Musings from Students of the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies in Jerusalem
Posted on December 31, 2010 by Barer
n some ways it feels like yesterday that I walked into this apartment for the first time, toured Pardes for the first time, and met the people that turned out to be a fantastic and interesting community of friends, but nearly four months have passed. A few weeks ago, as the ‘light at the end of the tunnel’ of my leaving Israel was just beginning to glimmer, I had a conversation with a Pardesnik in which I was asked a question that I immediately knew was one that needed further thought as my time to leave drew near. The question was: what am I going to take home with me from my time at Pardes, in what ways is my life going to change as a result of my time here?
I see my time here as being defined mainly by the friends I made and the community I had the privilege of being a part of, as well as the ongoing struggle to define for myself what it means to be Jewish – i.e. coming to terms with my Jewish identity. Therefore, if the changes I want to incorporate into my life as I re-enter the familiar life I have in Vancouver in two short days are going to truly reflect my time here, I must focus on these two broad aspects of the past four months.
First, maintaining connections with the new community I have made while here. This is no easy task, as after four months I am just getting truly comfortable in my life here, and can only conclude that there is so much more to explore and learn from the people that I have gotten to know. I truly believe that I have had the privilege of studying alongside many future Jewish leaders, whether they end up in the US, Israel, or elsewhere, and those are the exact people with whom I want to continue to develop lasting relationships. On the flip side, I have experienced for the first time what it is like to forget about the community of friends and family that I have always lived amongst back home. A reality I didn’t believe was possible has unfolded, and there is no question that the exact connections that I seek to maintain to fellow Pardesniks will be just as hard, if not harder, to maintain than those that I only did a so-so job of maintaining with friends and family back home. I expect that I will live in this ‘fragmented’ world from now on, always having connections that I hold dear in multiple places, yet only really being able to engage with those who are physically close to me at any given time.
On to what I was personally striving towards within the Pardes community. If I had been asked, in a moment of clarity, why I was coming to Pardes back in the summer, I may have been able to articulate that continuing to struggle with my Jewish identity was on the forefront of my mind. That is indeed how I would define my overall ‘project’ here, and why I am considering coming back for another year in September (no, not for the Educator’s Program, Sam). As for answering the question, not physically being at Pardes is no excuse to stop working on how I see Judaism and my place in it. Because ritual is so central to so many forms of Judaism, my own ritual observance, and all the changes and developments it will surely undergo in the near (and not-so-near) future must be a chief component of my bringing Pardes home with me.
As an idealistic young person, I have grand hopes and designs for what the Jewish world could and should look like. However, given that, in reality, change happens glacially, the best I can do is work hard and hope that I can inspire and influence others to do the same. Towards that end, taking more of a leadership role in improving a community like Pardes is an amazing opportunity, but one that I need to have clear goals for before I start. Those are the tasks that I set before myself as I start this next chapter of my life, coming home from a meaningful semester spent thinking and building a community in Jerusalem.
Posted on December 30, 2010 by Mosheh
The Psalmist is in love, with G-d, with his earthly lover, with being fully Alive.* The Prophet is intimately connected with the Divine Plan and with his community, he / she is deeply pained by our distance, fear, shame, inadequacy, and disconnect from our souls and the Divine Spirit. So he engages, she calls us Continue Reading »
Posted on December 30, 2010 by Mosheh
V’ahavta et Hashem elochecha!* How do you command love? Can you command love? Yes, actually you can. The command, however, is to listen (Shema!), and thus form a relationship. Have you ever really listened? I mean really, really, really listened? Have you ever really listened, really heard someone’s heart of hearts and not fallen in Continue Reading »
Posted on December 30, 2010 by Avi Strausberg
in this week’s parsha, parshat וארא, i struggled with God’s hand in the hardening of pharoah’s heart and the destruction and violence that result. while pharoah certainly has within him the seed to be the oppressive, tyrannical ruler that dominates this parsha, pharoah’s refusal and stubbornness to release the jewish people, seems to stem from Continue Reading »
Posted on December 29, 2010 by Shibley
The weather in Israel is very frustrating. I have made much about the ongoing lack of rain, and the implications the drought has on daily water usage. However, in a more light hearted assessment, I want to point out how selecting an outfit is incredibly difficult. What do I mean? When I leave the apartment Continue Reading »
Posted on December 29, 2010 by Shibley
When living in Israel, one is afforded the opportunity to attend many different places for t’fillot. On every corner there is a beit k’neset (synagogue) which is ready to welcome any passerby. Each one is a little different in terms of spacial arrangement, attendance, and general atmosphere. I’ve referenced on a few occasions the importance Continue Reading »
Posted on December 28, 2010 by Joel D.
Posted on December 27, 2010 by Shibley
I along with what I imagine must be many Americans, Jewish and non, have at some point contemplated what Christmas in Israel looks like. Having just experienced it, I can tell you that for the most part it looks like any other day. Since Shabbat and Christmas coincided this year, I can really only say Continue Reading »
Posted on December 26, 2010 by Coretta
In order to tell you the answer to the title question, I have to call on memories of that sage who is always going to be beyond all other sages no matter how much I study (at least in the sphere of how much she is influencing me); my mom. When visiting the Native American Continue Reading »
Posted on December 26, 2010 by Tamara Frankel
Dear Friends, It’s hard to believe how the winter months are passing and in particular, that the ‘holiday season’ is upon us. In Israel, you don’t really feel that it’s almost Christmas — there are no colourfully decorated trees in front yards, no “Jingle Bells” playing in the mall. Being in a dominantly Jewish society Continue Reading »
