“At Pardes, Jews from a wide variety of backgrounds come together to develop our capacities to access our Torah and to work together to explore how to express our varying commitments to Jewish tradition. Through the lens of Torah, I have been able to learn from teachers and fellow students from whom I see the world very differently. Through these encounters in the Beit Midrash, my relationships to Torah and to Am Yisrael are continually strengthened.
For the five months before I started to learn full-time at Pardes, I dedicated my time to confronting and attempting to respond responsibly to the worst, ugliest, and most violent aspects of the State of Israel. In this beautiful land which has represented the loftiest aspirations of the Jewish people for millennia, far too many harsh boundaries divide the people who care about this land.
Yet in this orchard tucked away in industrial Talpiyot, I have been fortunate to taste how sweet the fruits of this Holy Land can be if we learn to see beyond the barriers that abound between us and apply the lessons of Torah to our lives.”
Micah Friedman grew up in Tampa, FL and spent four years at Florida State University studying Religion and Middle Eastern Studies. While in Tallahassee, Micah involved himself in fostering Jewish community through Hillel, organizing multi-faith opportunities to wrestle with questions of meaning and authenticity, and encouraging Jewish students to honestly and critically explore their connections with Israel. In September, after graduation, he journeyed to Jerusalem to experience life in the State of Israel and engage in Jewish-Palestinian solidarity efforts through Achvat Amim. A few months ago, Micah joined Pardes to root himself more deeply in the foundational sources of Jewish tradition. After leaving Pardes, Micah will move to Boston, MA to begin studying for semikha at Hebrew College.
