011 by Tamara Frankel

Dear Friends, This week’s parsha, Parshat Bechukotai, has prompted me to return to the subject of Israel and explore my relationship and understandings of this place as a reality and an ideal. There is a bizarre word in the parsha, which funnily enough I’ve encountered countless times before reading the parsha this week, as it Continue Reading »

‘Stach Sunday

Posted on May 22, 2011 by Aviva P.

In honor of Lag B’Omer and finally being able to shave after 33 days, some of the men of Pardes had a little fun with their facial hair growth…

All His Friends Came to Him

Posted on May 22, 2011 by Jean

When Job’s three friends heard about all these calamities that had befallen him, each came from his home…. They met together to go and console and comfort him. When they saw him from a distance… they broke into loud weeping; each one tore his robe and threw dust into the air onto his head. They Continue Reading »

[Take 5] Tamara Frankel: Power of Torah

Posted on May 19, 2011 by Joel D.

Why I learn Talmud

Posted on May 19, 2011 by The Director of Digital Media

A Testimonial by Avigail Hurvitz-Prinz About a month ago my Talmud class did an exercise where we shared our reasons for studying Gemora. Everyone had their own reasons, and my list came up to a total of 21 reasons as wide ranging as “intellectual challenge” and “to have a sense of the Rabbinic world” or Continue Reading »

Modern Days

Posted on May 18, 2011 by Shibley

The time between Pesach and Shavuot is marked in Israel with four modern holidays. Yom Hashoa, Yom Hazikaron, Yom Haatzmaut, and Yom Yerushalayim. Colloquially, this time of year is called y’mei yamim. The days of days. It has been an incredible experience to watch Israel move from Pesach into these modern celebrations. Israeli flags adorn Continue Reading »