These and Those

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

Tag Archives: Dr. David Bernstein

What is a prayer? [pt. 1 in a series]

Posted on December 19, 2012 by Avi Benson-Goldberg

(Part 1, Part 2, Part 3) Pardes was rocked by a shiur clalli (public class) about prayer in the Jewish world, particularly as experienced by three of our teachers: Rahel Berkovits, James Jacobson-Maisels, and Meir Schweiger. It was certainly an honor to see these teachers of ours open themselves up and expose the real humans inside! Continue Reading »

MOVEMBER UPDATE: WEEK 5

Posted on November 30, 2012 by Derek Kwait

My current ‘stache ranks somewhere between Burt Reynolds and what our Dean Dr. Bernstein will look like if we raise $1800 between now and Hanukkah.                       ? IT’S NEVER TOO LATE TO SUPPORT THE CAUSE!

Ever want to see our esteemed Dean David Bernstein with a mustache?

Posted on November 28, 2012 by The Director of Digital Media

Well, how much would you donate to great causes to see it happen? In honor of mens’ health, Pardes students throughout the month of November have been grooming themselves with super classy and in some cases, rather creepy mustaches for the Livestrong Foundation and Movember. David has agreed to join the cause! Here’s the challenge…if Continue Reading »

Being Cool and Staying in School!

Posted on October 10, 2012 by Heather Kantrowitz

Originally posted on Sept. 19: Hello friends and family!! I’ve finally started school, and it’s been keeping me so busy I haven’t had time to update my blog. So, here’s the past two weeks in a nutshell: 1)SO MUCH LEARNING 2)SO MANY NEW FRIENDS! School: It’s been a combination of challenging and rewarding so far. Continue Reading »

Dvar Torah from the Shabbaton

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 »

Week 39:

Posted on June 3, 2012 by Derek Kwait

(X-posted from my home blog, Yinzer in Yerushalayim) So this is it. The end. It’s over. After Shabbat, I’m going to see everyone again in the fall at best, never at worst. Still, this is ultimately what I signed up for, to become a Pardes Alum. I’m almost positive that from the moment I touch Continue Reading »

Week 34: Yom HaZikaron/Yom HaAtzma’ut

Posted on April 29, 2012 by Derek Kwait

(X-posted from my home blog, Yinzer in Yerushalayim) Since the end of Pesach, the whole city has been snowing Israeli flags. Every morning, more and more of them turned up, sticking out of car windows, strewn across balconies, suspended from buildings and streetlights, pocketing rearview mirrors—flags everywhere a flag could fit, all in preparation for Continue Reading »

Week 33: Family

Posted on April 22, 2012 by Derek Kwait

This is the time of year for family. Last week, when Shabbat directly followed the last day of Pesach, creating a rare 8-day Passover in Israel, Friday afternoon, I was kindly invited over the home of a local family. The Mr. and the Mrs. were born in America, but each have been here for well Continue Reading »

Week 20: The Arava Tiyyul

Posted on January 21, 2012 by Derek Kwait

(X-posted from my home blog, Yinzer in Yerushalayim) Tuesday through Thursday those of us who didn’t go on the annual Poland trip went on a tiyyul to the Arava. The Arava is a huge rift valley south of the Dead Sea split between Israel and Jordan. Similar to the Negev tiyyul, our primary activities on Continue Reading »

Week 19: Tastes of Home

Posted on January 16, 2012 by Derek Kwait

(X-posted from my home blog, Yinzer in Yerushalayim) As I end my first semester in Israel, I am surrounded by reminders of where I come from and how I got here. It started last Thursday night, when I made halushki, a Central/Eastern European dish popular in Western Pennsylvania, at my friend מיכאל’s (pronounced “Mee-kha-el”) apartment Continue Reading »