A Deep Connection, Held with Care
Pardes is a Zionist institution. We believe in the value of a Jewish state in the ancestral homeland of the Jewish people, the Land of Israel. This belief is rooted in Jewish tradition and history, and in the modern reality that Israel is home to approximately half of world Jewry. We also believe that Israel is, and should continue to be, a cultural and spiritual engine for the Jewish people around the world.
Pardes proudly supports and celebrates diverse expressions of Jewish life in Israel, including its religious, cultural, and political dimensions. We strive to provide space for a wide range of Zionist commitments, even when those perspectives are in tension with one another. At the same time, Pardes’s stance on Israel and Zionism does not preclude welcoming students who hold different views. Our Beit Midrash is a place of inquiry and integrity, where students can explore, challenge, and refine their personal relationship with Israel.
Nuance, Integrity, and Honest Engagement
A mature relationship with any country, especially one as central and complex as Israel, requires engaging with both its shortcomings and its achievements. Pardes recognizes that some of the most important and difficult conversations arise around Israel’s challenges. These include questions of coexistence with the Palestinian people, the balance between national ideals and personal freedoms, and the role of religion in public life. We do not avoid these tensions. Instead, we seek voices and conversations that promote reconciliation, understanding, and human dignity for all.
We hold fast to our core values of knowledge, complexity, and nuance, especially in moments when the discourse around Israel becomes divisive. At Pardes, we believe that the Jewish tradition gives us the tools to navigate disagreement with care, listen with generosity, and build relationships across differences. This is the spirit in which we approach Israel, and the spirit we hope our students carry with them into the wider world.