Musings from Students of the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies in Jerusalem
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 July 26, 2013 by Michal Kohane
In Pirkei Avot (5:25) we find, “turn her, turn her, everything is in her” – הפוך בה, הפוך בה, הכל בה. We knew this theory before coming to Pardes, but feeling it on an almost daily basis for the last three weeks has been a whole different story. Perhaps there is no better place to Continue Reading »
Posted on July 19, 2013 by Charlie Carnow
Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel said, ‘There were no greater festive days in Israel than the fifteenth day of Av and Yom Kippurim, when the daughters of Jerusalem would go out in borrowed white dresses so as not to embarrass those who didn’t have their own” (Mishnah Ta’anit 4:7) Ask in America (and maybe across the Continue Reading »
Posted on June 25, 2013 by David Bogomolny
If you walked the halls of Pardes days during our 2012-2013 year program, you might have noticed two students spending a lot of time together. You might have heard them laughing on a Jerusalem park bench. You might have seen them learning together in the Beit Midrash. If you found them at your Shabbat table, Continue Reading »
Posted on June 3, 2013 by Ari Abelman
From my blog: It’s hard to believe, but my time in Israel is almost done. Two days from now, I’ll be in the air on my way home. And while I haven’t been the best about blogging here regularly, at the moment I feel like a little bit of reflection is in order. I’m going Continue Reading »
Posted on May 30, 2013 by Heather Kantrowitz
From my blog: They say to really experience Israel, you have to be here for 3 things: war (unfortunately), elections, and snow… I got all of those in this past year, and so much more! A visit from Obama (Jerusalem basically shut down for 3 days!), praying with Women of the Wall, and so many Continue Reading »
Posted on May 27, 2013 by Tadea Klein
My dvar Torah from the Galil Shabbaton: First of all, I would like to thank Adam Masser (Spring ’12, Year ’13), who gave me the perfect set up — and we didn’t even plan it. I also am going to talk about lashon ha-rah, specifically the consequences of it. I believe that the most telling Continue Reading »
Posted on May 21, 2013 by The Director of Digital Media
Tamara Frankel (PEP ’09-’11) is in her second year of teaching at Chicagoland Jewish High School. It’s one of the first sunny days in Chicago this spring and my students beg me to take them outside for class. We negotiate and decide to review our homework in class, on the board, and then go outside Continue Reading »
Posted on May 16, 2013 by Derek Kwait
Jewish Dating Tips #1: If we call ourselves single, we make ourselves lonely—A single is a person shipwrecked on an island. Adam HaRishon, the first man was single. Nobody else has been single since. When you feel alone and single, make your life more meaningful. Start appreciating those around you. Use the most precious gift Continue Reading »
Posted on May 14, 2013 by Jeff Amshalem
From my blog: Two brief teachings by R. Kalonymus Kalman HaLevi Epstein on Shavuot, excerpted from Maor vaShamesh ויחן שם ישראל נגד ההר And Israel camped there under the mountain. Exodus 19:2 Rashi points out that ‘camped’ is in the singular, and explains they camped there ‘as one person with one heart.’ To receive the Continue Reading »
