This summer was our second Summer Learning Seminar with the Pardes Institute in Jerusalem.
The seminar is organized so that two or three learning blocks are offered each day, with multiple class options available in each block. The learning is structured so that the instructor would introduce the text, we would break up into chavruta (study partners) for discussion and then come back together as a class for a final discussion. We both discovered we loved this style of learning. The classroom is loud and vibrant with all the various conversations and discussions going on.
The participants are at all different levels of knowledge, but none of that mattered. We were all equal in our desire to learn. Being able to learn with world-class instructors, to really delve into the text and to learn so many different perspectives was powerful. It filled us with an overwhelming feeling of connection to the text as well as to the new friends we met. It also strengthened our love for Jewish learning.
In addition, the Pardes staff was enthusiastic, well-organized and focused on providing a positive learning environment. The opening dinner, the closing dinner and the other events that were offered helped to build a sense of community among the participants.
This summer Pardes added volunteer activities and a tiyul (field trip) to the Gaza border communities to the curriculum. The volunteering involved packing produce and other food items for distribution to needy families. At one time, needy families referred mostly to the poor, to orphans, widows and Holocaust survivors. Today, needy families include all those displaced from their homes along the Gaza and Lebanese borders as well as soldiers and their families.
Our trip to the south communities included a visit to Sderot, the Burnt Cars Compound (the car graveyard) and the Nova Festival site, among some other stops, where we heard stories of pain and survival. The volunteering and the tiyul gave us the opportunity to show solidarity and support, to bear witness and to build stronger connections to Israel.
We are already committed to attending the winter session (on Zoom) and the next summer session (in Jerusalem). We know we can count on Pardes to plan an incredible week full of learning, enrichment and community.
