These and Those

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

Tag Archives: poems / poetry

The Patriarch’s Plea, or: Abraham’s Moment of Doubt and Pain

Posted on November 11, 2013 by Benjamin Friedman

Performed on the Negev tiyulduring the Talent Show: I sat in fire with my faith I smashed the idols of my race I left the land of father’s rules To wander far and play the fool Against great doubts I had to fight All to be keep your vision bright To keep you fixed within Continue Reading »

[Guest Post] Jewish Studies, a Poem by Abraham Leibson

Posted on October 17, 2013 by The Director of Digital Media

Early in 2013 my wife Sharon and I visited Israel for the first time. We rented an apartment in Jerusalem (Rehavia), and used it as a base to explore as much as we could in one month. I had prepared a long list of objectives and almost all of the objectives were achieved. One of Continue Reading »

Go For Yourself

Posted on October 13, 2013 by Hannah Joy

From my blog: This past week’s Torah portion, Lech Lecha, made me think of my own decision to take a year to study in Israel. The first verse reads as follows: וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה אֶל-אַבְרָם, לֶךְ-לְךָ מֵאַרְצְךָ וּמִמּוֹלַדְתְּךָ וּמִבֵּית אָבִיךָ, אֶל-הָאָרֶץ, אֲשֶׁר אַרְאֶךָּ. Vayomer Hashem el-Avram Lech Lecha me’artzecha umimoladetecha umibeit avicha el-ha’aretz asher ar’eka. “And Continue Reading »

Be the String: A D’var Torah on Parshat Noach

Posted on October 7, 2013 by Naomi Bilmes

(From the Pardes Opening Shabbaton): When I was a junior in college, I had to take a semester off from school. The reason? Stomach problems. I felt sick all of the time, I was gradually losing weight, and had lost all hope that the symptoms would ever abate. For an over-achiever like me, the decision Continue Reading »

The Copyist

Posted on September 22, 2013 by Naomi Bilmes

 From my blog: The Copyist   People tell me that I am brave. People tell me that what I do is scarier than a job interview or public speaking. It’s more frightening than singing karaoke in front of 15 Julliard students. It’s more terror-inducing than a claustrophobic getting into an elevator with a 360-pound football player Continue Reading »

Just – Can’t – Say it…Right

Posted on September 10, 2013 by Naomi Bilmes

From my blog: Sometimes my Mind Thinks in Poetry Sometimes my mind thinks in poetry, but it’s a halting poem because I’m feeling and I’m feeling and I can’t put the right words to the feelings.

[Alumni Guest Post] Pardes Summer Program 2013

Posted on August 15, 2013 by Talia Kern

Here is the poem I read at the closing lunch for the ’13 summer program: We started Pardes on the eighth of July Little did we know, that time would fly At our opening circle, there are so many names “Come hear about the classes,” Alex exclaims. Nechama, Tzvi, Yaffa, Reuven, who should we choose? Continue Reading »

[Alumni Guest Post] One Wish for Iran, Love Israel

Posted on August 5, 2013 by The Director of Digital Media

Joseph Shamash (Year ’12, MAPP ’13) and Andrew Lustig (Year ’12) have produced their latest video:

A Poem: “Moshe”

Posted on July 28, 2013 by Eli Steier

Perfect standards for Perfect people Do not take us out of the wilderness And our people have known wilderness All too well Perfect standards for Imperfect people Are just enough to Take us Home

[PEP Graduation ’13] And YOU are the one who’ll decide where to go

Posted on June 12, 2013 by Hannah Perlis

Here’s my Dvar from last week’s PEP Graduation! Ralph Wiggum from The Simpsons once said, “When I grow up I wanna be a Principal or a Caterpillar.” When I was younger I thought I wanted to be a supermarket cashier because you get to stand near the candy all day. I learned a lot about Continue Reading »