These and Those

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

Tag Archives: anxiety

I’ve been saying Watermelon a lot.

Posted on August 1, 2014 by Rachel Dingman

I don’t formally blog, but I did spend some time reflecting on something I shared at our 2014 Pardes Summer Program Tish. Here are my reflections: At a dinner at Yaffa’s house she made the joke “sing along if you know the words, if you don’t just say Watermelon”. Needless to say, I said watermelon Continue Reading »

A Reflection Of Time At Pardes

Posted on July 28, 2014 by Joanne Pollack-Reed

It was a gigantic leap of faith to apply and attend Pardes this summer. Forefront in my mind was if I, a 51 yr old – out of school forever- mom would be able to keep up. Would I be that student that clearly did not belong? My fears were put firmly to rest at Continue Reading »

Supported and Safe

Posted on July 11, 2014 by Joseph Levin-Manning

Hi! I’m Joe, currently a Hillel professional from Baltimore, Maryland. I initially came to Pardes this summer partly because I was told that it would be a truly rewarding experience and because I felt that I need to study some Jewish text in a “formal way”. What I have experienced so far at Pardes has Continue Reading »

Judy visits JDS

Posted on March 26, 2014 by Andrea Wiese

From my blog: I was lucky that my faculty check in during student teaching landed right in the middle of my student teaching. It is really easy to get overwhelmed (especially as a second year, in my case third) with teaching, but also interviewing and juggling life. Not only was Judy a great observer and Continue Reading »

Best dad in the world.

Posted on March 4, 2014 by Andrea Wiese

From my blog: Last Thursday I received an email from my dad. (This is normal, we email a lot.) The email said, “i am getting plates and bowls for you, do you need separate silverware? please let me know your dietary needs. what do you want to eat while you are here? what can you Continue Reading »

What is so Disrespectful about my Public Voice?

Posted on February 28, 2014 by Taylor Winfield

This week I read from the Torah for the first time. I stood up in front of my closest female friends, and sang the words of our people. I had been preparing for weeks, and I expected the moment to come with a high, a relief, a joy. But instead a seed inside of me Continue Reading »

[Alumni Guest Post] Falling off the Kosher Wagon

Posted on February 24, 2014 by Ma'ayan Dyer

From Ma’ayan Dyer’s (Spring ’12, Spring ’13) blog: Even before the completion of my conversion three years ago, keeping kosher seemed relatively simple and came surprisingly easy. Sure, the BLT was my favorite sandwich once upon a time, and the spectrum of the many delicious treyf Italian meats were a goyish treat that I wouldn’t Continue Reading »

Play-by-play:

Posted on February 13, 2014 by Sam Stern

From my blog: Tuesday (Jan 28/27 Shevat): It was a normal Tuesday evening. Finish Pardes classes at 5, frantically run to the bus stop, ride around Jerusalem for about an hour, sit through my lady learning class, talk to Rav D, go home angry. But on this particular night, I left thinking “ma nishtana ha’lila Continue Reading »

Third Story: ‘The kiss’

Posted on January 30, 2014 by Dorielle Parker

Daniel Roth presented our ‘Judaism and Conflict Resolution’ class for Jewish Educators with this assignment, and below is the modern ‘Third Story’ that I wrote about Jacob and Esav: It is written: “And he kissed him” (Genesis 33:4) Do you remember your first kiss? Awkward braces, chapped lips, a pulse fast enough to make a Continue Reading »

What if life was like this all the time, everywhere?

Posted on January 20, 2014 by Andrea Wiese

I was recently in Istanbul with the group of students from Pardes and I stayed after to see my friends who are living there. (Six years ago I lived and studied in Istanbul.) I stayed in my friend’s apartment and I stayed through another Shabbat. At first I was nervous because I didn’t want anyone Continue Reading »