The Legacy Learning Series

Celebrate 50 years of Pardes with a series of shiurim led by long-time Pardes faculty members.

All classes will be held online and are free of charge.

Dates: The first Tuesday of the month from November 8, 2022 – June 6, 2023.

Time: 7:30 PM IDT / 5:30 PM BST / 12:30 PM EDT / 9:30 AM PDT

***Once you register, you will receive a Zoom link via email. This link can be used for the entire series. You need not re-register each month.***

Did you miss a session? You can watch recordings of all sessions on our Youtube channel!

Please note: There has been a change to the original schedule. The dates of Rabbi Meir Schweiger and Leah Rosenthal’s sessions have been switched. 

Giving Witness to the Past to Create the Future

Featuring Rabbi Dov Berkovits

In the first chapter of Masechet Eduyot (“Testimonies”), Rabbi Yehudah Hanasi describes the development of Halakha (law) and Torah Shebaal Peh (oral tradition) and elegantly paints a fascinating picture of renewed Jewish nationhood after the destruction of the Second Temple.

We will take a spiritual and intellectual journey through the first five Mishnayot and discuss how intimacy, the gift of food, the transformative power of a mikveh, and the blessing inherent in a “mahloket” (constructive argument) teach us about the creative seeds of Torah. Participants are encouraged to prepare the “pshat” (face-value meaning) of these Mishnayot beforehand.

 

 

Cancel Culture and Elisha Ben Abuya

Featuring Rabbi Dr. Meesh Hammer-Kossoy

The debate over whether or not to boycott sinful creative geniuses’ work dates back to the Talmud. According to the Talmud, the Heavenly Court itself refused to teach Torah from the sinning sage Aher (Elisha ben Abuya), and then God thought again. What can an examination of this delightful passage teach us about our modern ethical dilemma?

 

Between Radical Acceptance and Tikkun Olam: What Rabbi Akiva Can Teach Us About Confronting Challenges in Life

Featuring Rabbi Zvi Hirschfield

Together, we will explore the tension between spiritual acceptance and social or religious activism.

The Tent, the Field, and the Battlefield: How Stories of Biblical Women Mine and Undermine Each Other

Featuring Judy Klitsner

We begin with the assumption that the Bible’s stories engage with one another in a vibrant, often contentious, conversation. With this in mind, we tune in to the dialogue between the fertility-focused matriarchs of Genesis and their surprisingly subversive counterparts in the book of Judges.

 

What is the Most Important Line of the Haggadah?

Featuring Rabbi Aryeh Ben David

Rav Kook offers us a foundational change in how we understand Passover. It’s not just about the Jewish People leaving Egypt.

 

An Intimate Conversation with God

Featuring Leah Rosenthal

In this class we will explore one Talmudic narrative about the Amora Rabbi Elazar ben Pedat. This unusual story will take us deep into the thoughts and feelings of this important Talmudic personality, and we will be offered a glimpse into his personal struggle to come to terms with his experience of loss and suffering. We will watch him emerge from his experience stronger and more deeply committed to the Rabbinic role he is destined to fill.

Women and Time-Bound Commandments

Featuring Rav Meir Schweiger

The Mishnah, in Tractate Kiddushin, (Chapter 1, Mishna 7) states that women are exempt from time-bound positive commandments.

Is this an absolute rule? Does exempt mean not obligated or does it mean forbidden? Why is there a distinction made between men and women?

In our session, we will examine several Talmudic and post-Talmudic sources that unpack these questions and present a much more complex and nuanced picture. As we analyze these sources, we will see the many exceptions to the rule, which call into question the value of having such a rule. This will bring us back full circle to the Mishnaic principle and lead us to explore what may have been the Rabbinic thinking behind it. In this class we will learn an original approach that does not appear in classic rabbinic discussions on this topic.

 

Assistant Director of Alumni Engagement and Activation

Start date: ASAP

We are seeking a charismatic, creative, and action-oriented Assistant Director of Alumni Engagement and Activation to lead this initiative. This individual will play a key role in bridging the gap between the immersive Jerusalem-based Pardes experience and the ongoing life-long learning opportunities we offer in North America.

Key Responsibilities:

  • Implement and Iterate Alumni Engagement Strategies:
    • Enhance the current “menu” of opportunities for Pardes alumni to both “give” to
      and “receive” from, Pardes.
      • Give: Empower alumni to take action, create initiatives, and leverage
        Pardes as a platform for leadership and innovation.
      • Receive: Encourage alumni to engage in continued learning through
        classes, retreats, Shabbatonim, cohorts, and other programs.
    •  Ongoing internal evaluation of efficacy of strategies and implementing iterative
      updates to enhance outcomes.
  • Program Development and Management:
    • In collaboration with the wider team, develop and implement ideas for online and in person classes, including holiday programs, one-off shiurim, and limited series.
    • Oversee the execution of programs including but not limited to: email
      correspondence and registration, coordinating with marketing, Zoom production,
      and post-program evaluation.
    • Ensuring cross-departmental collaboration specifically with the engagement and
      development teams
    •  Serve as the project manager for select alumni cohort learning programs,
      ensuring smooth operations and successful outcomes.
  • Community Building and Leadership:
    • Foster strong, relational connections with alumni, encouraging their active
      involvement in the Pardes community.
    • Identify and cultivate connections with key alumni leaders. Lead efforts to inspire alumni to take on leadership roles within their communities, promoting Pardes’ values and educational mission.
    • Cultivate and steward and existing external partnerships with organizations and
      initiatives as it relates to our Pardesnik engagement and activation work
  • Alumni Coaching and Mentorship:
    • Provide coaching and mentorship to alumni interested in developing initiatives, such as micro-grants or local events, and support them in realizing their ideas. This may include group coaching within cohorts.
  • Targeted Recruitment and Outreach:
    • Engage in focused recruitment and outreach efforts to involve specific alumni in relevant Pardes offerings.
    • Collaborate with the wider team to manage recruitment for various programs,
      including necessary follow-up and evaluation.

Qualifications:

  •  Proven experience in alumni relations, community engagement, or a related field.
  • Strong organizational and project management skills, with the ability to handle multiple tasks simultaneously.
  • Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with a talent for building and maintaining relationships.
  • Creativity and initiative in developing new programs and strategies to engage alumni.
  • Passion for Jewish learning and a deep connection to the mission of Pardes.
  • Ability to work independently and as part of a collaborative team.
  • Willingness to travel as needed to engage with alumni across North America.

Preferred Qualifications:

  • Pardes alumna
  • Experience working in Jewish education or community leadership.
  • Familiarity with the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies and its programs.
  • Based in New York City

Benefits:

  • Competitive salary commensurate with experience: $70,000-$85,000
    100% health insurance coverage for the employee (dependent coverage available)
  • 403b retirement plan with Nationwide with up to 5% contribution by employer
  • Paid time off & Paid holidays (Jewish and secular)
  • FSA
  • Group Life and Personal Accident Insurance
  • Parental leave
  • Remote and hybrid working option and flexible hours
  • Opportunities to travel domestically and to Israel to collaborate across the team
  • Opportunity to contribute to a dynamic and growing organization with a meaningful mission.

How to Apply:
Interested candidates should submit a resume and cover letter detailing their qualifications and passion for this role. All applications should be sent to Assistant Director of Programs at Monica at monica@pardes.org.

Cover letters should answer the following questions

  • What makes you passionate about this role and work?
  • What concrete professional or personal experiences have prepared you best for this role?
  • What is one project, strategy or initiative that this job description stimulates in you?
  • How do you ensure great teamwork and successful collaboration?
    PLEASE NOTE:

Applications are due by October 8th and interviews will be the week of October 28th. We thank all applicants for their interest; however, only those candidates selected for interviews will be contacted.

Pardes North America provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants in all organizational facilities without regard to race, color, religious creed, sex, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, pregnancy, childbirth, (or related medical conditions, including, but not limited to lactation), physical disability, mental and/or intellectual disability, age, military status or status as a Vietnam-era or special disabled veteran, marital status, registered domestic partner or civil union status, gender (including sex stereotyping and gender identity or expression), medical condition (including, but not limited to, cancer-related or HIV/AIDS-related), genetic information, or sexual orientation in accordance with applicable federal, state and local laws.

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