These and Those

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

Tag Archives: Parshat Vayechi

Weber School – Pardes Collision!

Posted on December 19, 2013 by Sara Spanjer

One of the most exciting things that can happen in Jewish education is when one Jewish school meets another. This past week my two Jewish schools collided, Pardes and The Weber School. Although we are all different ages, ranging from high school to post-college to grandparents, being Jewish and being in Israel brought us together. Continue Reading »

Nataliya’s Bat Mitzvah – Photos & Video

Posted on December 15, 2013 by Sara Spanjer

On Monday, December 9, one of our fellow students, Nataliya Naydorf, celebrated her Bat Mitzvah at Robinson’s Arch. Despite the cold weather and wet ground, we were all warm listening to Nataliya read beautifully from the Torah, and her meaningful and well written D’var Torah on Parshat Vayechi. Nataliya is, beyond question, a role model Continue Reading »

[PCJE Dvar Torah] Bedrock

Posted on December 12, 2013 by The Director of Digital Media

This week’s PCJE dvar Torah comes from Susan Yammer, beloved teaching coach This Dvar Torah is dedicated to the memory of my mother, Nechama bat Velvel V’Aliza, on the occasion of her 13th Yahrzeit. Towards the end of our Parasha, in Bereishit 48:20, the Torah states, So he [Yaakov] blessed them on that day, saying, Continue Reading »

A Bat Mitzvah Blessing

Posted on December 12, 2013 by Nataliya Naydorf

This is the dvar Torah that I gave at my bat mitzvah on Monday: (enjoy!) In this week’s parsha, Yakov, nearing his final days, travels to Egypt to visit Yosef, his favorite son whom he thought was dead. Upon meeting Yosef, he finds that Yosef has two sons of his own, Ephraim and Menashe, born Continue Reading »

[Alumni Guest Post] Thank God I’m a Work in Progress: A Reflection on Teshuvah

Posted on January 29, 2013 by The Director of Digital Media

From Alissa Thomas’ (Spring ’11) S Blog: Teshuvah is a lifelong work in progress. Every year during Elul and the Yamim Noraim, I find myself digging deep into the process of teshuvah. I think to myself that I would love to feel such an intense spiritual desire toward growth and tikkun year-round. But each year after the chagim pass and I get more entrenched Continue Reading »

A Dvar Torah I wrote for my Synagogue:

Posted on December 28, 2012 by Laura Marder

Shabbat Shalom Pardes. I wanted to share a portion of my Dvar torah that I am giving to my Shul tonight… Shabbat Shalom,   Last week as my facebook followers know I was standing on a mountain over the dead sea welcoming the Sabbath at a meditation retreat. If I close my eyes I can Continue Reading »

[PCJE Dvar Torah] Annie Gilbert – Parshat Vayechi – a Poem

Posted on December 27, 2012 by Annie Matan Gilbert

This week’s PCJE Dvar Torah is on Parshat Vayechi and is heavily inspired by the amazing divrei Torah of Yaffa Epstein and Jenna King-Brill at recent Pardes Night Seders. It’s also a little bit connected to this week’s learning in Ayeka, about “The Hard Stuff” in relationship with God and others. I have been pondering Continue Reading »

[Pardes From Jerusalem Podcast] VaYechi 5773: The “Blessing” of Shimon and Levi

Posted on December 27, 2012 by The Director of Digital Media

This week, Neima Novetsky discusses Parashat VaYechi in “The ‘Blesssing’ of Shimon and Levi.’” Neima VaYechi 5773 Shabbat Shalom!

Does Joseph really forgive his brothers?

Posted on December 27, 2012 by Jenna King Brill

I gave over this dvar at night seder this week: This week’s parasha is Vayechi, in which, among other things, Jacob dies and we see a scene of apparent reconciliation between Joseph and his brothers. At first, this seems to be an intimate moment in which everyone comes to understand each other, and by the Continue Reading »

[Pardes from Jerusalem Podcast] Vayechi 5772

Posted on January 6, 2012 by Barer

In this week’s parsha, like at the beginning and end of each book of the Torah, DLK discusses the concept of al regel echad – on one foot. Vayechi 5772 Don’t forget to check out the handout for this podcast, downloadable from here