Musings from Students of the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies in Jerusalem
Posted on January 21, 2013 by David Bogomolny
Sydni Adler (Year ’13) and Ben Gurin (Year ’13) met during the Summer of ’10 in Washington DC, as participants on the Mechon Kaplan program of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism. Together with their cohort, they took classes on Social Justice and Judaism, and each interned for an NGO; Sydni worked on campaign Continue Reading »
Posted on January 19, 2013 by Naomi Bilmes
From my blog: (written two days ago) So, last night, I sat around a crackling fire with a group of religious people chanting incantations in ancient languages while passing around a hand-carved knife and letting the blood from our left pinkie fingers drip over the hot, scalding flames… Okay, that was an exaggeration. But I Continue Reading »
Posted on January 17, 2013 by The Director of Digital Media
This week, Rabbi David Levin-Kruss discusses Parashat Bo in Pesach and the First Seder. Bo 5773 Shabbat shalom!
Posted on January 10, 2013 by Cara Abrams-Simonton
Although this week’s parashah, Va’era, is full of many rich elements of our story as a Jewish people, I am drawn to the four promises that God makes to the Jewish people in chapter 6, verses 6 and 7: “Wherefore say unto the children of Israel: I am the LORD, and I will bring you Continue Reading »
Posted on October 21, 2012 by Adam L Masser
I wrote this song last spring during my first semester at Pardes. For me, it is really tied to feelings of peace, joy and confidence that I experienced after going backpacking with fellow Pardesniks Joseph, Andrew, Adrienne and Joseph’s roommate Jonathan. We hiked a few days through the Negev and them tremped to a music Continue Reading »
Posted on September 19, 2012 by Eric Feldman
What would you do if you were greater than you are? In Judaism, hypothetical situations are occasionally used in order to put ourselvest in a certain mindset – for example, on Passover, we imagine what it would have been like to have been slaves in Egypt. And now, with these weeks of transformation upon us, Continue Reading »
Posted on April 27, 2012 by Soffer
Originally posted at my blog: What an exciting time it is in the Jewish calendar! In the span of just three weeks Jews throughout the globe have reaffirmed our freedom with the holiday of Pesah, we have celebrated renewal Rosh Hodesh Iyar, and we danced through the streets of Yerushalayim on Yom Haaztmaut, as we Continue Reading »
Posted on April 23, 2012 by Laura H.
Being in Israel has taught me how to prepare. No, not how to properly pack bags, or take provisions for a hike – both of which are useful skills in this country, but how to prepare mentally. I noticed this immediately when I arrived. Pardes began as the month of Elul started, a time when Continue Reading »
Posted on April 22, 2012 by Derek Kwait
This is the time of year for family. Last week, when Shabbat directly followed the last day of Pesach, creating a rare 8-day Passover in Israel, Friday afternoon, I was kindly invited over the home of a local family. The Mr. and the Mrs. were born in America, but each have been here for well Continue Reading »
Posted on April 16, 2012 by Derek Kwait
“Even if all of us were wise, all of us understanding, all of us knowing the Torah, we would still be obligated to discuss the exodus from Egypt,” says the Haggada. While by no means do I, like most of the people I had seder with this year, consider myself inordinately wise or understanding, I Continue Reading »
