These and Those

Musings from Students of the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies in Jerusalem

Tag Archives: contrast / compare

Early Morning Reflections at the Kotel

Posted on September 30, 2015 by Dan Pelberg

3:00 am Walking through Jerusalem’s Old City at this hour makes me marvel at how the place can get so loud and crazy during the day. The winding, dimly lit streets are empty enough to make me feel like a lone rat in a maze, trying to find any way I can to reach my Continue Reading »

[PCJE] Bursting the Pardes Bubble

Posted on October 21, 2014 by Samantha Vinokor

“It’s a mitzvah!” Over sukkot, I found myself in New York, running through Union Square to meet a friend. I was running late, laden down with packages (a necessity of every visit to Manhattan), when I was stopped by a man holding a lulav and etrog and asking every passerby who’d listen if they were Continue Reading »

O’seh Shalom: Pray with Me

Posted on July 30, 2014 by Carrie Sealine

I shared these words at the final Community Lunch of the 2014 Summer Program: I am an unorthodox Jew. But I know I am Israel because I wrestle with Divine Power — אל — all the time. ישראל: the Power Wrestlers. Among the powers with which I struggle is the power that comes from privilege. Continue Reading »

[Alumni Guest Post] Ruin Your Life for the Better

Posted on July 29, 2014 by Jamie Bornstein

“Zvi ruined my life.” That was the common refrain heard in the hallways of Pardes at the conclusion of Rabbi Zvi Wolff’s class in 2005. Said with a shake of the head and a smile, we uttered these ironic words with love. We even considered making t-shirts. For several hours every week the brilliant Rabbi Continue Reading »

Anticipation

Posted on July 14, 2014 by Dara Rosenblatt

From my blog: While living in Tel Aviv last month I had the luxury of spending my time at ulpan (intensive Hebrew study), for four days a week, four hours a day. In June, I relaxed, studied my Hebrew, went to the beach, frequented some amazing cafes, and generally just enjoyed my vacation and the Continue Reading »

Raising the Issue – My Torah

Posted on May 14, 2014 by Meira Cohen

The place: a little shtieble near my house in New York. The time: the holiday of Simchat Torah. I am accompanying my brother and his two children to hakafot, the joyous circle dancing celebrating our people’s connection to the Torah. As I walk into the women’s section past the sign delineating proper and modest dress Continue Reading »

choosing what kind of God to serve

Posted on April 22, 2014 by Eva Neuhaus

the relationships we have with our parents form a template for our relationship with the Divine. i grew up giving my parents a very hard time, constantly bucking their authority. we fought all the time. this power struggle is present in my relationship with God, as it is in my relationships with everyone and everything. here Continue Reading »

[PCJE Dvar Torah] ‘The Miracle in the Mirror’ by Ilana Lipman

Posted on March 13, 2014 by Hirsch Fishman

by Ilana Lipman (PEP ’07, Assistant Director of the Pardes Educators Alumni Support Project) Storytime season is upon us. When I think of the Purim/Pesach season, I see vivid characters from far away countries, heroes of our people, crowns and jewels and riches and royalty, evil people and good people, dark fears and startling redemptions. What rich stories Continue Reading »

My Trip to Germany

Posted on February 28, 2014 by Benjamin Friedman

“Without a profound simplification the world around us would be an infinite, undefined tangle that would defy our ability to orient ourselves and decide upon our actions…. We are compelled to reduce the knowable to a schema.” -Primo Levi The above quotation by Holocaust survivor Primo Levi says something profound yet simple about human nature Continue Reading »

[PCJE Dvar Torah] Upon Request

Posted on January 30, 2014 by Andrea Wiese

Last week’s Parsha ends with Moshe going up to HaShem on Har Sinai to receive the tables with the teachings and commandments. Our Parsha starts with HaShem telling Moshe to instruct B’nei Yisrael to bring “me” (HaShem) gifts which Moshe will collect. דַּבֵּר אֶל-בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְיִקְחוּ-לִי תְּרוּמָה: מֵאֵת כָּל-אִישׁ אֲשֶׁר יִדְּבֶנּוּ לִבּוֹ, תִּקְחוּ אֶת-תְּרוּמָתִי. (שמות Continue Reading »