Musings from Students of the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies in Jerusalem
Posted on June 3, 2012 by Derek Kwait
(X-posted from my home blog, Yinzer in Yerushalayim) So this is it. The end. It’s over. After Shabbat, I’m going to see everyone again in the fall at best, never at worst. Still, this is ultimately what I signed up for, to become a Pardes Alum. I’m almost positive that from the moment I touch 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 28, 2012 by Ma'ayan Dyer
(x-posted from my blog Lost in Jerusalem: http://lostjlem.blogspot.com/) Now that Shavuot has come to an end (well, for those of us in Israel, anyway), the complete cycle of my first year as a Jew has also drawn to a close. I have been fortunate enough to have my first experiences as a Jew with every one Continue Reading »
Posted on May 14, 2012 by Austin C.
The following is from all of the notes I’ve taken this year during my studies at Pardes. The subject of prayer has been of particular interest to me… (first presented at the final Pardes Shabbaton) Liturgy/Prayer – Liturgy/Prayer is a basic way for us to get in touch with God, fellow Jews, Jewish values, and Continue Reading »
Posted on May 8, 2012 by aliza
וארשתיך לי לעולם, וארשתיך לי בצדק ובמשפט ובחסד וברחמים. וארשתיך לי באמונה, וידעת את הי And I will betrothe you to me forever and always, and I will betrothe you to me in righteousness and in justice and in loving-kindness and in compassion. And I will betrothe you to me in faith and belief and Continue Reading »
Posted on May 7, 2012 by Derek Kwait
(X-posted from my home blog, Yinzer in Yerushalayim) I came to Israel wanting to learn Torah, and I have. Thank God, I’ve learned tons of Torah here and am privileged to learn more each day. But now that it’s May and I’m entering into the home stretch of my first year in Israel, I’ve gotten Continue Reading »
Posted on April 17, 2012 by Jackie F.
I made aliyah in August 2009, after completing my MPA at Columbia University, knowing that I wanted to come to Israel and use my degree to make a positive difference in the future of the Jewish people. Today I do that through my studies at the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies in Jerusalem and work 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 »
Posted on April 16, 2012 by AdAm Mayer
From my blog: I am excited to return to a normal schedule of life. I have made much progress over the last half year. I left Rosh Hashana with a strong desire to change what I was doing – and so it happened: we moved, I quit my job, and started learning at Pardes. Now Continue Reading »
Posted on April 10, 2012 by David Bogomolny
The ‘desire’ exercise was, at first, relatively comfortable, illuminating and affirming for me. I came to the conclusion that my ‘deepest’ desire to be accepted as myself (both by myself and by others). Having thought about this further, I think this desire ties into a defining feeling I live with, which I call ‘existential loneliness’ Continue Reading »
