Musings from Students of the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies in Jerusalem
Posted on January 29, 2014 by Sam Stern
From my blog: No matter how the wind howls, the mountain cannot bow to it. What Being Jewish Means to Me By Sam Stern I think it’s safe to say that we’ve all written this essay before. It probably talks about receiving Hanukka presents, eating matza balls, playing with your friends at temple, and watching Continue Reading »
Posted on January 24, 2014 by Hirsch Fishman
X-posted from Eryn’s blog post: Eryn London (Summer ’06 & ’07, Community Education ’10, Year ’10-’11, Hourly ’11-’12) made Aliya from New Jersey three years ago. She is currently studying in the Manhiga Hilchatit Program at Midreshet Lindenbaum, which is a 5 year advanced Halacha learning program. Beyond learning she also runs activities at a Continue Reading »
Posted on January 21, 2014 by Yisrael Ben Avraham
It was a paradox in the space time continuum. Two spaces that were but only a few meters away was actually worlds away. What was an inconspicuous courtyard I felt was actually a wormhole to that connected two very different worlds that seemed like other dimensions. What I’m talking about is the courtyard between the Continue Reading »
Posted on January 21, 2014 by Jessica Baverman
This week, a classmate of mine at Pardes wrote a blog post about Kiddushin, being a gay man, and how he might see this tradition actualized in his own future relationship. I am a queer observant woman who is getting married to another queer observant woman, and my partner and I have discussed how to balance our Continue Reading »
Posted on January 20, 2014 by Andrea Wiese
I was recently in Istanbul with the group of students from Pardes and I stayed after to see my friends who are living there. (Six years ago I lived and studied in Istanbul.) I stayed in my friend’s apartment and I stayed through another Shabbat. At first I was nervous because I didn’t want anyone Continue Reading »
Posted on November 17, 2013 by Melissa Scholten-Gutierrez
Today is the fourth annual Global Day of Jewish Learning and this year’s theme is “Creating Together: Jewish Approaches to Creativity and Collaboration.” Two very broad and important things in my life, and as I sit here attempting to consolidate them with my experiences at Pardes this year, their coalescence becomes so obvious to me. When Pardes’s weekly Continue Reading »
Posted on November 10, 2013 by Sam Stern
From my blog: Well, angelfish, the solution to your problem is simple. The only way to get what you want is to become a human yourself. It was 1:53PM Monday afternoon as I stood outside of Pardes dialing the Jewish Agency. When the call ended 4 minutes later, I felt so distant from this country Continue Reading »
Posted on September 19, 2013 by Naomi Bilmes
From my blog: Sometimes, hanging out with people my own age is just too hard. And I think I’ve figured out why: The stakes are just too high. With people my own age, there is potential for deep friendship, romance, and a whole lot of fun; there is also potential for a whole lot of Continue Reading »
Posted on September 17, 2013 by Stefanie Groner
I shared these parting words at Community Lunch today at Pardes: In three weeks, I will start my first-ever, grown-up, real-life job as a consultant. From my understanding, a consultant comes in as an outsider to a space, gets to know the ins and outs and upside-downs of that place, and develops creative and effective Continue Reading »
Posted on September 16, 2013 by Sam Stern
From my blog: This is no ordinary lamp. It once changed the course of a young man’s life. A young man, who, like this lamp, was more than what he seemed. A diamond in the rough. Yom Kippur did not bring about the fast that I had expected. During my Friday afternoon prep, I made Continue Reading »
