Musings from Students of the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies in Jerusalem
Posted on November 27, 2012 by David Bogomolny
Evan was my first flatmate in Israel; he and I studied at Pardes together, and we had plenty of conversations about our shared Jewish heritage over the course of that year. He had fond childhood memories of his grandfather, a traditional, American shul-going Jew, and recalled the smell and texture of the tallit that he had worn at Continue Reading »
Posted on November 23, 2012 by Lauren Schuchart
Originally posted on my blog: (from yesterday) Today is Thanksgiving! After the last few days, I am even more grateful for all of the blessings that I have in my life. With thanks to God for FAMILY (and Skype technology), amazing FRIENDS near and far, a wonderful and supportive community here in Israel, a hope Continue Reading »
Posted on November 16, 2012 by Aliza Geller
When I was asked to write a Dvar Torah for Parshat Toldot, two memories came to mind: The first, was from when I was in forth grade, at Solomon Schechter of Bergen County, in New Milford, New Jersey. For certain Parshiot, we were assigned to do a project, Parshat Toldot was mine. I made my Continue Reading »
Posted on November 1, 2012 by AdAm Mayer
Every Shabbat when I sit down to eat dinner I start by singing Shalom Alechem, a song of welcoming angels. The four verses of this song begin as follows: “Shalom” – a greeting, “Boachem” – bringing in, “Barchuni” – asking blessing, and “Tzetchem” – leaving. I would like to suggest that this song can inform Continue Reading »
Posted on October 20, 2012 by Mary Brett Koplen
Originally posted on CowBird. Har Nof, Jerusalem: a village of the black-hatted and side-locked sort of faithful, and these are the people we pass this Saturday evening. We walk through the middle of the street, knowing there will be no cars, that the stores will all be closed. I turn to my brother-in-law, his black Continue Reading »
Posted on September 19, 2012 by Derek Kwait
Shabbat shalom. My dvar hangs on the verses from the Parsha, “Neither with you only do I make this covenant and this oath, but with those that stand here with us this day before the Lord our God, and also with him that is not here with us this day,” which means us, and “All Continue Reading »
Posted on September 16, 2012 by The Director of Digital Media
At the Shabbaton, Rav Elisha held a session on using part of birkot hashachar (the morning blessings) to reflect our true, ideal selves. We looked at the wording in ״הי נשמה שנתת בי טהורה היא״ and “מודה אני״ and reflected on what it meant to be recreated fresh every morning. Then, we created abstract paintings of Continue Reading »
Posted on September 15, 2012 by Andrea Wiese
Since we’re in the season of teshuva, I wanted to share some a very wise and inspiring Rabbi (Michael Hattin) once wrote, “teshuva is…a gradual awakening of the mind and soul to God’s call, a measured but steady process of self-evaluation and reflection, a plodding and sometimes faltering series of steps that includes dead ends, Continue Reading »
Posted on May 29, 2012 by AdAm Mayer
Originally posted to my blog last week before Shavuot: This week was the week of Joyceee It was also the week of Majesty I barbequed, I went to different natural springs, and I danced! I was at a baby naming 🙂 and now we will always be reminded how much of a Blessing Jerusalem is! We Continue Reading »
Posted on March 21, 2012 by Esther Mazal
Since I lifted off from the Holy Land on February 23th, life has definitely been a whirlwind on what I affectionately like to refer to as “My Whirlwind North American Tour” (sounds snazzy, huh?). From New York City to Boston to Detroit (to Toronto for an impromptu drop-in in my hometown, then back to Detroit Continue Reading »
