Musings from Students of the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies in Jerusalem
Posted on October 15, 2014 by David Gutbezahl
When I arrived at Pardes in 2012, I had already been out of college for two years. I have to admit, during those two years between college and Pardes I was pretty lazy. I spent a few hours teaching at religious schools, and a few hours applying for jobs while living with my parents. It Continue Reading »
Posted on February 28, 2014 by Benjamin Friedman
“Without a profound simplification the world around us would be an infinite, undefined tangle that would defy our ability to orient ourselves and decide upon our actions…. We are compelled to reduce the knowable to a schema.” -Primo Levi The above quotation by Holocaust survivor Primo Levi says something profound yet simple about human nature Continue Reading »
Posted on October 9, 2013 by Alanna Kleinman
Time has come to define my year here. Not exactly time itself, rather, how I interact with time. When I describe my goal for the year, the whole concept of my studies here, it often becomes described as “taking time off.”This phrase boggles me. Can someone actually take time off from life? This phrase hints Continue Reading »
Posted on June 3, 2013 by Eva Vadasz
I shared these words in the beit midrash on the last day of the 2012-13 Pardes year I dressed up in white. Because whenever I am preparing to do something big, I always wear white. This is a principle of mine since I have known Zsolt Erőss. Zsolt – a Hungarian mountain climber. Zsolt, who Continue Reading »
Posted on April 26, 2013 by Aliza Geller
Devar Torah Workshop, Parashat Emor Over the past couple of weeks, students in their first year of the Pardes Center for Jewish Educators have been participating in a Devar Torah workshop with DLK (Rabbi David Levin-Kruss). This is the Devar Torah I wrote to be presented at the workshop yesterday, for Parashat Emor. Please keep Continue Reading »
Posted on March 25, 2013 by Eric Feldman
From my blog: Imagine spending seven days without your phone, television, or computer. Okay, now add on the incentive of no listening to music, reading, or writing. And now try doing that without speaking or communicating at all. Not just verbal communication; you can’t even look at anyone else. Oh, and one final, small thing Continue Reading »
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 »
Posted on March 8, 2013 by The Director of Digital Media
Daniel Shibley (Year ’11, Fellows ’12) blogs honestly and openly about his thoughts on being drafted into the Israeli Defense Forces after making Aliyah: Israel Flag (Photo credit: Felix_V) Sacrifice. Building of the Mishkan takes center stage in the parasha this week. Moshe asks the Israelites to give to the construction project, to sacrifice some Continue Reading »
Posted on January 17, 2013 by Laura Marder
In Parshat Bo we are given the first Mitzvah from G-d. The mitzvah of being aware and sanctifying time with Rosh Chodesh. “This month shall be to you the head of the months; to you it shall be the first of the months of the year”. Bo 11:2 While reading BO I tried to Continue Reading »
Posted on December 17, 2012 by Shira Bee
Originally posted on my blog: