Musings from Students of the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies in Jerusalem
Posted on January 15, 2017 by Hirsch Fishman
Karen Feuer (Year ’99-’00 and current Pardes staff member) shares her thought about Tu B’Shvat. Seven years ago I underwent induced labor with twins at only 21-weeks into my pregnancy. The pregnancy was no longer safe for me, and this forced, early labor (that sounds nicer than “abortion”) was the result. It was a gut-wrenching Continue Reading »
Posted on February 1, 2014 by David Bogomolny
Aryeh Ben David once asked me, “What does it mean to be Jewish?” Reflecting upon this, I had some vague ideas, but had never much considered it. “The word Jew (יהודי) is derived from the name Judah (יהודה),” he answered himself, “which comes from the root ‘to thank’. So, for me, the essence of being a Continue Reading »
Posted on December 24, 2013 by Dorielle Parker
From my blog: I was recently given the task of writing my own “autobiography” for a final paper in one of my classes. Below is an excerpt from my introduction: It is told: There are tiny cracks in the ether that makes up our Universe. It is how all of the light from the Cosmos Continue Reading »
Posted on December 17, 2013 by Avi Benson-Goldberg
Nataliya Naydorf read from the Torah last week for the first time. Then there was a terrible snowstorm. She assures me the two are not related. She’s used to the snow, of course, because Nataliya hails from the former Soviet Union (FSU). Her country of origin literally doesn’t exist anymore. I roll this thought around Continue Reading »
Posted on December 11, 2013 by Sydni Adler
I start every personal statement with some variation on the same story: One afternoon in high school, I came home to find my two-year-old brother running around the house, screaming the Shema. Earlier that day, Jacob had learned the prayer in preschool, and now he was yelling it, laughing it, dancing it, while running circles Continue Reading »
Posted on December 10, 2013 by Arlene Harel
by Arlene Harel (Year ’85), staff member since ’03 Take 5 Pardes faculty, add in 6 staff members, mix with 4 spouses, sprinkle in 11 kids, stir well and dump them all near the Dead Sea at Nachal Og. What do you get?? The First Annual Pardes Faculty/ Staff Hannukah Hike. Why should students have Continue Reading »
Posted on December 10, 2013 by Andrea Wiese
From my blog: Beyond my time studying Torah at Pardes, I am in my fourth season refereeing American football in Israel. I have seen a lot of amazing things, bones breaking, players helping each other, Christians, Jews and Muslims gaining respect for each other on a field. But this past Thursday topped all of these Continue Reading »
Posted on November 18, 2013 by Sydni Adler
In Israel, universities and many jobs require their applicants to be fluent in English. Unfortunately, many low-income children struggle with English acquisition as a result of lack of personal attention in school and family life. Every year, several Pardes students volunteer with KEEP (Kol HaNeshama’s English Enrichment Program), a program to help 4th-6th graders from Continue Reading »
Posted on September 19, 2013 by Naomi Bilmes
From my blog: Sometimes, hanging out with people my own age is just too hard. And I think I’ve figured out why: The stakes are just too high. With people my own age, there is potential for deep friendship, romance, and a whole lot of fun; there is also potential for a whole lot of Continue Reading »
Posted on September 11, 2013 by The Director of Digital Media
On Yom Kippur, the shul is full. The normally sparse rows are packed, white plastic pool chairs spill out and crowd the aisles. Why do people come. The people that never come, why do they come now, on this day. As a child, I wasn’t even sure why I came. No holiday made me question Continue Reading »
