Musings from Students of the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies in Jerusalem
Posted on November 14, 2013 by Jeremy Borovitz
I’ve been suffering for some years now from a self prescribed disease known as “Shtetl Nostalgia.” Perhaps unique to 4th generation Ashkenazi Jewish Americans of the Galician frontier, it mainly consists of an intense longing for a time and a place that I never knew and that wasn’t nearly anything like I imagine. Yet I’m Continue Reading »
Posted on May 26, 2013 by Sean Ference
My dvar Torah from the Galil Shabbaton: In our parsha, we are given a vivid description of the Israelite’s journey through the wilderness, and what this vast undertaking entailed. Their journey would begin when the divine cloud would lift off the Mishkan; only then would the Israelite camp begin to move. How long Israel stayed Continue Reading »
Posted on April 20, 2013 by Avi Benson-Goldberg
From my blog: This week, in Israel, has been particularly focused on the costs of establishing an idealist state in a previously inhabited plot of land. I’m not trying to dig too deep into the politics of it; rather I’m interested in the idea of the prices we pay to live where we do. After Continue Reading »
Posted on January 20, 2013 by Mary Brett Koplen
A post from my Cowbird in honor of the new semester: Early on the third day, the sun comes over the houses to the east of us. I open my eyes, kick sticky blankets to the floor. How was last night so cold? The glass on my window is hot when I touch it. My Continue Reading »
Posted on January 4, 2013 by The Director of Digital Media
Shira has left us for another adventure, and we miss her… But her insightful writing continues (x-posted here below)! Legacy. A pretty big word around here. Here being Jerusalem, a city that many nations hold dear due to its history and importance in relation to their people, their culture, their religion. As a proud member of Continue Reading »
Posted on December 17, 2012 by Shoshana Rosen
Originally posted on my blog in Oct.: So I decided today to go to the botanical garden in Jerusalem. I have always wanted to go, but have never found the time, well now I made the time! So I brought my map, and the multiple bus directions that I looked up and hoped I would Continue Reading »
Posted on October 9, 2012 by Laura Marder
Do you ever feel like there is a cage around you? Like you can carry it around but sometimes it gets heavy and tires you down. Perhaps it restrains you from moving in a comfortable way or running to what you really desire. I hadn’t really thought of myself in a cage at all before Continue Reading »
Posted on December 21, 2011 by Leah Stern
Hello Pardesians and World, For the first time in over a decade, Pardes took a tiyyul to the city of Hevron. It was a visit filled with mixed emotions. We examined Hevron from many different angles in order to assess the situation that is in Hevron today. While there are many things I could discuss, Continue Reading »
Posted on November 3, 2011 by Barer
This week’s parsha contains many famous and thought-provoking stories, but I would like to focus on what I see as an emerging motif in the Rashbam, where he criticizes his grandfather’s reading of a verse before offering an alternate interpretation which he sees as sticking more closely to the pshat, the simple reading of the Continue Reading »
Posted on October 30, 2011 by Suzi
Here’s something I wrote on my first day in Israel, standing at the Kotel, my hand pressed against the stones and clutching my steno pad. I couldn’t seem to let go of the ancient wall. I thought I’d publish this on These&Those, and challenge y’all to share your own first impressions of the country. On Sunday, June Continue Reading »
