Musings from Students of the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies in Jerusalem
Posted on September 11, 2014 by Binyamin Cohen
Night Seder Chevrutas Binyamin Cohen and David Wallach join together to reflect on this week’s parshah, Ki Tavo. דְּבָרִים כו:ב, ה ב “וְלָקַחְתָּ מֵרֵאשִׁית כָּל-פְּרִי הָאֲדָמָה, אֲשֶׁר תָּבִיא מֵאַרְצְךָ אֲשֶׁר יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ נֹתֵן לָךְ–וְשַׂמְתָּ בַטֶּנֶא; וְהָלַכְתָּ, אֶל-הַמָּקוֹם, אֲשֶׁר יִבְחַר יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ, לְשַׁכֵּן שְׁמוֹ שָׁם… ה וְעָנִיתָ וְאָמַרְתָּ לִפְנֵי יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ, אֲרַמִּי אֹבֵד אָבִי, וַיֵּרֶד מִצְרַיְמָה, Continue Reading »
Posted on September 10, 2014 by Suzanne Hutt
The month of Elul is a wake-up call. As the month before Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, it is a chance to do some very serious soul searching and think about what/who/how I want to be in the coming year. We have been discussing this idea in each of my classes – what does Continue Reading »
Posted on September 7, 2014 by Ariella Siegel
From my blog: September already! Time flies when you’re being Jewy, I suppose. What a whirlwind! And I’m exhausted! Last we left off, it was orientation and more orientation and lots more orientation and then shabbat. The contrast between doing, doing, doing and then not doing at all (except actually doing, because Shabbos is a Continue Reading »
Posted on September 1, 2014 by Eva Neuhaus
All the month of Elul before eating and sleeping let every man sit and look into his soul, and search his deeds, that he may make confession. (S.Y. Agnon, Days of Awe, citing Maharil) Last week I had an epic fail. I think failures are precious—especially the big ones— because they offer a huge window into the Continue Reading »
Posted on September 29, 2013 by The Director of Digital Media
Daniel Shibley (Year ’11, Fellows ’12) reflects: Whether you are in the diaspora or Israel, all of the holidays in this season have come to a close. Although we may joke about them finally being over and the relief therein, every year at this point, I experience a quasi-withdrawl syndrome. The following is an attempt Continue Reading »
Posted on August 30, 2013 by David Bogomolny
We currently find ourselves in the Hebrew month of Elul, counting down the days to Rosh HaShanah (the Jewish New Year). Traditionally, many Jews recite Psalm 27 every morning during the month of Elul and through the High Holy Days, and I’d like to bring our attention to the final pasuk (verse) of this psalm: Continue Reading »
Posted on August 18, 2013 by Naomi Bilmes
From my blog: In preparation for Elul, returning to Israel, and because Torah is awesome, I presented this d’var Torah at my synagogue tonight during seudat shlishit. I thought some of you might enjoy reading it. Shabbat Ki Tetzeh Seudat Shlishit D’var Torah By Naomi Bilmes Shabbat Shalom. This week’s parsha, Ki Tetzeh, is full Continue Reading »
Posted on October 5, 2012 by Sydni Adler
During Sukkot, we celebrate God’s hand in the successes of our past years’ produce and of all the work of our hands (Deut 16:15). Before the destruction of the Temple, Sukkot was much more of a raucous, noisy, purely joyful celebration than it is today. However, today, without the Temple and without sacrifice, what remains Continue Reading »
