Musings from Students of the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies in Jerusalem
Posted on November 18, 2014 by David Derin
Those of you who know me well are aware of the fact that I do not like to talk about things related to politics. I personally feel that when people talk about politics it frequently leads to disagreement, yelling, and hurt feelings. At the end of the day, my opinions are my opinions and I Continue Reading »
Posted on August 4, 2014 by Alanna Kleinman
I cried during services last Shabbat. I cried out of frustration and fear. I cried because the Rabbi told the sanctuary that liberal voices speaking out against Israel were anti-Semitic and hateful. I cried because I was told to shut up, that there’s only one way to support a land I had come to call Continue Reading »
Posted on July 23, 2014 by Jenn Mager
I am an incoming Pardes student, spending this summer in Israel, and blogging about my experiences. This post is from my blog: By the end of last week, I needed a separation from “Breaking News”, Facebook, and political discussion. I’ve seen too many photos and cartoons expressing anger, violence, revenge, hatred, a side of human Continue Reading »
Posted on May 21, 2014 by Suzanne Singer
I wrote this to Swarthmore’s Hillel in hopes that it would engage them in responding to me. I have heard nothing. I expect that some Pardes students may be interested and want to challenge/ agree/ expand my thoughts. In Support of Hillel “Guidelines” Why Swarthmore’s Hillel Should Not Become “Open” On December 8, 2013, Swarthmore’s Continue Reading »
Posted on April 28, 2014 by Rory Sullivan
It took me eight years to get back to Pardes. During a Birthright trip my freshman year of college, we sat in the Beit Midrash, the great big room filled with tables of four chairs each and books lining every wall. We studied a text that I don’t remember. What I do remember is liking Continue Reading »
Posted on March 9, 2014 by Deborah Renert
People have asked me why I chose to attend the annual AIPAC conference in Washington, DC. After all, I live in Israel now. Also, I missed classes, and I really do not like missing Pardes classes. On one level, I am very interested in the relationship between Diaspora Jews and Jews living in Israel. Do Continue Reading »
Posted on December 10, 2013 by Jeremy Borovitz
This is going to be very long, but here are my thoughts on Ukraine: I was sitting at my mother’s desk, obsessively scanning my news feed and hitting refresh on the Kyiv Post’s homepage, when I realized I had to go to Ukraine to see it for myself. I lived in Ukraine for nearly three Continue Reading »
Posted on December 9, 2013 by Benjamin Friedman
The following are a few notes about my experience at the MASA Security and Diplomacy Shabbaton, which took place in Jerusalem from November 22-23. I attended with several other students from the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies, (where I am a year-student enjoying financial support from MASA), and can, on the whole say that it Continue Reading »
Posted on November 2, 2013 by Candace Mittel
About Jerusalem Medley Three Unlikely Falafel Men I encountered these three men eating falafel together at a little place on Yafo. The story below mainly centers Barak (on left) who spoke to me in Hebrew, and although I understand Hebrew fairly well, his friend and “PR person” Adam (on right) insisted on translating every few Continue Reading »
Posted on October 29, 2013 by The Director of Digital Media
From my blog: Every week is full of learning, davening and communicating in a variety of forms. Field trips are taken, books are read, conversations are heard, davening is done with a mechitza, without a mechitza, people are citizens of certain places, of more than one place, people have served in the army, people continue Continue Reading »