Musings from Students of the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies in Jerusalem
Posted on September 11, 2011 by Andrea Wiese
Today I had my first Personalizing Prayer class. Although the name might make it seem obvious to some, the class is suppose to help the students become more familiar with the Siddur, Hebrew prayer book, the language, and to really understand the words and meaning of the prayer. Some people would prefer a different class Continue Reading »
Posted on September 8, 2011 by Shibley
With the onset of Rosh Hodesh Elul, we will begin the twice daily recitation of Psalm 27, along with the daily blasts of the shofar. Sephardic communities begin the recitation of slichot (liturgical poems for forgiveness), and the gradual ascension from Tisha b’Av to Rosha Hashana increases its gradient. As such, I thought it would Continue Reading »
Posted on September 6, 2011 by Avi Strausberg
this week’s parshat re’eh teaches a bit of the old mixed with some of the new. the old: don’t worship other gods. this is something pretty fundamental to our covenant with God that we’ve covered several times over in other places of the Torah. however, the bit of the new: don’t worship אלוהים אחרים אשר Continue Reading »
Posted on August 14, 2011 by Tamara Frankel
Dear Friends, This week I was flabbergasted by how much the parsha spoke to my own life. This week I began to trek out to start my new job and life in Chicago. I was anxious about the border control- you know how they can be sometimes…red tape, and all. As I approached the control Continue Reading »
Posted on July 7, 2011 by Avi Strausberg
this week’s parsha strangely focus on the story of one non-israelite, balaam the diviner, and his journey of how he came to know and understand God. okay, let’s back up a little bit. there’s a bad guy in this story, balak, head of the amorites, who summons our diviner-friend balaam to curse the jewish Continue Reading »
Posted on June 22, 2011 by Jeremy S.
I originally posted the following entry on my blog back in February: And going out to meet You, I found You coming toward me. -Yehuda Halevi (c. 1075-1141) It was my first shabbat in Jerusalem. After lunch I walked with a young aspiring rabbi to the Old City, in through the Jaffa Gate and down to Continue Reading »
Posted on June 17, 2011 by Avi Strausberg
once again the israelites take to complaining, railing against God, moshe, and anyone else who will listen regarding their miserable fate in the desert. last week, it was bitter cries about the camp food, longing for the nostalgized days of the meat and fish galore in egypt. this week, it’s fears that the people will Continue Reading »
Posted on May 17, 2011 by Avi Strausberg
in parshat behukkotai, God makes us an offer we can’t forget. on one hand, if we follow all of His Laws and observe all of His commandments, all will be right in the world. abounding peace, a land free of enemies, produce to our hearts’ content. however, if we spurn Him, if we disobey His Continue Reading »
Posted on May 13, 2011 by Joel D.
Posted on April 30, 2011 by Avi Strausberg
in parshat kedoshim, God opens by instructing us we’ve got to be holy because we’ve got a holy God. and in case you weren’t sure how one goes about behaving in a holy manner, we’re presented with a pretty length lists of do’s and don’ts. do honor your mother and father. don’t commit adultery. do Continue Reading »