“I came to Pardes initially for the year program. I didn’t have a religious education growing up, so I wanted an immersive program to fill in some knowledge gaps. I ended up staying for two more years in the Pardes Day School Educators Program.
“I have fou
nd learning Biblical Hebrew and Aramaic very meaningful. Grammar and text skills sometimes have a reputation for being ‘lower order,’ but these are the tools that you need to be an independent learner and to find your own meaning in the text. They provide open access to the treasury of Jewish wisdom, and they add a layer of depth and beauty that is invariably lost in translation. There‘s also something magical about listening in directly on ancient conversations.
“There’s a diversity here that you can’t easily find anywhere else. I’ve met Jews from all over the world, from all kinds of backgrounds, and with different sets of practices. This can be challenging within one community, but it also presents the opportunity for learning and cultural exchange. After 3 years here, I’m definitely more knowledgeable about worldwide Jewish community and have a more open mind about what Jewish practice means.”
Jonah is in the Pardes Day School Educators Program (PEP.) He is most recently from Boston. In his life before Pardes, he has been a registered nurse, a dog walker, a library clerk, and a snow cone maker.
