Musings from Students of the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies in Jerusalem
Posted on September 13, 2014 by Suzanne Hutt
I haven’t always been obsessed with fire. In fact, when I was younger I used to be terrified of it, to the point where I would hide in the pantry closet when anyone in my family lit birthday candles. It’s a long story, but let’s just say it had to do with a Passover hametz-burning Continue Reading »
Posted on December 3, 2013 by Laura Marder
I shared this dvar Torah at the recent PCJE Hanuka party: Why 8? This question is asked in Megillah Taanit. The Rabbi’s ask, “Why 8 days?” They explore the fact that 7 would be more normative. Moses inaugurates the Mishkan, that’s 7 days. Shlomo dedicated the Temple, that’s 7 days. So why is Hanukkah 8 Continue Reading »
Posted on April 23, 2013 by Abayiss
This is a followup to my Erev Yom HaZikaron post Thank you, my friends, for coming out, for keeping my glass full, for helping me through the day. Thank you for standing by me, for holding me up, for comforting me. I missed you, my smiling angels, forever young and beautiful. I missed your smiles and Continue Reading »
Posted on February 15, 2013 by The Director of Digital Media
Yishai Paquin (Year ’11-’12) is an avid photographer. Here he shares a spiritual insight that he gained through photography: Sometimes reminders come from unsuspected places. I was learning how to edit photos today when my instructor mentioned that dark layers are for light and light layers are for dark. It is the same basics for Continue Reading »
Posted on January 5, 2013 by Annie Matan Gilbert
From my blog: It seems silly to me now, but I have resisted writing a blog because I couldn’t fathom writing prose with enough frequency to make it viable and I doubted I had anything of use to say. And then… In the past couple of weeks, I wrote some poems. And posted them. And Continue Reading »
Posted on April 23, 2012 by Laura H.
Being in Israel has taught me how to prepare. No, not how to properly pack bags, or take provisions for a hike – both of which are useful skills in this country, but how to prepare mentally. I noticed this immediately when I arrived. Pardes began as the month of Elul started, a time when Continue Reading »
Posted on January 27, 2012 by Barer
In this week’s parsha, the story of the ten plagues ends, and Bnei Yisrael (the Children of Israel) finally leave Egypt. One source of potential moral consternation is the collecting of all sorts of goods on the part of the Israelites from their (former) Egyptian slave-masters. Hashem gives the instructions for the fulfillment of a Continue Reading »
Posted on November 14, 2011 by Heligman
Too often the shades of our life are drawn and God’s magnificent colors are missed. I am taking on this project as a means to stop and enjoy God’s brilliance. For the month of November, each day I will document the evening sunset from the Pardes Beit Midrash. I hope you will stop and notice Continue Reading »
Posted on January 6, 2011 by Avi Strausberg
this is the parsha where it all happens. the full wrath of God, manifested in swarming locusts and complete darkness, falls not only pharoah but on the egyptian people, while the israelites watch protected on the sidelines. when God sent thunder and hail and fire raining down on all of egypt, which struck every man Continue Reading »
Posted on January 5, 2011 by Shibley
Last week I had the opportunity to visit Yad Vashem, Israel’s Holocaust Museum with fellow Pardes students. I had never been to Yad Vashem at night before, but I was surprised to find that the lack of natural light emphasized the murder of the Shoah. As I worked my way through the permanent exhibit, I Continue Reading »
