Pardes News
Hollywood Filmmakers Study Talmud at Pardes Institute
Jerusalem, Israel – November 26, 2007 – A group of producers and directors from Hollywood joined students of the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies in Jerusalem for a bit of Talmud study last week
Participants included Academy Award-winning Director and Producer Davis Guggenheim (An Inconvenient Truth); Donald DeLine, former president of Paramount and producer of the upcoming The Brazilian Job; Producer and Executive Nina Jacobson (Pirates of the Caribbean, The Sixth Sense, Pearl Harbor); Amy Pascal, Co-Chairman of Sony Pictures Entertainment (Groundhog Day, A League of Their Own); Director Brad Silbering (Lemony Snicket's: A Series of Unfortunate Events; Moonlight Mile), Bernie Weinraub of the New York Times, and William Morris Agent George Freeman. The visit to Pardes was arranged by Pardes alumnus and Board Member David Lonner, co-head of the Motion Picture Department at the William Morris Agency. The group’s trip to Israel was organized by the Jewish Federation of Los Angeles.
The group studied Talmudic narratives about temptation and personal transformation. The visitors each partnered with a Pardes student for Havruta (paired learning) in the Pardes Beit Midrash (study hall).
Pardes Director Rabbi Daniel Landes, who led the learning, said “The Hollywood group was attuned to both the dramatic and comedic elements of Rabbinic stories. It was gratifying to see the dynamic interaction of the seasoned Pardes students with the creative energy brought by the new group. They had a ball.”
The Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies The independent Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies immerses its students in the study of classic Jewish texts. Men and women of diverse backgrounds learn together in a rigorous, challenging, and open-minded environment. This learning experience nurtures a deep and personal connection to Jewish heritage, a love for the Jewish people and Israel, and a commitment to becoming leaders in the Jewish community. Founded in 1972, Pardes offers Year, Summer, Executive, Advanced and Educator learning programs for university students and graduates.