These and Those

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

Tag Archives: social justice

Week 8: Leftovers

Posted on October 29, 2011 by Derek Kwait

Ever since I’ve arrived here there’s been stuff I wanted to talk about but just didn’t have room for in that week’s blog post. Since this was a relatively slow week, I thought this would be a good opportunity to share some of them, but I’ll start with the biggest story from this week: *So Continue Reading »

2 D’vrei Torah for P’Noach: One Socially Conscious, the Other Subconscious

Posted on October 29, 2011 by Derek Kwait

Once upon a time, a Middle-Eastern nation wanted to build a tower with its top in the heavens to make a name for itself. This tower would be a powerful monument to their civilization’s unsurpassed greatness and modernity. They even refused to announce what the final height of the building would be until it was Continue Reading »

שופתים

Posted on September 1, 2011 by Barer

This week’s parsha, Shoftim, contains the famous passage extolling justice.  “Justice, justice you shall pursue, so that you shall live and inherit the land that Hashem your god has given you.” (16:20, emphasis mine).  While this verse is so often quoted as if it contained only the first five words, it is important to note Continue Reading »

פנחס

Posted on July 14, 2011 by Barer

[From my blog] After taking another census of the nation, the first claim for equal rights for women in Jewish history is documented in this week’s parsha when the five daughters of Tzlophchad, a man who left Egypt with the Israelites but has since been killed for sinning, petition Moshe and the entire congregation to Continue Reading »

What I learned at Pardes this week (#1)

Posted on March 28, 2011 by Pious Antic

When I first left for Israel, and perhaps even more so when I decided to come back for a second year, many, if not most, of my friends and family back home simply couldn’t understand why I would want to come here to spend my days studying dusty old ancient texts. To be frank, after Continue Reading »

[Take 5] Jessica Belasco: Life & Disability

Posted on March 21, 2011 by Joel D.

Interested in disabilities? Check out the text of Jessica’s [Take 5], and check out some online resources that she recommends!

Disabilities Civil Rights Movement

Posted on March 19, 2011 by J. Belasco

Below is the text of my Take 5, which will hopefully get posted soon in VIDEO format. I’m happy to continue this conversation with anyone who would like to. I want to talk about my own experience of disability and, in a broader sense, about the disability rights movement (which I think is a really Continue Reading »

[PEP Student] To perfect the world under the Sovereignt​y of the Almighty

Posted on February 27, 2011 by Tamara Frankel

Dear Friends, Last week’s parsha, Parshat Vayakhel, continues to describe the construction of the Tabernacle (Mishkan) which the Israelites built in the desert and would serve later as the prototype for the Temple in King Solomon’s reign. But I’d like to focus on a different aspect of the parsha, namely Shabbat. Before the Torah goes Continue Reading »

[Shiur Clali] on Renting Property to Non-Jews

Posted on December 19, 2010 by The Director of Digital Media

[J Street U] A Plea For Engagement: Listening For The Prophetic

Posted on December 14, 2010 by Drew

Crossposted from Jewschool and the J Street U Blog “Zion shall be redeemed with justice, and those that return to her in righteousness.” —Isaiah, 1:27 Three years ago I moved to Jerusalem. I grew up as an involved member of the Reform movement in Connecticut, spent my college and post-college years working in Jewish education Continue Reading »