Musings from Students of the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies in Jerusalem
Posted on August 5, 2014 by Naomi Bilmes
From my blog: Scene: Campers and counselors are sitting on a grassy knoll partaking in Wednesday night barbecue. (R is an 8-year-old female camper.) R: Why do you always wear skirts? Counselor: Uhhhhh…… Because I’m religious. Because I’m Jewish. Because I’m a woman. Because of modesty. R: What’s that? Counselor: Tzniut. Umm… it means that Continue Reading »
Posted on April 7, 2014 by Melissa Scholten-Gutierrez
From my blog, Redefining Rebbetzin: There has been a lot of talk online over the past few months about Orthodox Feminism – ranging from how it is not possible, to how oppressed we are, to why we stay Orthodox. The posts on the latter topic seem to come mostly from women who grew up within Continue Reading »
Posted on February 28, 2014 by Taylor Winfield
This week I read from the Torah for the first time. I stood up in front of my closest female friends, and sang the words of our people. I had been preparing for weeks, and I expected the moment to come with a high, a relief, a joy. But instead a seed inside of me Continue Reading »
Posted on October 25, 2013 by Naomi Bilmes
(Read it on my blog) A Haredi, a kibbutznik, and a Muslim walk into a bar. (beat) Mashiach comes!! Well, I don’t know what would actually happen; I never actually saw the three of them in the same room at the same time. And now for some context: This Tuesday, I went on a tiyul with Continue Reading »
Posted on June 12, 2013 by Naomi Bilmes
From my blog: Forty-eight hours ago, I was in a different country. And no, I did not drive across the border from Mexico to Texas. During the past few weeks, I’ve done a lot of personal journaling, because a lot of what’s happened is just that – very personal. Consequently, less has ended up on Continue Reading »
Posted on May 16, 2013 by Derek Kwait
Jewish Dating Tips #1: If we call ourselves single, we make ourselves lonely—A single is a person shipwrecked on an island. Adam HaRishon, the first man was single. Nobody else has been single since. When you feel alone and single, make your life more meaningful. Start appreciating those around you. Use the most precious gift Continue Reading »
Posted on April 13, 2013 by Naomi Bilmes
From my blog: I have Haredi cousins. I did not know this until last Friday night, enjoying couch-conversation with one of said cousins before Shabbat dinner. “So what do people in this neighborhood call themselves?” I asked, wondering (after seeing all the black hats and streimels) which sect of Ultra-Orthodoxy I had resigned myself to Continue Reading »
Posted on April 1, 2013 by Tadea Klein
The difference between a lovely woman and a plain one Is the way that, When dressed in her right clothes Or doing her best loved tasks, She unfurls like a rare flower Her back straight and her eyes shining And she unleashes that 100 Kilowatt smile That all women keep tucked up in the corners Continue Reading »
Posted on December 13, 2012 by Shoshana Rosen
Originally posted on my blog: In 5th grade we read a book in class called The Search for Delicious… A couple of months after reading this book, we had to pick our favorite book and do a book report on it. But, because I HATED to read, I just picked The Search for Delicious, a Continue Reading »
Posted on March 8, 2012 by Leah Stern
Most people have never even heard the word shtender. They think I am making up a pretend word, though to my knowledge it is Yiddish. I said it recently to an Israeli friend and the closest word I could use to explain it was the word מעמד, which means a stand, but that isn’t even Continue Reading »