These and Those

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

Tag Archives: symbolism / analogy / metaphor

What is Torah to Me?

Posted on March 14, 2013 by Annie Matan Gilbert

From my blog: This piece is a response to a prompt by Melila Helner Eshed in a class at the Shalom Hartman Institute. Stories within stories Clamping shut and Breaking open With sharp, jagged edges That draw blood And push me back So I stay at arm’s length But inside, if I stretch the skin Continue Reading »

Singing and Kol Shofar at Women of the Wall

Posted on March 13, 2013 by Annie Matan Gilbert

This Rosh Hodesh was my second time attending Rosh Hodesh davenning at WoW. Last month, I was glad to check it out and feel like I was part of something important but between the cameras and security, I struggled to feel like I was davenning. This Rosh Hodesh, two amazing things happened. 1) I got Continue Reading »

Shabbat Goes Out, or Weary Bride

Posted on March 9, 2013 by Tadea Klein

On a quiet soundless night a little girl with ancient eyes comes creeping into Jerusalem Shabbat is tired She drags her feet, weary of simcha and cheer Ears ringing from songs, head aching from wine, she wants only to go home, flick on the TV and zone out Not smile, nor laugh Nor sing or Continue Reading »

Eretz HaQedoshah

Posted on February 18, 2013 by Michael Sassoon

I shared these words with the Pardes community at Community Lunch last week before my (temporary!) departure: My experience here in Israel and at Pardes has been breathtaking. I feel the following verse playing itself out here for me in terms of things I’ve done, places and people I’ve seen, delicacies I’ve tasted: אנכי ה` Continue Reading »

[Alumni Guest Post] Rosh Chodesh Adar! by Yishai Paquin

Posted on February 15, 2013 by The Director of Digital Media

Yishai Paquin (Year ’11-’12) is an avid photographer. Here he shares a spiritual insight that he gained through photography: Sometimes reminders come from unsuspected places. I was learning how to edit photos today when my instructor mentioned that dark layers are for light and light layers are for dark. It is the same basics for Continue Reading »

“True Love – or – Shir HaShirim, pt. II”

Posted on February 14, 2013 by Abayiss

When I think of my life, look back and reflect, I know she’s always been there. It was ALWAYS her, no matter what, through all the trials and despite our occasional differences, she will always be by my side, and I love her for it. She will never diminish, she is as much a part of me Continue Reading »

do not make your self afraid at all, the world is a very narrow bridge

Posted on February 10, 2013 by Shoshana Rosen

From my blog: The important thing to remember is to not make yourself afraid at all Somehow this song, always comes back to me. In times that i least expect it…. I first came across this song at Jewish sleep away camp, singing it on the top top of my little lungs Kol Ha’olam kuloGesher Continue Reading »

It’s Complicated

Posted on February 3, 2013 by David Bogomolny

I can’t speak highly enough of Ben Barer (Fellows ’12), and I am consistently appreciative of his blogging. His recent post on ‘Picking Our Battles’ gave me pause because Ben and I agree on many things, but we’ve chosen different sides of the “Orthodox Community” – he’s chosen to be outside of it, and I’ve Continue Reading »

Tu B’Shvat with the Levites

Posted on January 25, 2013 by Laurie Franklin

Tu Bshvat Today, I said I want to be a Redwood. I want to be big, too big to ignore, A wonder, Almost immortal. I want hugs, lots of them, ya know like when people hold hands to circle your trunk. My fellow Levites got it. They surrounded me with hugs. Two hours later, Psalms Continue Reading »

[Alumni Guest Post] Cooking Love

Posted on January 17, 2013 by The Director of Digital Media

A thought about halakha by Jeremy Sorgen (Spring ’11): When one cooks for another, one cooks with love. Cooking becomes an act of devotion and the food tastes better because it is made with a key ingredient: care. One must strive to do everything this way, that is, as a means of expressing love. Devotion Continue Reading »