Musings from Students of the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies in Jerusalem
Posted on May 17, 2013 by The Director of Digital Media
This week, Rabbi Alex Israel discusses Parashat Naso in “The Nazirite.” Naso ’73 Shabbat shalom!
Posted on March 18, 2013 by The Director of Digital Media
Rachel Meiner (PEP ’06-’08) teaches 2nd and 3rd grade JudaicStudies (Chumash, Yahadut, and Tefillah) at The Hannah SeneshCommunity Day School in Brooklyn, NY. She lives two blocksfrom school with her husband and four month old daughter,Neomi. I returned to teaching three weeks ago after being on maternity leave for the past three months. If I Continue Reading »
Posted on February 22, 2013 by Aliza Geller
This weekend, Parashat Tetzaveh, Shabbat Zachor is my Bat Mitzvah portion. When I was 12 years old, I wrote a dvar Torah about the maftir and haftarah. The reason this made sense, is that Shabbat Zachor is one of four Shabbatot where the maftir aliyah is from a different place in the Torah. In this Continue Reading »
Posted on January 23, 2013 by The Director of Digital Media
Ben Barer (Fellows ’12) wrote a Torah reflection about Power and Responsibility yesterday, in light of the Israeli elections: While Spider-Man seems capable of handling the (great) power he is given, oftentimes we seem to fail most when power is in our hands. On this day, when democratic elections for the 19th Knesset of the Continue Reading »
Posted on December 14, 2012 by Adam L Masser
A classic example in the spirit of channukah–Shammai and Hillel on how to light a menorah. Shammai takes a literal reading, deduces logically that the miracle provided for 8 days of oil and so tells us to start with 8 flames and reduce each night. Hillel holds the opposite–start with 1 light and add a Continue Reading »
Posted on October 11, 2012 by Lauren Schuchart
This past Sunday night was Simchat Torah. I spent the evening in the Pardes beit midrash, dancing and singing, along with many of you. The energy in the room was palpable, and filled me up with a feeling of pure joy. I experienced a particularly moving moment when the singing shifted to “Am Yisrael Chai: 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 May 17, 2012 by Ma'ayan Dyer
As most of my fellow Pardesnicks have probably gathered at this late date in the semester, I’m what one might call “quiet.” It’s not that I don’t speak up in class or won’t engage in conversation (if you strike one up first, of course). Rather, my quietness is an overall demeanor. I’m not a smiley Continue Reading »
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 »
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 »