Musings from Students of the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies in Jerusalem
Posted on April 4, 2012 by J. Belasco
About a month and a half ago, I went to Hevron for Shabbat with a few Pardesniks to visit a fellow student’s wife’s family. His wife actually grew up in Hevron; and her parents still live there today. I was very grateful for the family’s generosity and hospitality, and for the chance they gave me to experience Continue Reading »
Posted on March 26, 2012 by Rabbi Julie Gordon
On Thursday I completed my teaching at the Kellman Brown Academy, a medium size warm and friendly Solomon Schechter (Conservative) day school in Cherry Hill, NJ. The school has terrific staff and it was a great match for me. I was mentored by a talented fourth grade teacher who encouraged me as I deepened my Continue Reading »
Posted on February 20, 2012 by R. Murstein
Last weekend, I spent a lovely Shabbat in the holy city of Hevron. What a place! The four Pardesniks that went were a tour de force of “peace and conflict.” Personally, I made it my duty to wear a huge smile and say hello to every person I happened across, be they Jew, Arab or Continue Reading »
Posted on January 22, 2012 by Leah Stern
Hi Pardesians and World, On Friday morning at 4:30 AM, I arrived back from Poland with my fellow Pardesians. Though we are happy to be back in Israel and are looking forward to the coming semester, we continue to process and ask questions about our experience in Poland. The first experience I would like to Continue Reading »
Posted on October 30, 2011 by Eliyahu B.
Cross-posted from the Peaceable Pilgrim: Shalom friends! It is the beginning of a new week here in Jerusalem, and the past one was filled with SO MUCH AWESOMENESS that I just have to share with you. Classes started up again full-swing on Sunday, and even though I was somewhat dreading getting back to a normal Continue Reading »
Posted on October 25, 2011 by Derek Kwait
(X-posted from my home blog Yinzer in Yerushalayim) We had all of Sukkot off, plus 3 days, making for 2 weeks of free time. Many of my peers went on trips through the country of went camping. While I didn’t do either of those, I had an adventurous holiday nonetheless. The adventure started before Sukkot Continue Reading »
Posted on September 28, 2011 by Derek Kwait
(X-posted to my home blog, Yinzer in Yerushalayim.) Just after I posted last Friday, it all hit the fan. The entire day post-posting forced it to hit home in a big way for the first time that I really am in a foreign country now. It is also when I fell in love, twice over. Continue Reading »
Posted on December 29, 2010 by Shibley
When living in Israel, one is afforded the opportunity to attend many different places for t’fillot. On every corner there is a beit k’neset (synagogue) which is ready to welcome any passerby. Each one is a little different in terms of spacial arrangement, attendance, and general atmosphere. I’ve referenced on a few occasions the importance Continue Reading »
Posted on November 28, 2010 by Shibley
I have written here and there about the shaliach tzibbur (communal emissary) and the importance that that role has in the experience of Jewish prayer. If you go back and read my post about Yom Kippur, I wrote that the shaliach tzibbur for musaf did not have the most magnificent voice, but that his presence, Continue Reading »
Posted on November 14, 2010 by Tamara Frankel
Dear Friends, This past week I was struck by a passage in the parsha that reminded me of a word (actually a Hebrew root) that comes up in several parts of the Shabbat liturgy. To be honest, I was very surprised to see this word used in a context that has absolutely nothing to do Continue Reading »
