Musings from Students of the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies in Jerusalem
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 »
Posted on May 28, 2012 by Nikki Fig
As many in the Pardes community know, my year at Pardes has been decidedly unique. I originally only intended to stay through Elul, but every month I decided I would stay “for one more month.” My unwillingness to leave led my family and friends in America to conclude that I must be being “brainwashed”. This Continue Reading »
Posted on May 17, 2012 by Ma'ayan Dyer
As most of my fellow Pardesnicks have probably gathered at this late date in the semester, I’m what one might call “quiet.” It’s not that I don’t speak up in class or won’t engage in conversation (if you strike one up first, of course). Rather, my quietness is an overall demeanor. I’m not a smiley Continue Reading »
Posted on May 14, 2012 by Derek Kwait
(Mostly X-posted from my home blog, Yinzer in Yerushalayim) The weekend before last was the retreat Shabbaton for Self, Soul, and Text class at Kibbutz Hanaton, our teacher James’ home, in the Galil. The schedules Friday and Saturday were nearly identical, each day going like: 9-9:45: Sit. 9:45-10:30: Walk. 10:30-11:15: Sit. 11:15-12:30: Lunch. 12:30-1:15-Sit. It Continue Reading »
Posted on May 3, 2012 by David Bogomolny
This is an additional thought I had about ‘mindful eating’. I’ve been running my tongue along whatever food items I’ve been using during my practices, pausing to enjoy their shapes and textures, and I’ve noticed that my mouth automatically reacts to food by filling with saliva and pushing the bits with my tongue against the Continue Reading »
Posted on April 30, 2012 by Dr. J. Golden
I first learned about this wonderful program through the Pardes newsletter. I was in Brazil at the time and had already missed the first class, but I immediately wrote to see if it would still be possible for me to join the course. I also invited my M.A. student, Joshua Barer, to enroll in the Continue Reading »
Posted on April 30, 2012 by David Bogomolny
The dancing activity brought up some interesting issues for me, which I haven’t entirely sorted through. I was dancing alone in a corner for the duration of three dances, and I felt very free to move about as I wanted to. I had my eyes closed for much of the time, and I was focused Continue Reading »
Posted on April 23, 2012 by David Bogomolny
The practice of visualizing Hashem is not very powerful for me; I strongly prefer to have no image of the Divine. When I focused upon visualizing a particular character trait, I saw an image of a woman that I have romantic feelings for. I believe this has something to do with being motivated to be Continue Reading »
Posted on April 19, 2012 by Barer
This testimonial was written by Pardes alumnus Daniel Schwartz (Year ’10-’11): Jeff’s reaction to Orthodox Paradox? Noah Feldman had been too easy on the yeshivas of his youth. I can’t help but look back on the bulk of my yeshiva education with bitterness. My teachers smoothed over all the tensions that animate contemporary Judaism, petrifying Continue Reading »
Posted on April 17, 2012 by David Bogomolny
The Tachanun practice that we learned in class has shaped my daily davening. It took my a few minutes in class to take the practice seriously – to really relate to the idea of being dead, rather than just playing dead – but after a while, I was able to see my mat as a Continue Reading »