Faith Brigham Leener | Chief Innovation Officer
March 28, 2023
As I sit here in my Brooklyn apartment, marveling at the many sources of Torah coming out from Pardes and attempting to share my own words of Torah, I can’t stop thinking about what’s happening in Israel right now. All week, we’ve witnessed hundreds of thousands of demonstrators flood the streets to “pray with their feet” (to borrow from Frederick Douglass later adapted by Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel.)
No matter where you fall politically, it’s inspiring to see so many people – including much of the Pardes student body and faculty – using their bodies to physically show up for what they believe in. And this doesn’t feel so far removed from the Passover story. Imagine what it must have felt like for the Jews to grab all their belongings and physically get up to flee towards freedom. They too had an unknown future, and were “praying with their feet” as they marched towards the Red Sea.
This year, as we sit down at our seder tables, I hope that we will both be able to heed the ancient call to (re)experience the exodus of Egypt as if we were slaves (assisted by the many amazing resources on this page) and I hope that we will pause to reflect on how these same tensions around peoplehood and liberation still manifest around the world today.
Let us also not forget that while redemption was aided by the seen hand of God, the redeemer of choice (Moses) was a complicated figure who struggled with his speech and imposter syndrome. Sound like anyone you know? See any of that in yourself?
Redemption and liberation are clearly the result of both individual and collective efforts – you can’t have one without the other. And still, you don’t have to be perfect to have an individual hand in redemption. You just have to take one step forward. One small prayer. So on this Passover, may we be blessed with meaningful sedarim, imbued with a deep visceral connection to yetziat Mitzrayim, past and present, and may we each have the courage to take one small step forward
Download our companion to the Haggadah to help bring further depth to your Seder.
Get ready for Pesach 5783 and bring new meaning to your seder with a variety of content featuring the Pardes faculty.
Watch the recordings from three new online classes exploring the haggadah.
Listen to some of our hit podcasts on the themes of Pesach.
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:
Qualifications:
Preferred Qualifications:
Benefits:
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
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.