Musings from Students of the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies in Jerusalem
Posted on August 19, 2018 by Steven Michael Grafton Philp
It’s worth taking a moment to consider the radical nature of the rabbinic project. When the Second Temple was destroyed in 70 C.E., there was no guarantee that the Israelite people, their culture, or their way of life would survive. In response to this uncertainty, the rabbis offered a profound reformulation of religious thought and Continue Reading »
Posted on November 10, 2014 by Eva Neuhaus
From my blog: i just came through a month of feeling totally disoriented by judaism and wondering what the hell i’m doing in rabbinical school. here’s what i learned: 1. sometimes what’s called for is to follow the feelings of disorientation all the way down the rabbit hole. there have been times recently where i Continue Reading »
Posted on November 4, 2014 by Celeste Aronoff
I came to Pardes this year because I needed to be in Jerusalem. I was supposed to start rabbinical school in the spring, but I decided to come to Jerusalem instead for the summer to study Hebrew and deepen my Jewish experience and identity before then embarking on my rabbinical journey in August. But a Continue Reading »
Posted on March 1, 2014 by Hirsch Fishman
Laurie Franklin (Year ’13) sent us this poem, written as she watched a blizzard and read from Kedushat Levi: Laurie Franklin is the spiritual leader and rabbinic intern at Har Shalom. She can be reached at laurief AT har-shalom DOT org. Torah of New Snow Torah of New Snow, after Kedushat Levi White feathers of Continue Reading »
Posted on February 3, 2014 by Jeff Amshalem
This past week, while I was substitute teaching a halakhah class here at Pardes, I mentioned by way of introduction that as well as being a proud and very busy member of the Pardes Educators Program, I am also, in that context, a member of the Kollel here. People immediately asked, what is this Kollel Continue Reading »
Posted on August 13, 2013 by Adena Kemper
I spent three weeks at Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies this summer, and what did I learn? Yes, I learned about Birkat Hamazon in the Gemara and halachah pertaining to women and even postmodern philosophy. Sure, I learned a few new zemiros tunes and how Karaites differ from rabbinic Jews. But above all, at Pardes Continue Reading »
Posted on June 6, 2013 by The Director of Digital Media
By RRC student Kate Cook (hourly ’12-’13), for the siyum of Michael Hattin’s Sefer Shmuel class. In our reading of Shmuel we got the p’shat of Characters, plot or a literary theme. Intertextuality we’ve had quite a lot of But not the centrality of the kelim. For instance the spear: Plishtim cornered the market With Continue Reading »
Posted on May 8, 2013 by Laurie Franklin
This year, while learning in the Pardes Year Program, I also attended the Shalom Hartman Institute Rabbinic Student Seminar. I learned weekly on Wednesday evenings with 20 + rabbinic students from N. and S. America and Europe under the guidance of Melila Hellner-Eshed and Yossi Klein HaLevi. My sister Pardesnik and ALEPH rabbinic program student, Continue Reading »
Posted on May 4, 2013 by Sam Kaye
I’m leaving for Israel and my father hands me two bags. “Take these with you. The furrier, Shlomo, your great grandmother’s brother-in-law, left them to me. Find out if it’s meaningful for you.” The first is black felt, light to the touch, with a golden Magen David embroidered in cord on its front. The Tallit Continue Reading »
Posted on April 8, 2013 by The Director of Digital Media
X-posted from Eryn’s blog post: Eryn London (Summer ’06 & ’07, Community Education ’10, Year ’10-’11, Hourly ’11-’12) made Aliya from New Jersey three years ago. She is currently studying in the Manhiga Hilchatit Program at Midreshet Lindenbaum, which is a 5 year advanced Halacha learning program. Beyond learning she also runs activities at a Continue Reading »