These and Those

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

Tag Archives: summer camp

[Alumni Guest Post] Children Learning, Adults Praying?

Posted on August 5, 2014 by Naomi Bilmes

From my blog: Scene: Campers and counselors are sitting on a grassy knoll partaking in Wednesday night barbecue. (R is an 8-year-old female camper.) R: Why do you always wear skirts? Counselor: Uhhhhh…… Because I’m religious. Because I’m Jewish. Because I’m a woman. Because of modesty. R: What’s that? Counselor: Tzniut. Umm… it means that Continue Reading »

9 Adar: Happy Conflicts!

Posted on February 9, 2014 by Aliza Geller

Imagine that you are at summer camp. You are a rising 5th grader, and share a communal bathhouse with rising 6th and 7th graders. It so happens that whenever you go to wait in line to brush your teeth there is a 7th grader who pushes her way to the front of the line. What Continue Reading »

[Student Profile] Nataliya Naydorf knows everything about how you use your computer.

Posted on December 17, 2013 by Avi Benson-Goldberg

Nataliya Naydorf read from the Torah last week for the first time. Then there was a terrible snowstorm. She assures me the two are not related. She’s used to the snow, of course, because Nataliya hails from the former Soviet Union (FSU). Her country of origin literally doesn’t exist anymore. I roll this thought around Continue Reading »

I mean we did just have a meeting about blogging!

Posted on September 11, 2013 by Aliza Geller

From my blog: There is a strong possibility that I will soon be rebranding this blog as a food blog. The past few posts have been about food. Maybe it is significant that Yom Kippur is in two days. The most likely culprit however, is how I spent my summer “vacation”. I spent the summer Continue Reading »

I just want this to be Perfect

Posted on September 9, 2013 by Avi Benson-Goldberg

From my blog: This summer, I tried to teach Judaics to 15 year olds for 8 weeks. It was probably a failed mission from the beginning, because the last thing any 15 year old wants to do is spend an hour inside with a 24 year old authority figure, even as patently cool and with-it Continue Reading »

Investigation: ‘Leading from Behind’

Posted on August 21, 2013 by David Bogomolny

The Genesis at Brandeis University program where I’ve worked for the past two summers has many moving parts on the participant, staff and faculty levels. The ‘investigation’ component of a residential staff member’s responsibilities is an opportunity for professional development, through which the staff person explores an element of hir work at Genesis (or its Continue Reading »

[Alumni Guest Post] “Because Generally One Who Picks Up Holy Books Peruse Them Before Putting Them Down”

Posted on June 23, 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 »

Culture Shock

Posted on June 17, 2013 by Aliza Geller

I don’t mean that I got home and things were different, they were but I’l get to that a little later. This summer I am working at Emma Kaufmann Camp, in Morgantown West Virginia. This is the camp affiliated with the JCC of Pittsburgh, and I have two second cousins who attended. Blue Ridge Mountains? Continue Reading »

Dancing Israeli Youth

Posted on May 3, 2013 by Avi Benson-Goldberg

From my Instagram:

A Heavy Responsibility

Posted on April 25, 2013 by Andrea Wiese

From my blog: This is my fourth summer working for NFTY in Israel. The past three summers I have been in charge of my group and logistics, but this summer I am also going to be the tour guide. I have been in a course for the past few months going around Israel to learn Continue Reading »