This lecture was held at Pardes as part of the Tisha B’Av program 2015.

Consistently throughout his work, Rabbi Joseph Soloveitchik implies that alienation is the ground of human existence and approaches the theme of exile not as a temporary fact of history but as a human reality. In this talk we examine some of Rabbi Soloveitchik’s conceptions of alienation and exile, and then we will explore a fundamental argument between Rabbi Soloveitchik and Rabbi David Hartman about the nature of the appropriate response to evil and suffering.

As part of our Summer Evening Series, Alex Israel, speaking at Pardes Jerusalem, discusses Eikha. Looking into the the megilla, he addresses three perspectives on the question of if God is our Judge, our Enemy, or our Source of Faith?

As part of the Yom Yerushalyim program at Pardes, Jamie Salter gives an overview of the Temple Mount in a historical and political context.

In this special Yom Yerushalyim class held at Pardes, David Bernstein brings us back to the Spring of 1967.

The Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies was thrilled to welcome Dr. Rachel Levmore who came to talk to students on the important topic of Prenuptial Agreements for the Prevention of Get-Refusal: One solution to the worldwide problem.

Rabbi Marmur came to talk to students at The Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies, Jerusalem on the topic of “God and Language”. How do we talk about God and what language can we use to do this?

In this class held at Pardes Jerusalem for Yom Hashoah 2015, David Bernstein addresses the question of how could ordinary men turn into mass murderers? How could human beings stand idly by? How could clever politicians be duped by the Nazis?

In this class given by Meesh Hammer-Kossoy at Pardes address the issue of what the Shoah teaches us and how the Jewish tradition contributes to the question of refugees in Israel. Israel is home to more than 50,000 African Refugees, mostly from Sudan and Eritrea.  Some see taking care of these refugees as a manifestation of our national identity.  Others see it as a dangerous avalanche threatening to eclipse a struggling Jewish State.

Pardes was privileged to have the remarkable Rena Quint come and share her story of how she survived the Holocaust as a young child. Rena experienced horrendous atrocities, lost all her family and was moved from place to place after the war without a home, whilst at the same time battling sickness. Rena was able to overcome all that she went through, to move on with her life and in turn to have a warm and beautiful family of her own. Rena is an incredible inspiration of overcoming adversity and of valuing the gift of life.

Although the topic of women and reclining is not on the top of anyone’s list when thinking about women in Judaism, it actually cuts directly to the most important and the core questions of women’s social status. Do the Rabbis consider a married woman to be free and liberated? Are there exceptional women? Has women’s status changed over time and how does that change affect her participation in ritual? Through this interesting case study Rahel Berkovits will examine some of the important issues facing us in the modern day.