Musings from Students of the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies in Jerusalem
Posted on April 2, 2013 by Annie Matan Gilbert
Among the many blessings I have experienced this year is the Ayeka course facilitated by David Bogomolny. I share here some of my favourite take-aways from the course (handily preserved in my writing exercises and reflections.) This module was about bringing God back to the conversation. I felt like it gave me a place to Continue Reading »
Posted on March 11, 2013 by David Bogomolny
I discovered the following text during an Ayeka session, and found it very challenging… then, in spiritual havruta, I fought with myself to think about this with an open mind, and I’d like to share my subsequent thoughts further below. אור ישראל, הרבי מסאלאנט Ohr Yisrael, Rav Yisrael of Salant מהו מהות של יראת שמים? “What is Continue Reading »
Posted on March 2, 2013 by The Director of Digital Media
Aryeh Ben David (Year ’80) shares the following on the Ayeka blog: I find that good poets talk from their soul story. William Stafford gave me insight into my life in a single priceless line. Any Journey When God watches you walk, you are neither straight nor crooked. The journey stretches out, and all of Continue Reading »
Posted on February 16, 2013 by The Director of Digital Media
Originally posted on Ayeka BlogBy Aryeh Ben David (Year ’80) A few years ago a colleague, Rabbi Gordon Tucker, told me the most depressing observation about parenting. He said, “You’re only as happy as your least happy kid.” What?! That’s not fair at all. We have six kids. If 5 are happy and one is Continue Reading »
Posted on January 12, 2013 by The Director of Digital Media
By Mira B. Shore (Summer ’09, ’10; Year ’12) As a self-identified progressive, liberal, secular Jew growing up at Jewish Day School, I spent a lot of my time and energy speaking about why prayer and G-d were NOT a part of my life. I actively ran from prayer. Once I had my bat-mitzvah, there Continue Reading »
Posted on December 27, 2012 by Annie Matan Gilbert
This week’s PCJE Dvar Torah is on Parshat Vayechi and is heavily inspired by the amazing divrei Torah of Yaffa Epstein and Jenna King-Brill at recent Pardes Night Seders. It’s also a little bit connected to this week’s learning in Ayeka, about “The Hard Stuff” in relationship with God and others. I have been pondering Continue Reading »
Posted on December 20, 2012 by The Director of Digital Media
Originally posted on the Ayeka blog By Aryeh Ben David (Year ’80): Sometimes I start a workshop by asking people if they know what the word “Jew” means. It is amazing how many people do not know what it means. I checked a few encyclopedias, googled it, and was surprised to see how many theories Continue Reading »
Posted on December 5, 2012 by David Bogomolny
Fixed prayer is a salient element of halakha (Jewish law). Jews committed to halakha pray 3x every day (morning, afternoon, evening), and for many it is challenging to find meaning in the mandated, daily recitation of standardized liturgy. A couple of years ago, I took a class that explored various spiritual practices in Hasidic and Continue Reading »
Posted on December 3, 2012 by Stuart Matan Lithwick
Hello! Over the past month, I have been a part of the Ayeka class, being run by David Bogomolny at Pardes. It’s funny. When I first arrived at Pardes, I had no idea of the meaning of the word, “Ayeka”. I had no idea of its significance in the Tanach and in everyday life. However, Continue Reading »
Posted on December 3, 2012 by The Director of Digital Media
Posted by Aryeh Ben David (Year ’80) On the Ayeka Blog: (These thoughts were influenced by Parker Palmer’s A Life Unidvided) Holding the space for souls to reveal. Soul evoking soul. If I had to summarize Judaism in a sentence it might be: souls evoking souls. Sympathetic vibrations of our souls. First – I pluck Continue Reading »
