These and Those

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

Tag Archives: Yom Kippur

Shofar and God’s Love of Israel

Posted on September 10, 2012 by The Director of Digital Media

by Rabbi Alex Israel Cross-posted from his blog Thinking Israel On the one hand, the cycle of the Jewish year is predictable and familiar: The solemnity of Yom Kippur, the smells and feel of the Sukka and the 4 species, the warmth and intimacy of Hannuka, Purim’s raucous frivolity, the tunes and tastes of Seder Continue Reading »

2012 Poland Trip: A Journal Entry from April 18, 2012 (Erev Yom YaShoah)

Posted on April 23, 2012 by Laura H.

Being in Israel has taught me how to prepare. No, not how to properly pack bags, or take provisions for a hike – both of which are useful skills in this country, but how to prepare mentally. I noticed this immediately when I arrived. Pardes began as the month of Elul started, a time when Continue Reading »

A New Year of Adventures, and a Vacation Filled with Memories

Posted on October 29, 2011 by Eliyahu B.

Originally posted at the Peaceable Pilgrim last week: Shalom! It is Eliyahu, the Peaceable Pilgrim, here to regale you with more tales from the wonderful city of Jerusalem! Many changes are afoot, as it is a new year (according to the Jewish calendar) and as such is a time for new beginnings. The most notable Continue Reading »

Atmosphere

Posted on October 23, 2011 by Shibley

In our efforts to try and find spirituality and deep connections in prayer often lead us to take t’fillah very seriously. Generally, that is a practice which I would commend, and even recommend, since it would theoretically allow us to block out distractions and concentrate solely on our relationship with Gd. Perhaps the best example Continue Reading »

Week 6: Exploring

Posted on October 12, 2011 by Derek Kwait

(X-posted from my home blog Yinzer in Yerushalayim) There is nothing like Yom Kippur in Israel. During a community guest lecture about 2 weeks ago, Jeremy Benstein, director of the Heschel Center gave us a chart showing Israeli energy usage hour-by-hour during Yom Kippur, it virtually flat-lines For 25 hours, the entire country shuts down. Continue Reading »

Yom Kippur Wrap

Posted on October 9, 2011 by Shibley

I will be the first to admit that Yom Kippur is one of my favorite days of the year. Between the liturgical poetry, the beautiful nusach, and the freedom from caring about my appearance, or physical sustenance, the experience is a catharsis of emotions and senses. Even with all of the positives, I found myself Continue Reading »

A different view of fasting

Posted on September 20, 2011 by Andrea Wiese

As most Jews know, the High Holidays are quickly approaching, and with that is Yom Kippur, a 24 hour fast day with no food or water (or coffee). And for me, with it comes dread. I just don’t like it, I get a headache, it’s uncomfortable, etc. Technically we’re not suppose to wear make up Continue Reading »

What I learned at Pardes This Week (#2)

Posted on March 24, 2011 by Pious Antic

In my halakha (Jewish Law) class last semester, we looked at a piece of gemara in which one rabbi asserts that an averah (sin) which is done for the sake of heaven (lishmah) is superior to a mitzvah (a good deed) that is done not for the sake of heaven. It is then countered that Continue Reading »

Toyt un Phraylekh – Death and Joy (Parsha Thoughts)

Posted on October 28, 2010 by Joel D.

Thoughts on this week’s Parsha, חיי שרה. Not too long ago we were all eating, some sleeping, and many of us singing in little huts known as Sukkoth. Sukkoth is, as a festival, known as, “Zman Simkhateinu”, The Time of Our Joy. Surely eating and dancing in a wooden hut outside is fun in and Continue Reading »

YOM KIPPUR

Posted on September 21, 2010 by Michael

We have nearly reached the one-month mark in our studies, and I have to wonder at the fact that, until this journey in Israel, I have never taken the time to document my life week by week in a journal. I have to tell you that there is a lot of power in shared journaling. Continue Reading »