Musings from Students of the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies in Jerusalem
Posted on May 4, 2013 by Sam Kaye
I’m leaving for Israel and my father hands me two bags. “Take these with you. The furrier, Shlomo, your great grandmother’s brother-in-law, left them to me. Find out if it’s meaningful for you.” The first is black felt, light to the touch, with a golden Magen David embroidered in cord on its front. The Tallit Continue Reading »
Posted on May 1, 2013 by Stuart Matan Lithwick
I can’t believe we are down to our last 5 weeks in Israel! David Bernstein said that it would absolutely fly by, but I never realized how right he was! I feel like my time in Israel is slipping away, and there are so many things still on my bucket list! I have had such Continue Reading »
Posted on April 28, 2013 by Annie Matan Gilbert
Today at Pardes, we had the honour and the pleasure of dancing our new sefer Torah, (donated in honour of a recent Bat Mitzvah) around the school. We heard lovely divrei Torah from Pardes student, Dr. Aileen Heinberg and from Rav Landes. There was some mention made of the fact that a Hachnasat Sefer Torah Continue Reading »
Posted on April 23, 2013 by The Director of Digital Media
Chanan Kessler (Year 1985-86) shares the following reflection with us in his mother’s memory. Chanan is a NYC school teacher, and lives in The Bronx. During the year that I recited the Kaddish after the death of my beloved mother, Hinda Yael bat Yosef v’Chaya, may her memory always be with us, I asked myself Continue Reading »
Posted on April 23, 2013 by Abayiss
This is a followup to my Erev Yom HaZikaron post Thank you, my friends, for coming out, for keeping my glass full, for helping me through the day. Thank you for standing by me, for holding me up, for comforting me. I missed you, my smiling angels, forever young and beautiful. I missed your smiles and Continue Reading »
Posted on April 17, 2013 by The Director of Digital Media
Lisa Narodick Colton (Year ’99-’00) reflects upon theimpact of a recent trip to Israel with her son. I was 21 years old when I first came to Israel. A summer in Tzvat begged more questions than it answered, and I returned for 15 months in Jerusalem (including Pardes) to fill in the openings. This Pesach Continue Reading »
Posted on April 14, 2013 by Abayiss
Tonight is the night. No, I am not OK. No, you can not help. No, you do not understand. No, I am not alone. Tonight is the night I dread all year. All the ghosts that have been pushed into the shadows (with the exception of the occasional visit) come out. Tonight is their Continue Reading »
Posted on April 12, 2013 by Derek Kwait
Never underestimate the impact of one good deed, on the doer at least as much as on the recipient. I went on Birthright through Hillel in late December 2008. During one of our pre-Israel orientation sessions, they told us we would have the opportunity to pack suitcases filled with clothes, shoes, toys, etc.at the JCC Continue Reading »
Posted on April 11, 2013 by Ma'ayan Dyer
From my blog: Monday was my second Yom HaShoah in Israel. I was standing in the middle of the partition in the road on Rivkah and Pierre Koenig to get a good view of the people stopping their cars and getting out to pay their respects to the dead when the wail of the memorial Continue Reading »
Posted on April 4, 2013 by The Director of Digital Media
It is usually considered good practice to connect one’s Dvar Torah about the Parshah to some current event or to an upcoming holiday. As such, I want to find some segue between this week’s Torah portion – Parshat Shemini – and Yom HaShoah – Holocaust Remembrance Day, which will be commemorated in Israel next Monday. Continue Reading »