Musings from Students of the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies in Jerusalem
Posted on July 2, 2013 by Ben Macdonald
Two months ago, I decided to do a little experiment. For those who haven’t heard me talking about it, I decided to take 30 days and live shomer mitzvot. I started on Yom HaZikaron and ended on Shavuot and from the first day in I had a really difficult time. First off I needed to Continue Reading »
Posted on June 25, 2013 by David Bogomolny
If you walked the halls of Pardes days during our 2012-2013 year program, you might have noticed two students spending a lot of time together. You might have heard them laughing on a Jerusalem park bench. You might have seen them learning together in the Beit Midrash. If you found them at your Shabbat table, Continue Reading »
Posted on May 30, 2013 by Heather Kantrowitz
From my blog: They say to really experience Israel, you have to be here for 3 things: war (unfortunately), elections, and snow… I got all of those in this past year, and so much more! A visit from Obama (Jerusalem basically shut down for 3 days!), praying with Women of the Wall, and so many Continue Reading »
Posted on May 30, 2013 by AdAm Mayer
This what I shared at the Final Community Lunch: I love Purim. Do you remember Rosh Hodesh Adar? I can still see the Pardes staff dressed up as hippies, spreading messages and cookies of peace and love. Purim is the time where the truth is revealed and the inside is shown on the outside. This Continue Reading »
Posted on May 26, 2013 by Sydni Adler
My dvar Torah from the Galil Shabbaton: On Shavuot, Rabbi Ruth Gan Kagan spoke about the prophetic power of G-d’s ruach – G-d’s spirit, breath, or wind. Throughout Tanakh, whenever ruach appears, G-d pervades material being, and often, individual human beings. In both the Torah and Haftarah portions of Be’haalotecha, we deal directly with ruach Continue Reading »
Posted on May 21, 2013 by The Director of Digital Media
Tamara Frankel (PEP ’09-’11) is in her second year of teaching at Chicagoland Jewish High School. It’s one of the first sunny days in Chicago this spring and my students beg me to take them outside for class. We negotiate and decide to review our homework in class, on the board, and then go outside Continue Reading »
Posted on May 17, 2013 by Tani Cohen-Fraade
In Rabbi Meir Schewiger’s Parashat ha-Shavuah (weekly Torah Portion) class, while learning Sefer Shemot (Book of Exodus), we spoke about the desert as a place where one goes to prepare for Torah study. When B’nei Yisrael (Children of Israel) leave Egypt, they flee through the desert and are on the run until they get to Yam Suf (Red Continue Reading »
Posted on May 16, 2013 by Laurie Franklin
One An outlander arrives in J-town. Not my first time and G!d-willing, not my last. In a newish role: student, not teacher! The book is open. Minus one Disequilibrium: distance from home and life partner, Jitters, does anyone understand who I am? Do I understand who I am In this novel circumstance?
Posted on May 14, 2013 by The Director of Digital Media
Pardes is pleased to present the third episode of our new podcast series by Rabbi Daniel Landes, Unexpected Encounters: The Jewish Holidays and the Other. This episode is on Shavuot. Episode title: Shavuot–Kedushat HaKotel UE: Shavuot Click here for the accompanying handouts. Pardes thanks the Alexander Soros Foundation, the sponsor for the series.
Posted on May 12, 2013 by Jessica Katz
What A Pardes Student Thinks About on Mother’s Day (if they hold by it) I think about you most when I’m walking around Jerusalem. It is so beautiful- tiny curved streets with antique stone houses. Everything is a little bit smaller and closer together (perfectly sized for me) or maybe it all just seems little Continue Reading »