Musings from Students of the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies in Jerusalem
Posted on May 29, 2014 by Andrea Wiese
Here are my parting words from the final community lunch of the year: I don’t know if you remember, but at the beginning of the year, we all had meetings with our morning class teachers. Three years ago, my meeting was with Rav Meir… I’m sure you could imagine. Him smiling, his arms crossed, leaning Continue Reading »
Posted on March 3, 2014 by Eileen Gamzuletova
Once I finally arrived home, after twenty seven hours travelling time, my mother asked me, “What was the best thing you gained out of your time at Pardes?” to which I answered, “A sense of belonging.” Upon completing my formal education in a Modern Orthodox and Zionist school, Mount Scopus College, and commencing life in Continue Reading »
Posted on February 17, 2014 by Max Einsohn
Have you ever wondered what Moses would have said to Pharaoh, as he led the Israelite people out of Egypt? Last week, in our Chumash class, our teacher Rabbi Levi Cooper challenged us to reflect in writing on some of the “big picture” questions that arise from our Exodus story. During class, a few of Continue Reading »
Posted on February 8, 2014 by Nina Gordon-Kirsch
On Sunday morning, I arrive at Pardes to empty hallways and a quiet Beit Midrash. No hassles or traffic jams, I find my locker and take my class materials into Room 5, or rather, the space that has been my womb for sometime now. Fall semester ended just three days prior, and I’m not yet Continue Reading »
Posted on January 21, 2014 by Taylor Winfield
I found this Jerusalem Bible sitting on the hefker table without a cover or binding. It just sat there distressed, pages falling out, looking for a new home. I knew that I could not let this bible be buried. I had to find a way to fix it. I stood for a minute and let Continue Reading »
Posted on January 8, 2014 by Melissa Scholten-Gutierrez
Today in Neima’s Chumash class, we were asked to think / write about how we view or relate to God as part of a discussion about revelation. I had to (sadly) admit to myself that I don’t really think about God on a regular basis, I have just internalized the relationship as a part of Continue Reading »
Posted on January 4, 2014 by Cara Abrams-Simonton
There are many interesting events, aspects and themes in Parashat Bo. One theme that emerges is the notion of free will which the hardening of Pharaoh’s heart and the purpose of the plagues in general present. I find this theme extremely relevant and accessible for people of all ages.While student teaching last year at the Continue Reading »
Posted on October 7, 2013 by The Director of Digital Media
From my blog: RELATIONSHIPS. Relationships with just anyone and relationships with Hashem. I’m hoping that if I sit down at the end of the day to try and process all of my thoughts and create a semi-coherent train of thought, it will help me to sort the things that I’ve learned and retain the information better. Continue Reading »
Posted on September 17, 2013 by Stefanie Groner
I shared these parting words at Community Lunch today at Pardes: In three weeks, I will start my first-ever, grown-up, real-life job as a consultant. From my understanding, a consultant comes in as an outsider to a space, gets to know the ins and outs and upside-downs of that place, and develops creative and effective Continue Reading »
Posted on May 29, 2013 by Avigayle Adler
In Daniel Roth’s Advanced Chumash: Biblical Mediation Class, Mike Nash & I ran an Artists’ Beit Midrash activity (download .PPT), based upon a comparison of Joseph’s two dreams. Our beit midrash activity was inspired by Jo Milgrom’s book Handmade Midrash. Here are our classmates (and Daniel Roth) hard at work, creating visual representations of Joseph’s Continue Reading »