Musings from Students of the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies in Jerusalem
Posted on September 11, 2014 by Binyamin Cohen
Night Seder Chevrutas Binyamin Cohen and David Wallach join together to reflect on this week’s parshah, Ki Tavo. דְּבָרִים כו:ב, ה ב “וְלָקַחְתָּ מֵרֵאשִׁית כָּל-פְּרִי הָאֲדָמָה, אֲשֶׁר תָּבִיא מֵאַרְצְךָ אֲשֶׁר יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ נֹתֵן לָךְ–וְשַׂמְתָּ בַטֶּנֶא; וְהָלַכְתָּ, אֶל-הַמָּקוֹם, אֲשֶׁר יִבְחַר יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ, לְשַׁכֵּן שְׁמוֹ שָׁם… ה וְעָנִיתָ וְאָמַרְתָּ לִפְנֵי יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ, אֲרַמִּי אֹבֵד אָבִי, וַיֵּרֶד מִצְרַיְמָה, Continue Reading »
Posted on January 17, 2014 by David Bogomolny
Tonight, in Berlin, I am sharing this dvar Torah with my fellow Pardesniks and other Germany Close Up participants – Shabbat Shalom, Everyone! In reviewing Parshat Yitro, I find myself drawn to the four psukim (verses) of the 3rd Aliyah – much happens in these lines – a story in and of itself! The Book of Exodus Continue Reading »
Posted on May 30, 2013 by Stu Jacobs
All the way back in December, I shared some insights on Parshat Vayigash, a parsha I mentioned as near and dear to my heart, as it is my bar mitzvah parsha. This week’s parsha, Parshat Sh’lach, is also very dear to me, as it is the parsha of our daughter, Elinoa’s, birth. I’d like to Continue Reading »
Posted on April 18, 2013 by Cara Abrams-Simonton
From my blog: ד׳ באייר תשע״ג April 14, 2013 יום ראשון Yom Rishon, the first day (of the week) meaning Sunday… [I’ve decided to try to write seemingly mundane highlights for blog posts from now on since it has been so difficult for me to actually invest time in the extremely detailed descriptions I initially Continue Reading »
Posted on April 18, 2013 by Avi Spodek
Over these past few weeks I have been reading Steven R. Covey’s The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People as part of my coursework in Jewish educational leadership. Covey’s message and delivery are inspiring, and I highly recommend to this book to anyone and everyone. Its main premise is that leaders are most effective when Continue Reading »
Posted on April 6, 2013 by The Director of Digital Media
R. Joshua Ratner (Pardes Year ’98-’99) is the rabbi of Congregation Kol Ami in Cheshire, CT. Ordained by the Jewish Theological Seminary in May 2012, Rabbi Ratner was a Joseph Neubauer Fellow and also earned a Master’s Degree in Midrash and a Certificate in Pastoral Care. He also worked as an attorney for five years Continue Reading »
Posted on February 10, 2013 by The Director of Digital Media
Peter Stein (Kollel ’09-’11) writes about Parshat Mishpatim: In this week’s Torah portion, Mishpatim, we find a series of laws dealing with how to respond to the blessings God gives us. מלאתך ודמעך לא תאחר בכור בניך תתן־לי כן־תעשה לשרך לצאנך שבעת ימים יהיה עם־אמו ביום השמיני תתנו־לי “You shall not put off the skimming of Continue Reading »
Posted on December 30, 2012 by David Bogomolny
This week we are starting the sefer (book) of Shemot (Exodus), which literally means ‘names’. The weekly parasha is also called Shemot. I mention this because the first name that comes to my mind when I read this parasha is ‘Isra Yaghoubi’ (Year ’08-’09, Fellows ’09-’10). She was my first Chumash havruta, and she left me Continue Reading »
Posted on December 21, 2012 by The Director of Digital Media
Parshat VaYigash has for a long time been a parsha that I have a special connection with. Not only is it my bar mitzvah parsha (20 years ago this year), but it was also the parsha the week following my wedding. After our wedding in Los Angeles, Aviva and I, who had met in Jerusalem Continue Reading »
Posted on November 30, 2012 by The Director of Digital Media
While this week’s parsha, VaYishlach, includes some of our tradition’s high-points (Jacob struggles with an angel and prevails! Jacob’s name is changed to Israel and he is blessed with land and progeny!) as well as some of its low-points (the rape of Dinah; Reuben sleeping with his father’s handmaid, Bilhah), my favorite verse in VaYishlach Continue Reading »
