Musings from Students of the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies in Jerusalem
Posted on October 23, 2013 by Ben Schneider
It was difficult to go to pray this morning after visiting Hebron yesterday. I’ll write more later about our meeting with the spokesman of the Hebron Jewish community, but suffice to say that I questioned him enough to wonder how we are part of the same people and praying to the same God for assistance. 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 June 4, 2012 by Deborah Galaski
Here’s a little bit about my article: “For the Sake of the Righteous:Divine Love and Human Responsibility in Bereshit Rabba” I first fell in love with midrash when I read a passage in Bereshit Rabba, describing the moment when God created the first human being. I was in my second year of graduate school, where Continue Reading »
Posted on April 17, 2012 by Reka Eszter
Dear All, Coming from a country and family shocked by the Holocaust for all time, I thought that I would share with you one of the poems that was most emotional for me on this topic. János Pilinszky was one of the greatest poets of 20th century Hungarian literature. He was born in 1921 and Continue Reading »
Posted on February 28, 2012 by Barer
To the consternation of many around the world, there has been heightened tension around talk of some sort of war starting between Israel/US and Iran. With Parshat Zachor only a few days from being read in shuls (synagogues) around the world, it would behoove all of us to consider what kind of relationship we wish Continue Reading »
Posted on November 11, 2011 by Soffer
Just posted at Darkeynu: This week, in Parshat Vayeirah, we read one of the most famous, and most troubling, stories in the TaNaKh. G-d calls out to Avraham, commanding him to sacrifice his only son. As if that were not difficult enough, in two separate Midrashim we learn about how eager Avraham was to Continue Reading »
Posted on November 3, 2011 by Suzi
A couple nights ago, I accompanied Rabbi Barry Leff on his monthly visit to the Emmaus monastery near Latrun for Torah study. The monastery sits at the site of a Byzantine church. Couldn’t see much at night, so I hope to go back in the daytime to see the ancient ruins. It was fascinating to Continue Reading »
Posted on September 8, 2011 by Barer
This week’s parsha contains a panoply of laws, customs, and rituals, in no readily ascertainable order. Given the mixed nature of the parsha, a theme is harder to come by than in most weeks. I want to focus on a repeated phrase appearing in connection to a number of the negative commandments that I think Continue Reading »
Posted on November 2, 2010 by Eryn
After learning פרשת בראשית I began to see a lot of parallels between the stories of this chapter and the world we are living in today. If we look at the stories of בראשית we see the beginning of man and at the same time the downfall of man. Starting with the story of חוה Continue Reading »
Posted on January 10, 2010 by David Bogomolny
Several weeks ago, I decided that it was high time for me to visit the Tayelet in J’lem, and I woke myself up at an early hour to daven (pray) the shacharit (morning) service with my tefilin (phylacteries) at sunrise, facing the Old City of J’lem. It was a chilly morning, and I felt it. Continue Reading »
