These and Those

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

Tag Archives: ancestors

נח

Posted on October 28, 2011 by Barer

The end of this week’s parsha, like last week’s, details the lineages leading to the main protagonists of Bereishit, mainly those of Noach’s children.  Unsurprisingly, for those who know the story that comes next, the lineages rush through the generations in between Noach and Avram and then slow down just in time to talk about Continue Reading »

Week 1: Orientation

Posted on September 13, 2011 by Derek Kwait

(First published on my blog for “The Jewish Chronicle” of Pittsburgh, Yinzer in Yerushalayim, 9 September 2011) Sunday was orientation at Pardes. The getting-to-know-you introductions at the beginning made one thing clear straight-away—this is a place of diversity. The students at Pardes range from future Open Orthodox, Conservative, and Reform rabbis, to a dude who’s Continue Reading »

[PEP Student] What’s in a Name?

Posted on June 19, 2011 by Tamara Frankel

Dear Friends, As some of you may know, I’m still in Jerusalem and about to complete my final project at Pardes. Although it is a bit bizarre to learn in the Pardes building with many of my friends, colleagues and teachers missing, I have enjoyed studying Torah lishma (for its own/Heaven’s sake) and participating in Continue Reading »

By their families and their ancestral houses

Posted on June 9, 2011 by Pious Antic

Last week, I spoke briefly at Pardes’ closing lunch, and I have adapted what I remember of them, since I never actually got around to typing them up ahead of time, here: Two years ago, when I first arrived at Pardes, I was struck by something our dean, David Bernstein said during one of the Continue Reading »

My Tu B’Shvat Panel

Posted on March 2, 2011 by Coretta

Hi, Guys! I worked on Panel 3 of the Pardes Tu B’Shvat Mural, and I wrote up the following description: This panel was created with the “Universal Ecosystem” aspect of Tu B’Shvat in mind.  I attempted to convey the earliest moments before distinctions first appear even before liquid and solid (top of panel) and then, Continue Reading »

[PEP Student] Rehabilitate the Trauma

Posted on January 30, 2011 by Tamara Frankel

Dear Friends, I hope you are all well and had a good week. This past week was my first back at Pardes after the semester break, so it has been a bit of an adjustment: new classes, new people and new schedules. Having said all that, I’m very excited to be back in the Bet Continue Reading »

What do Avatar the 3-D movie, making a fetish of Native American culture, and dipping my dishes in a Mikveh the other night all have in common? (or; what am I doing here again?)

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 »

[PEP Student] Peaceful Slumber

Posted on December 19, 2010 by Tamara Frankel

Dear Friends, Last week I was reading through the parsha and was struck by very familiar words, namely those of Jacob when he blesses Joseph’s sons, Efraim and Menashe. Sensing his death is near, Jacob beckons his grandsons to receive his blessing. יד  וַיִּשְׁלַח יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת-יְמִינוֹ וַיָּשֶׁת עַל-רֹאשׁ אֶפְרַיִם, וְהוּא הַצָּעִיר, וְאֶת-שְׂמֹאלוֹ, עַל-רֹאשׁ מְנַשֶּׁה:  שִׂכֵּל, Continue Reading »

What a Lovely Booth You Have!

Posted on September 22, 2010 by Bookie

Sukkot is just moments away here in Jerusalem, and I can’t help but contemplate on a sight foreign to my Los Angeles eyes. In front of every apartment, in alleys, on balconies, and on rooftops sukkot dot the landscape. It really gives you a sense of one of the many meanings of the holiday: the Continue Reading »

YOM KIPPUR

Posted on September 21, 2010 by Michael

We have nearly reached the one-month mark in our studies, and I have to wonder at the fact that, until this journey in Israel, I have never taken the time to document my life week by week in a journal. I have to tell you that there is a lot of power in shared journaling. Continue Reading »