Musings from Students of the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies in Jerusalem
Posted on September 22, 2014 by Samantha Vinokor
I struggle deeply with my feelings about Jerusalem. For years, I felt like I didn’t “get it.” I didn’t understand that feeling that I heard people talk about. That sense of holiness, of connection to God, which they only experience here. While others longed for Jerusalem, my mythical city was Tel Aviv. The fast-paced, modern Continue Reading »
Posted on May 9, 2014 by Andrea Wiese
I originally posted this on the Grey Zone Blog: I have felt to be in a Grey Zone before. There have been times that I felt that I didn’t fit in. But last Rosh Chodesh at the Kotel with Women of the Wall may have made me feel to be in the “greyest” zone of Continue Reading »
Posted on January 17, 2014 by Andrea Wiese
I presented this on our ’14 trip to Turkey: The first commandment Bnei Israel was given as a people was: שמות יב:ב הַחֹדֶשׁ הַזֶּה לָכֶם, רֹאשׁ חֳדָשִׁים: רִאשׁוֹן הוּא לָכֶם, לְחָדְשֵׁי הַשָּׁנָה. Exodus 12:2 This month shall be unto you the beginning of months; it shall be the first month of the year to you. Continue Reading »
Posted on December 4, 2013 by Andrea Wiese
Originally posted on her blog. This month, Tevet, at the Kotel really felt different. Maybe it was logistics. It started at 8am and not 7am. I decided to walk. Someone (from WoW) stopped on their way when they recognized me, picked me up, and gave me a ride. Pardes is on Hanukkah break so I Continue Reading »
Posted on November 8, 2013 by Jessica Baverman
From my blog: This Monday, Rosh Chodesh Kislev, I went to the Kotel to pray with Women of the Wall (WoW). This is the second time I’ve gone to pray with the group but I wasn’t successful in finding them last time. This time, I went with Andrea, who is a WoW veteran, and Emet. Continue Reading »
Posted on September 20, 2013 by David Bogomolny
When Jessica Baverman recently wrote about her developing relationship to the Kotel, I was reminded of some of my thoughts about and feelings towards it. I remember reading Avi Spodek’s post last spring, appreciating his struggle, and agreeing with him that “the incidents at the Kotel these past few months have dominated the atmosphere” at Continue Reading »
Posted on August 30, 2013 by Jessica Baverman
From my blog: Yesterday morning, I went to the Kotel for the first time since May. The last time I went, I had the realization that the current system of gender segregated prayer disallows for people with gender-variance to pray comfortably on either side. This time, I wanted to go to Robinson’s Arch, which is Continue Reading »
Posted on June 3, 2013 by Annie Matan Gilbert
From my blog: Stu and I spent our last afternoon in Jerusalem running errands. One of those errands was a final visit to the Kotel to put a note in the wall. Stu collected prayers from family members and hand-copied them from emails, even including typos so each person’s prayer went in exactly as written. Continue Reading »
Posted on June 3, 2013 by Stuart Matan Lithwick
It is so hard to believe Annie and my year in Israel is already over! We are sitting in our hostel room in Tel Aviv, taking in the sounds of the city, as we contemplate returning to Toronto, changed in so many ways. This year has been a year with so many different facets. Challenging, Continue Reading »
Posted on May 22, 2013 by Rabbi Julie Gordon
R. Julie Gordon (PEP ’12) recollects: Here are some of my thoughts after my experience davenning with Women of the Wall (WOW) on May 10, 2013. I was exhilarated on the day after my bat mitzvah when I learned how to lay tefillin through the wisdom and care of Bert Cooper, z”l, our Albert Lea, Continue Reading »
