The Case for Giving

Imagine you could do something today that would extend the horizon of Jewish thought, learning, and peoplehood as far as the eye could see. Imagine you could do something that would facilitate both constructive debate on issues of substance and genuine acceptance of disagreement.

For individual Jewish women and men of every perspective and denomination.

For communities around the globe.

Indeed, for generations to come.

You can.

You can invest in the future of The Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies, a unique Jewish learning community revolutionizing the study of the classic texts and traditions of Judaism.

Pardes challenges Jews of all backgrounds to deepen their relationship with Judaism through the study of Jewish sources; to strengthen their connection to Israel through personal experience; and to reinforce the fiber of Jewish connectivity and future by forging relationships with peers as diverse as Jewish life itself.

Today, the over 7,300 graduates of Pardes are not only Jewishly literate, they have taken ownership of the foundations of their heritage. In addition, they have refined capabilities for critical thinking; improved communication and interpersonal skills; and they see the Jewish present and future in a more nuanced, sensitive and productive way.

In becoming more knowledgeable, they have also become more passionate and more open. They can authentically be part of and leader of conversations about what it means to be a Jew, and how spiritual and societal issues in today’s fast-paced and often confusing world affect the Jewish people. Pardes graduates are a source of innovation and change and make a transformative difference in every sector of the Jewish world.

But even all of this is just not enough.

That’s why Pardes has embarked on The Campaign for the Generations, a $36 million capital and endowment campaign that will:

  • expand its facilities: to meet growing demand and accommodate more than 4 times the number of students currently participating in Pardes programs;
  • expand its programs: the new building will support more visiting groups; short-term seminars and retreats; and community participants in lectures and cultural events in the auditorium;
  • expand its infrastructure and technology: through systems that support an enhanced teaching and learning environment, Pardes faculty, students and visitors will connect to texts, information, resources and to other people in a dependable and seamless manner; video and streaming technology will enable a new level of remote participation in Pardes learning and engagement with content; and
  • ensure that the resources are available to support a larger and more substantial organization offering new programs to more people in more locations.

And the impact of a successfully completed Campaign for the Generations?

  • another young Jewish person will make a powerful connection to his or her heritage, rather than drift away from it;
  • another will become a teacher in a Jewish school and touch the lives of dozens more students; and
  • another will become the founder of a new Jewish organization, helping hundreds, even thousands more; many more will assume leadership roles in existing organizations.

And the stories will continue. Because of you.

Consider joining your friends, colleagues and neighbors who have already demonstrated leadership and financial commitment to this critical effort. Your contribution to Pardes’s Campaign for the Generations today will resonate in, build, and serve the Jewish community for years, indeed decades, to come.

This is one of the best investments you can make in the future of the Jewish people.