These and Those

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

Tag Archives: faculty / Pardes teachers

Prayer for Comfort

Posted on January 3, 2013 by Annie Matan Gilbert

Thanks to Joseph Shamash for leading an inspiring Creative Shacharit this morning! We spent time practicing the Desire meditation from James Jacobson-Maisels’ Self, Soul and Text class, then were given paper and pens and markers to express what came up for us in the form of a drawing or a prayer, etc. Here is what Continue Reading »

[Student Profile] Mike Backman

Posted on January 1, 2013 by Derek Kwait

When it came to picking out a college and a major, Mike knew he wanted to work with numbers and that he wanted to do something practical. So he searched and weighed the available data: He looked into economics but found it boring. He looked into physics, but thought it just wasn’t for him, then Continue Reading »

[PCJE Dvar Torah] A Woman’s Insight by David Bogomolny

Posted on December 30, 2012 by David Bogomolny

This week we are starting the sefer (book) of Shemot (Exodus), which literally means ‘names’. The weekly parasha is also called Shemot. I mention this because the first name that comes to my mind when I read this parasha is ‘Isra Yaghoubi’ (Year ’08-’09, Fellows ’09-’10). She was my first Chumash havruta, and she left me Continue Reading »

[PCJE Dvar Torah] Annie Gilbert – Parshat Vayechi – a Poem

Posted on December 27, 2012 by Annie Matan Gilbert

This week’s PCJE Dvar Torah is on Parshat Vayechi and is heavily inspired by the amazing divrei Torah of Yaffa Epstein and Jenna King-Brill at recent Pardes Night Seders. It’s also a little bit connected to this week’s learning in Ayeka, about “The Hard Stuff” in relationship with God and others. I have been pondering Continue Reading »

[Pardes From Jerusalem Podcast] VaYechi 5773: The “Blessing” of Shimon and Levi

Posted on December 27, 2012 by The Director of Digital Media

This week, Neima Novetsky discusses Parashat VaYechi in “The ‘Blesssing’ of Shimon and Levi.’” Neima VaYechi 5773 Shabbat Shalom!

What is a prayer? [pt. 2 in a series]

Posted on December 26, 2012 by Avi Benson-Goldberg

(Part 1, Part 2, Part 3) At Pardes, it is easy to look at our faculty and see inhumanly perfect beings. This is an unfair assessment. Don’t tell Rabbi Eliezer I said this, but sometimes kavod rabbeinu (respect for our teachers) can go too far in making it impossible to see something of ourselves in Continue Reading »

[Pardes From Jerusalem Podcast] VaYigash 5773: Judah’s Approach to Joseph, on Three Levels

Posted on December 21, 2012 by The Director of Digital Media

This week, Rav Daniel Landes discusses Parashat VaYigash in Judah’s Approach to Joseph, on Three Levels. RDL VaYigash Shabbat Shalom!

What is a prayer? [pt. 1 in a series]

Posted on December 19, 2012 by Avi Benson-Goldberg

(Part 1, Part 2, Part 3) Pardes was rocked by a shiur clalli (public class) about prayer in the Jewish world, particularly as experienced by three of our teachers: Rahel Berkovits, James Jacobson-Maisels, and Meir Schweiger. It was certainly an honor to see these teachers of ours open themselves up and expose the real humans inside! Continue Reading »

Notes By ShiraBee: A Directed Heart (Mishnah)

Posted on December 17, 2012 by Shira Bee

Originally posted on my blog:

Difficult Conversations and Active Listening

Posted on December 16, 2012 by Aliza Geller

On Wednesday, December 5th, a group of approximately 20 members of the Pardes community gathered to talk about what we could do to facilitate conversations on challenging issues among ourselves. This session was expertly led by Shoshana Rosen (Year Program ‘13) and Meesh Hammer-Kossoy. The biggest concern voiced at the meeting is that people do not necessarily have the skills to Continue Reading »