Pardes Kollel

Program Description

The Kollel is the highest learning level at Pardes and is a unique framework through which advanced students address and struggle with fundamental issues in Judaism, philosophy and modern life. This specialized learning environment is both demanding and rewarding, as it requires students to bring all of their knowledge and passion to the table and to be open to challenges presented by Jewish texts, by their teachers and by their peers. The Pardes Kollel is very much an open and creative learning environment politically, socially and religiously. Current Kollel students represent an impressive cross-section of highly educated learners, current and future teachers, activists, leaders and creative producers of ideas and initiatives that are changing the Jewish world and the world-at-large. Participants include lawyers, policy analysts, Talmud scholars, social activists, entrepreneurs and scholars.

 

 

Kollel Talmud with Daniel Reifman: S/Th, 9:00-12:00 pm
This course is designed for experienced Talmud students looking for more independence in preparing sugyot on their own. Following a close structural analysis of the gemara itself, we will examine the distinctive ways that different rishonim frame and then resolve difficulties in the gemara text, as well as the ways they conceive of the relationship between different sugyot.

Kollel Halakha with Elisha Ancselovits: Tu, 9:00-12:00 pm
In this shiur, we learn halakhot in depth from Tanakh through contemporary poskim. The goals of this shiur are:

  1. To unpack the contradictory human concerns that halakhot address
  2. To learn to make decisions by actually incorporating all of the contradictory underlying concerns
  3. To work on speaking these human concerns in rabbinic language

Adv Tanakh with Elhanan Miller: W, 9:00-12:00 pm in Hebrew

Kollel students are expected to learn with Year Program students during Seder Erev (Monday, 6:15 – 8:15 PM), and/or during select lunchtimes, and to be active and involved participants in community life.


Interested in studying towards smikha and training to become a day school Jewish studies teacher at the same time? Click here for the new Pardes Educators Program: Smikha Track.

In order to be considered for the Pardes Kollel, you must be an independent Talmud learner who is able to read a daf without outside assistance. Our faculty will administer a brief test for applicants to determine their eligibility. Please contact carmella@pardes.org.il to schedule your test and for further inquiries.

Contact registrar@pardes.org.il for information about tuition.
A limited number of full tuition scholarships are available

Pardes students usually rent apartments in Jerusalem. Pardes provides helpful housing resources to accepted students, including a listserve. Click here for more info about finding housing in Jerusalem.

Outside the Classroom

Beyond the classroom and beit midrash, students enjoy opportunities to explore Israel. Through special programming and tours, we discover the connection between the story of the Land of Israel and the Jewish people. We also grapple with the complexities of the modern State of Israel and how that can influence our Jewish identity.