These and Those

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

Tag Archives: memories

[PCJE Dvar Torah] Aliza Geller — Toldot 5773: The Power of a Good Soup

Posted on November 16, 2012 by Aliza Geller

When  I was asked to write a Dvar Torah for Parshat Toldot, two memories came to mind: The first, was from when I was in forth grade, at Solomon Schechter of Bergen County, in New Milford, New Jersey. For certain Parshiot, we were assigned to do a project, Parshat Toldot was mine. I made my Continue Reading »

[Guest Post] Reflections of the Alex Singer Hike in 2012, the Year of his 25th Yahrtzeit and a Poem

Posted on November 2, 2012 by The Director of Digital Media

by Suzanne Singer, Alex’s mom Three events happened this year that gave us a theme for the Alex Hike.  Benjy joined around 250 IDF officers on their trip to Germany and Poland to learn about and see the physical remains of the Shoah. Benjy’s son Itai went with his 12th grade class to Poland to Continue Reading »

The ‘Shabbat dimension’

Posted on October 29, 2012 by David Bogomolny

I remember a late, late Shabbat night conversation several years ago on a street corner in Dupont Circle with a friend of mine. We were standing outside of a bar, as people walked by us, in and out, in and out, not heeding us in the slightest, just as we didn’t pay them any heed. We were Continue Reading »

The Niggun I could not recall

Posted on October 21, 2012 by Aliza Geller

For the past couple of years, on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, I have been attending this Minyan (service, today, this word is often used for groups who pray together but are not affiliated with a movement of Judaism) called Koleinu, at my parents synagogue. One year, before Rosh Hashanah, they has a workshop to Continue Reading »

[PCJE Dvar Torah] Avi Spodek: In Memory of Leah Topper, a”h, Noach 5773

Posted on October 18, 2012 by The Director of Digital Media

In memory/honor of Leibka Feiga bat Chanoch A”H (Laura Faye Topper) This week marks the 9th anniversary of my mother-in-law’s passing. Laura suffered most of her adult life from Multiple Sclerosis, a disease that slows down or blocks messages between the brain and the body and causes – amongst other symptoms – visual disturbances, muscle Continue Reading »

Election Time

Posted on October 16, 2012 by Ari Abelman

From my blog: Election day in America is coming up soon.  I just recently sent in my absentee ballot.  And Israel has just called early elections (a phenomenon the does not exist in the American system) for January 22nd, 2013. I’ve always found voting exciting, and I enjoy watching election returns come in in the Continue Reading »

Alex Singer Hike Impressions

Posted on October 14, 2012 by M. Backman

Alex Singer was an American Jew who made aliyah to Israel and was killed in Lebanon in 1987 at the age of 25.  The first segment of the hike in his honor was a discussion of the Megillat Aish (Scrolls of Fire) Holocaust memorial.  The monument was intricate and moving and the discussion was quite Continue Reading »

Symbolism: Reflections on my Pardes Poland Trip

Posted on September 8, 2012 by Leah Kahn

In looking back at our Poland Heritage Trip in January, it’s quite difficult to fathom just how much we witnessed in 5 short days. We began with the colorful tapestry of Jewish life that existed in Warsaw and Lublin, which was hardly a foreshadowing of what was to come. We tapped into the spirituality of 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 »

Kaddish for a friend and teacher – David Goldberg

Posted on July 15, 2012 by Gil

Baruch Dayan HaEmet I have just learned that one of my friends and teachers, David Goldberg, has recently passed away. Given that he has thought me how to lead a prayer service in memory of my father’s yahrzeit, I thought that there would no better opportunity than say the kaddish for him here at Pardes Continue Reading »