Musings from Students of the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies in Jerusalem
Posted on January 27, 2014 by Sarah Pollack
From my blog: I traveled to Bethlehem with my Jewish roommate on a program called Encounter. I also wrote about it here and here. While waiting in line to take pictures in front of the tree, we saw a Palestinian friend that we had met earlier in the day. “Aliya! (name has been changed)” I screamed, “Hey!” She came Continue Reading »
Posted on January 13, 2013 by David Bogomolny
Tamar (Fall ’12) had only planned to remain at Pardes for the Elul Program, but ended up staying for the entire Fall semester – much to her own surprise! Having grown up in the Golders Green Synagogue community, Tamar became a leader of her local Bnei Akiva youth group, taking on the role of madricha at the age Continue Reading »
Posted on January 6, 2013 by Mary Brett Koplen
A story from my Cowbird: On the sidewalk H squints at the passing buses, trying to read their destinations as they motion quickly towards the places they will go. I pretend to help, but the combination of foreign characters and moving vehicles spins my head. “You’ll learn the language soon,” H says to me smiling. Continue Reading »
Posted on November 4, 2012 by Cara Abrams-Simonton
Originally posted on my blog: So there is this thing. Tel Aviv vs. Jerusalem- and I’d say probably the majority of your average secular Israelis would say Tel Aviv, hands down. Now don’t get me wrong, I’m in love with Jerusalem… there is incredible history, beauty and complexity here. But there is something else going Continue Reading »
Posted on March 12, 2012 by Derek Kwait
[Note: By request of the powers that be, all names in this blog post have been changed to protect the innocent.] It’s never easy to decide what you want to be for Purim. This year especially, limited funds combined with the sense of competition that comes from being surrounded by extremely clever people all day Continue Reading »
Posted on November 16, 2011 by Nikki Fig
I recently had the pleasure of joining Rabbis for Human Rights on an olive harvest in the Shomron Valley. I didn’t attend the trip to make a political statement, but simply saw my presence as an opportunity to help a farmer make an honest living. Anyone who knows me knows that rustling through olive trees Continue Reading »
Posted on September 20, 2011 by Naomi Zaslow
For the last two weeks I’ve been adjusting to my new life in Jerusalem. After two years in Korea (South, not North) I’m suffering from culture shock of the radical sort. Take for example: Hummus instead of Kimchi with every meal- Hebrew and Arabic replace Korean and Konglish- Sticky sweet wine with no Soju in Continue Reading »
Posted on December 13, 2010 by Zach
Yet again, it’s been way too long since my last post. I seem to start every post that way… maybe I’ll get better at this eventually. Instead of giving the normal Christmas break that American schools give, Pardes, and Israel in general, has a winter break for the eight days of Chanukkah. Chanukkah this year Continue Reading »
Posted on November 9, 2010 by Pious Antic
This is a cross-post from my personal blog. The Hebrew word tiyul has no exact translation in English. A tiyul could be a long walk in a city park, a week-long guided bus tour of Israel, or a multi-week backing trip through South America. Last week, I went on Pardes’ annual tiyul to the Negev Continue Reading »
Posted on November 3, 2009 by Lauren
On Tuesday afternoons a number of Pardes students volunteer with organizations throughout the Jerusalem area, and I’m working with a community called Yotzer Or. Yotzer Or is composed of mostly immigrant families, many from Ethiopia, who are living in housing projects in the neighborhood of Talpiot directly across from the wealthy neighborhood. They come to Continue Reading »
