These and Those

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

Tag Archives: reflections / testimonials

Pardes According to Me

Posted on March 31, 2013 by Eva Vadasz

This blog is about my school, the purpose and the aim of my sojourn in Kookooland (for English speakers, the title of my blog is zizilend meaning kookooland). Pardes (meaning “orchard”) is a yeshiva (Hebrew school) where Jews of all backgrounds and affiliations can study their religion, at any level. In this yeshiva, boys and Continue Reading »

A Párdesz [Hungarian]

Posted on March 31, 2013 by Eva Vadasz

Repost a blogomból Ez a bejegyzés az iskolámról, az egy éves zizilendi tartózkodásom okáról és céljáról szól. A Pardes (a szó jelentése citrus- vagy gyümölcsliget) egy olyan jesiva (héber hittudományi iskola), ahol bármilyen háttérrel rendelkezők, bármilyen irányzathoz tartozók tanulhatnak zsidóságot, bármilyen szinten. Ebben a jesivában fiúk és lányok együtt tanulnak. (Gy. k.: ez egészen rendkívüli, Continue Reading »

[Alumni Guest Post] Derekh Eretz by Kim Phillips

Posted on March 20, 2013 by The Director of Digital Media

Kim Phillips (Summer ’06) is a marketing professional, artist, writer and teacher in Nashville, Tennessee. One Shabbat morning, the rabbi entered Torah study and, instead of launching into the text, looked intensely around the circle of people gathered there. “I want to know how you feel about Israel,” she said. “However you feel is fine, Continue Reading »

[Alumni Guest Post] Seeing the Hand of God In Your Life by Damian Zoppo

Posted on March 18, 2013 by The Director of Digital Media

Damian (PEP ’04-’06) is currently teaching elementary schoolin Even Yehuda, Israel, and taught for four years at TarbutV’Torah before making Aliyah with his family. The time I spent with friends and teachers studying the wisdom of our people at Pardes was a magical time in my life. I was a student, learning every day with Continue Reading »

[Alumni Guest Post] On Pardes and Faith

Posted on March 16, 2013 by Aaron Voldman

I miss Pardes so much. As I shared with my classmates and teachers before departing, it was a dream to learn in Israel and my experience at Pardes turned out so much better than I ever anticipated! I feel very grateful to my classmates for sharing your insights in class, and for in havruta study Continue Reading »

[Alumni Guest Post] My Pardes Experience by Eric Brief

Posted on March 8, 2013 by The Director of Digital Media

Eric Brief (Yr. 2008-09) sent us the following reflection of his year at Pardes to post on These&Those! Check out his blog to see his beautiful art and weekly divrei Torah! If I remember anything about my experience at Pardes it is that I got more than I could have ever imagined. I’m not exactly Continue Reading »

[Alumni Guest Post] Update from Matt Rissien (Year ’08)

Posted on February 21, 2013 by The Director of Digital Media

Pardes-nicks, I just found out about the student blog, and I think it’s so great!! I took my Junior year off from the University of Kansas, and studied at Pardes in ’07-’08. Being still partially in the college mindset, I don’t know that I took full advantage of everything Pardes had to teach me; though Continue Reading »

[Alumni Guest Post] Friends for a Lifetime by Sarah Levy

Posted on February 20, 2013 by The Director of Digital Media

Sarah Levy (Mechina ’07, PEP ’08-’10) shares a personal reflection about Pardes: A friend of mine once told me that she felt all of her friends fell into one of three categories: Friends for a reason (and once that reason no longer existed, neither did the friendship) Friends for a season (and once that time 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] Reminder of Home

Posted on February 14, 2013 by The Director of Digital Media

Jessie Gindea (PEP ’10-’12) reflects upon the first Pardes Educators Conference in Baltimore There have been moments throughout my first year teaching amidst the messy lockers, lost homework, and lunch boxes strewn around the hallways, when my experience at Pardes seems like a hundred years ago. I love my job as the Coordinator of Jewish Continue Reading »