These and Those

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

Tag Archives: Masa Israel Journey

I’m compact!

Posted on April 27, 2013 by Avi Benson-Goldberg

From my blog: i shaved this face and it was actually really difficult. electrical razor, you are not my friend. Thanks to MASA Israel, I’ve had the chance to confirm for myself, in excruciating and extensive detail that Israel is a pretty small country. Like, really small. Usually we mean that the landmass of Israel Continue Reading »

Group 15, or why the Masa Israel Leadership worked out

Posted on March 31, 2013 by Avi Benson-Goldberg

[x-posted to bensongoldberg.com] A couple of weeks ago, I snuck out of Pardes, and instead of learning Torah, I learnt community organizing, best practices, and how to laugh again. It was fun, it was a refresher, and I made some amazing friends. Here’s what I took away from it: “Honestly, you were just a bunch Continue Reading »

Tuesday!

Posted on October 31, 2012 by Eric Feldman

From my blog: After months of putting it off, I finally made it down to Ein Gedi last Friday. I went with some friends from college park, and we left at 4:30 am to drive down to the hike. As we were passing the dead sea on the drive down, I looked out the car Continue Reading »

Meet the Fellows 5773

Posted on August 24, 2012 by Derek Kwait

Derek Kwait never spent longer than five consecutive weeks outside of his native Pittsburgh area prior to fulfilling his dream of studying at Pardes last year. After attending one year of film school at Point Park University in 2007-8, he transferred to the University of Pittsburgh in fall 2008. He graduated in 2011 with a Continue Reading »

Alumni Impressions ’11-’12

Posted on August 20, 2012 by The Director of Digital Media

Now that the new Pardes school year is about to begin, we’re feeling particularly nostalgic about these posts on the Masa Israel Journey Blog written by a few of our ’11-’12 Pardes alumni… they’re really touching: Jacob Siegel, “Homeland and Home” Derek Kwait, “Symbols, metaphors, and preparing to come home” Andrew Lustig, “Lost in the Continue Reading »

Radical amazement on Pardes’ end-of-year Shabbaton

Posted on May 30, 2012 by Soffer

Originally posted on the Masa blog a couple weeks ago: By Jordan Soffer, Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies This past Shabbat Pardes had a tiyul and Shabbaton to the Galil. Prior to the tiyul, while briefly skimming the itinerary, I imagined that this Shabbaton would be the same as every Shabbaton I have been on since Continue Reading »

Lost in the Rhythm

Posted on May 30, 2012 by Andrew Lustig

Originally posted on the Masa Blog:   I came to Israel – to the Pardes Institute for Jewish Studies – 10 months ago, so that I could study and become familiar with Jewish text. I wanted very much to live a ‘Jewish life.’ I just didn’t know what that entailed or meant.   Judaism, for Continue Reading »

My Documentary: Finding Israel

Posted on May 13, 2012 by Joseph Shamash

When I‘m not busy studying Torah at Pardes, this is what I‘m working on! Check out the website for our documentary project, and check out our promotional video:

Yom HaZikaron

Posted on May 3, 2012 by Barer

Last week, I attended MASA’s Yom HaZikaron ceremony (טקס) with some other Pardesniks.  It had been six years since I had commemorated Israel’s two Memorial Days — for fallen soldiers and victims of terror since the founding of Israel and Holocaust Remembrance Day — in Israel, when I was a participant on March of the Continue Reading »

2012 Poland Trip: A Journal Entry from April 18, 2012 (Erev Yom YaShoah)

Posted on April 23, 2012 by Laura H.

Being in Israel has taught me how to prepare. No, not how to properly pack bags, or take provisions for a hike – both of which are useful skills in this country, but how to prepare mentally. I noticed this immediately when I arrived. Pardes began as the month of Elul started, a time when Continue Reading »