These and Those

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

Tag Archives: poems / poetry

WxW 30/30 #1: From Start to Finish

Posted on April 2, 2013 by Annie Matan Gilbert

From my blog: Thanks to The Velveteen Rabbi for alerting me that http://wordxwordfestival.com/ is having a 30 poems in 30 days contest.  (I don’t think there are prizes but they do publish poems on their website, if you submit them.)  I have subscribed to http://3030poetry.com/ for the daily prompts and have begun!  I can’t guarantee I will write a poem a Continue Reading »

Lovely Women, or In Defense of Sniyut and Halter Tops

Posted on April 1, 2013 by Tadea Klein

The difference between a lovely woman and a plain one Is the way that, When dressed in her right clothes Or doing her best loved tasks, She unfurls like a rare flower Her back straight and her eyes shining And she unleashes that 100 Kilowatt smile That all women keep tucked up in the corners Continue Reading »

The Man Who Plays the Piano

Posted on March 22, 2013 by Naomi Bilmes

From my blog: Here is a set of two poems. They are written in different styles, but they are about the same subject. I am still working out exactly how to fit them together and how to make the images convey what I want them to convey. Any feedback would be helpful. Enjoy! (In keeping Continue Reading »

What is Torah to Me?

Posted on March 14, 2013 by Annie Matan Gilbert

From my blog: This piece is a response to a prompt by Melila Helner Eshed in a class at the Shalom Hartman Institute. Stories within stories Clamping shut and Breaking open With sharp, jagged edges That draw blood And push me back So I stay at arm’s length But inside, if I stretch the skin Continue Reading »

Shabbat Goes Out, or Weary Bride

Posted on March 9, 2013 by Tadea Klein

On a quiet soundless night a little girl with ancient eyes comes creeping into Jerusalem Shabbat is tired She drags her feet, weary of simcha and cheer Ears ringing from songs, head aching from wine, she wants only to go home, flick on the TV and zone out Not smile, nor laugh Nor sing or Continue Reading »

The Big Fat “R”

Posted on March 6, 2013 by Naomi Bilmes

From my blog: I am presently having an odd experience of disconnect. The premise is this: Bad things keep happening to me. In the grand scheme of life, they are not terrible things: no death, no serious illness, no natural disasters. But sometimes the little things seem even more powerful, especially in a world of Continue Reading »

[Alumni Guest Post] A Single Priceless Line

Posted on March 2, 2013 by The Director of Digital Media

Aryeh Ben David (Year ’80) shares the following on the Ayeka blog: I find that good poets talk from their soul story. William Stafford gave me insight into my life in a single priceless line. Any Journey When God watches you walk, you are neither straight nor crooked. The journey stretches out, and all of Continue Reading »

Gemara and roses

Posted on February 28, 2013 by Laurie Franklin

This wound This wound. Hurts. I look but can’t find it Hiding under layers of scar. Will it hurt more to hold it open to light? I blow on it. Blow away dust. Reveal the bones. Step through the field; take the unclean road. For the sake of dignity, I sing in the dark and Continue Reading »

[Alumni Guest Post] Rosh Chodesh Adar! by Yishai Paquin

Posted on February 15, 2013 by The Director of Digital Media

Yishai Paquin (Year ’11-’12) is an avid photographer. Here he shares a spiritual insight that he gained through photography: Sometimes reminders come from unsuspected places. I was learning how to edit photos today when my instructor mentioned that dark layers are for light and light layers are for dark. It is the same basics for Continue Reading »

[Alumni Guest Post] Sara Brandes – A Purim D’var Torah (a spoken word piece)

Posted on February 11, 2013 by The Director of Digital Media

Rosh Chodesh Adar is almost over, but Purim is coming soon! A Provocative Purim Poem by Sara Brandes (Year ’01, Fellows ’02, Elul ’05) ENJOY! Rabbi Sara Brandes lives in Los Angeles, CA, with her husband Hyim, and two children, Michal (5) and Gavi (2). She is West Coast Regional Director at Moving Traditions, and Continue Reading »