These and Those

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

Tag Archives: role models and/or heroes

2012 PEP Graduation Dvar Torah

Posted on June 13, 2012 by Rabbi Julie Gordon

By Rabbi Julie Gordon, PEP ’12 Soon we will leave the security of Pardes’ Beit Midrash where if we had a question or wanted to study a text, there was always a teacher or a student interested in helping, guiding and learning with us. We all know there is so much more to learn. When Continue Reading »

Week 38: Jerusalem in a Week

Posted on May 28, 2012 by Derek Kwait

(X-posted from my home blog, Yinzer in Yerushalayim) This week really started last Shabbat afternoon as I sat in a corner of the Tayelet (promenade overlooking the Old City and East Jerusalem) reading the opening chapters of James Carroll’s Jerusalem, Jerusalem. Carroll begins the book by discussing the tension between the two Jerusalems, the earthly Continue Reading »

Issue of Hugs

Posted on May 7, 2012 by Andrea Wiese

At Pardes, all my teachers are orthodox, which means they don’t touch people of the opposite gender. This doesn’t really seem to be an issue, except, I love my teachers! And sometimes, I really want to give them a hug. They are the best!! I can’t explain to you how wonderful they are as people, Continue Reading »

Week 33: Family

Posted on April 22, 2012 by Derek Kwait

This is the time of year for family. Last week, when Shabbat directly followed the last day of Pesach, creating a rare 8-day Passover in Israel, Friday afternoon, I was kindly invited over the home of a local family. The Mr. and the Mrs. were born in America, but each have been here for well Continue Reading »

[Student Profile] Rob Murstein

Posted on April 12, 2012 by David Bogomolny

Rob Murstein comes from a ‘very liturgical’ family; they attend Shabbat services every Friday evening, Saturday morning, and Saturday afternoon until havdalah. Rob’s father is a regular Torah reader at shul, his brother studied chazzanut with their cantor, and Rob himself read Torah at shul for the first time when he was six years old; and then again at Continue Reading »

Poland V

Posted on March 29, 2012 by Lauren Schuchart

(The fifth in a series of 5 posts detailing my heritage trip to Poland… originally posted on my blog) ___________________ Righteous Among the Nations   “Whoever saves one life, saves the entire world”- Talmud In a world where morality no longer existed, where any action could lead to one’s death, there were people who stood out Continue Reading »

Poland III

Posted on March 28, 2012 by Lauren Schuchart

(The third in a series of 5 posts detailing my heritage trip to Poland… originally posted on my blog) ___________________ Houses of Life We visited several Jewish cemetaries throughout Poland. In ordinary circumstances, a cemetery would seem like a low point on an itinerary. In Poland, cemeteries were a way to remember and memorialize great lives that were lived. Continue Reading »

[Student Profile] Joseph Shamash

Posted on February 15, 2012 by Barer

Joseph is a Persian Cowboy.  He was born in Dallas, Texas to immigrant parents from Iran.  He and his older brother David attended the Akiba Academy of Dallas, an Orthodox day school, through Joseph’s middle school years.  When he was eleven, Joseph’s parents decided to move to LA to be closer to family, where he Continue Reading »

[Take Five] My Jewish Heroes – Derek Kwait

Posted on January 16, 2012 by Naomi Zaslow

[Take 5] Leah Stern: My Hero

Posted on December 1, 2011 by Naomi Zaslow