Musings from Students of the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies in Jerusalem
Posted on September 29, 2013 by The Director of Digital Media
Daniel Shibley (Year ’11, Fellows ’12) reflects: Whether you are in the diaspora or Israel, all of the holidays in this season have come to a close. Although we may joke about them finally being over and the relief therein, every year at this point, I experience a quasi-withdrawl syndrome. The following is an attempt Continue Reading »
Posted on August 30, 2013 by David Bogomolny
We currently find ourselves in the Hebrew month of Elul, counting down the days to Rosh HaShanah (the Jewish New Year). Traditionally, many Jews recite Psalm 27 every morning during the month of Elul and through the High Holy Days, and I’d like to bring our attention to the final pasuk (verse) of this psalm: Continue Reading »
Posted on May 28, 2013 by Aliza Geller
I made homemade pop-tarts for tomorrow’s Community Davening on the Tayelet! [expand title=”click here for info about tomorrow’s davening”] We will begin at 5:05am. Sunrise is at 5:36. Our schedule for the morning is: Birkot HaShahar and Psukei led by Mike Nash and Laura Marder with simultaneous yoga led by Emly (Yoga mats will Continue Reading »
Posted on April 13, 2013 by Naomi Bilmes
From my blog: I have Haredi cousins. I did not know this until last Friday night, enjoying couch-conversation with one of said cousins before Shabbat dinner. “So what do people in this neighborhood call themselves?” I asked, wondering (after seeing all the black hats and streimels) which sect of Ultra-Orthodoxy I had resigned myself to Continue Reading »
Posted on April 8, 2013 by The Director of Digital Media
Rabbi Brent Spodek (Year ’01) reflects upon the Role of Pain: We fear pain. We fear events that twist our hopes, catastrophes that strain our bodies, indignities that weary our spirit. When we suffer, our pain becomes all we can see, so that the best we can do is grind on, endure, make it from Continue Reading »
Posted on March 13, 2013 by Annie Matan Gilbert
This Rosh Hodesh was my second time attending Rosh Hodesh davenning at WoW. Last month, I was glad to check it out and feel like I was part of something important but between the cameras and security, I struggled to feel like I was davenning. This Rosh Hodesh, two amazing things happened. 1) I got Continue Reading »
Posted on February 21, 2013 by Annie Matan Gilbert
This fast comes in contrast with the feasting of Purim to come. In the Purim story, Esther asked Mordechai to ask the Jews to fast for three days. Some texts say this is because they were preparing for battle and others say this was to invoke God’s help and protection. There are two Hebrew words Continue Reading »
Posted on February 4, 2013 by Andrea Wiese
One thing that is very real lately at Pardes is the Jewish life cycle; particularly, the end. Last week many students traveled to Alon Shvut to support Zvi Hirschfield at the funeral of his father. And just last night, many students and people from the community gathered in the Beit Midrash for an azkara or a type Continue Reading »
Posted on January 25, 2013 by Laurie Franklin
Tu Bshvat Today, I said I want to be a Redwood. I want to be big, too big to ignore, A wonder, Almost immortal. I want hugs, lots of them, ya know like when people hold hands to circle your trunk. My fellow Levites got it. They surrounded me with hugs. Two hours later, Psalms Continue Reading »
Posted on January 11, 2013 by The Director of Digital Media
Alum Daniel Shibley (Fellows ’12) is on a roll! Check out this dvar Torah for Parshat Va’era: Well documented in Facebook photos and through the news outlets are the rain and snow that have fallen throughout the State of Israel over the last several days. While Jerusalem has not seen snow like this in nearly Continue Reading »
