These and Those

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

Tag Archives: uncertainty / certainty

My Modern Jewish Thoughts

Posted on May 24, 2013 by Naomi Bilmes

From my blog: The most challenging course I am taking at Pardes is called “Critical Issues in Modern Jewish Thought.” There is no Hebrew involved. There is no Aramaic. I don’t even have to memorize birth and death dates of famous Jewish thinkers. What I do have to do, however, is think for myself. And Continue Reading »

L’Havdil

Posted on May 15, 2013 by Avi Spodek

The incidents at the Kotel these past few months have dominated the atmosphere where I study. There is an overwhelming sense of support for the Women of the Wall and their efforts to be recognized as legitimate players in the Jewish-religious narrative. Many of my friends have donned their Talitot and Tefilin (some for the Continue Reading »

[Alumni Guest Post] D’var Torah: Parashat Vayakel-Pikudei

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 »

[Alumni Guest Post] Focus on Rochel Czopnik

Posted on January 24, 2013 by The Director of Digital Media

Rochel Joanna Czopnik (Year ’05, PEP ’07) shares the story of how she ended up back in Poland after graduating from the Pardes Educators Program (PEP): After graduating from PEP, I was scared and quite anxious about my first job. I moved to Baltimore and for the first time was to live in the US Continue Reading »

snow covered hills

Posted on January 11, 2013 by Shoshana Rosen

Posted yesterday on my blog: I should be cleaning my room, but this is more fun. In case you don’t know, it is snowing currently in jerusalem. After almost 4 days of non stop cold rain storm, it finally started to snow. For a country who when war breaks out, life continues, but snow, watch Continue Reading »

the moment i knew i would be ok

Posted on January 7, 2013 by Shoshana Rosen

From my blog: the moment i knew i would be ok I walked across the street leaving the bench where I sat to give my feet a rest from my blisters I feel you again, that constant “what the !! are you doing next year?” as we brought the new year an hour prior, it Continue Reading »

Jerusalem: Pulled to a Place

Posted on December 28, 2012 by Shanee Michaelson

During the summer of 2011, I was a recovering attorney who had just completed a year teaching in Jewish early childhood education. I felt a calling towards deepening my own formal Jewish education and learned at Pardes for 3 weeks. I was exposed to the tip of an iceberg of knowledge of every imaginable sort. Continue Reading »

My holy tongue

Posted on December 18, 2012 by Avi Benson-Goldberg

Walking around Jerusalem by myself fumbling my tongue into the shapes of an ancient language taught me how to live in the modern age.  [cross-posted from my blog] I’ve had a hard time telling this. Explaining why I left the United States in the beginning of this spring–just as I started to make headway (are Continue Reading »

Empty Notebook

Posted on December 4, 2012 by David Bogomolny

I doodled once on the cover of my notebook, but I didn’t take any notes. Every time we met with a speaker, I brought my notebook and pen with me, but I never once wrote down what they were saying. I’m not sure that I couldn’t have; I’m only sure that I didn’t want to. Continue Reading »

Chanukah is almost here! Unbelievable!

Posted on December 3, 2012 by Stuart Matan Lithwick

The following post has been cross-posted from my Studymoon blog. Hello! Shmatan here again, writing from the holy land! I cannot believe that Chanukah has almost arrived! That means that all us Pardesniks have now been here for 3 months! It blows my mind how fast time goes by. Before, we get started, I must Continue Reading »