These and Those

Musings from Students of the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies in Jerusalem

Tag Archives: learning

When Seforno and Ketubot Collide

Posted on November 29, 2011 by Leah Stern

Hey Pardesians and World, As some of you may know, I am learning the commentator Seforno on the parsha each week with the awesome Hayim Leiter (back right hand corner of the Beit Midrash). Two weeks ago we were studying Parshat Chayei Sarah, during which we read the story of Eliezer going to find a Continue Reading »

Hello, To Whom am I Praying?

Posted on November 19, 2011 by Soffer

Posted at Darkeynu just before Shabbat: One of my favorite parts of camp is the Learner’s Minyan every Shabbat morning. In addition to the special community that we build, it also affords us a zman kavua (set time) to really struggle with fundamental questions about prayer. This summer, each week we discussed a different question Continue Reading »

[Student Profile] Sean Leber

Posted on November 14, 2011 by David Bogomolny

Having grown up in Newton, Massachusetts, Sean had a lot of exposure to Judaism. His family’s liberal church would often invite Jewish members of their extended community to speak from the pulpit, and Sean attended many Passover seders at a family friend’s house as a boy. And of course, he only dated Jewish women 🙂 Sean began dating Kelilah Continue Reading »

A trip back in time

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 »

It’s Not You, It’s Me

Posted on November 2, 2011 by Lauren Schuchart

Now that the biggest chunk of Jewish holidays is over, we are finally settling into a rhythm at school. Personally, I feel like I’m getting into the swing of things, and starting to really understand the many benefits of studying Jewish texts. One of the most unique components of Jewish learning that I’ve come to love Continue Reading »

Alef bet

Posted on October 29, 2011 by Andrea Wiese

So….today I learned the alef bet! Although I should have learned it a long long time ago, and despite that I “speak” Hebrew…I had never learned the order of the letters. Today, I thought, enough, it’s time. And Roi helped me learn the letters in order. It’s awesome! Have you ever felt like there is Continue Reading »

What a night!

Posted on October 24, 2011 by Suzi

A bus from Pardes to Ben Yehuda Street (my first time there at night–what a trip!). I walked to Zion Square to meet a friend who guided me through the alleyways to Tmol Shilshom, a wonderful coffeehouse with quaint arched windows and shelves filled with old and rare books just aching to be browsed. The Continue Reading »

Week 5: Days of Awe

Posted on October 7, 2011 by Derek Kwait

(X-posted to my home blog, Yinzer in Yerushalayim,) Rosh HaShana was amazing. The services at Yedidya (which is a lot like YPS except much bigger, and, frankly, younger) were filled with singing and soul, and I got to attend lots of fantastic meals– in terms of both food and company–at the homes of a Pardes Continue Reading »

Learning with Pardes: Thoughts in Photos

Posted on September 23, 2011 by Mary Brett Koplen

I originally posted this on my blog after my summer session at Pardes… and I will hopefully be studying with you all next year. I had such an amazing experience this summer, and I can’t wait to be back! In the three weeks I studied at Pardes, I learned more than I ever knew I Continue Reading »

Why I learn Talmud

Posted on May 19, 2011 by The Director of Digital Media

A Testimonial by Avigail Hurvitz-Prinz About a month ago my Talmud class did an exercise where we shared our reasons for studying Gemora. Everyone had their own reasons, and my list came up to a total of 21 reasons as wide ranging as “intellectual challenge” and “to have a sense of the Rabbinic world” or Continue Reading »