Groundbreaking booklet

Jerusalem, June 24, 2018

Schedule 5:00 pm

Opening Remarks Deborah Shapira, Chair, North America Board (‘96 – ’98) Rabbi Leon A. Morris, President (‘95 – ’96) Moshe and Libby Werthan Beit Midrash

5:15 pm

Learning Sessions with our Faculty From Paradise to Pardes and Back Again: Constructing Sacred Space from Sacred Memory Rabbi Michael Hattin Moshe and Libby Werthan Beit Midrash

By the Light of Your Face, You Have Given Us Living Torah: The Windows of the Beit Midrash Rabbi Dr. Meesh Hammer-Kossoy (‘91 – ’92) Dining Room The Beit Midrash: Inside and Out Leah Rosenthal Classroom B 6:00 pm

Gathering at the Site of our New Home Recitation from Psalms Rabbi Michael Swirsky, Founder of Pardes Remarks Honorable Sallai Meridor Unveiling of Sign Members of our Building Committee: Alan Adler (Chair), John Corre, Jonathan Kalman, Phil Schwartz, Moshe Werthan Remarks David Shapira Moshe & Libby Werthan (Moshe ‘97 – ’18, Libby ‘99 – ’18) Breaking Ground Capital Campaign contributors Hatikvah Haramat Kosit - A Festive Toast Dr. Brian Glenville, Immediate Past Chair, Israel Board (‘10 – ’18)

Building Divine Community Rabbi Rahel Berkovits

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he second chapter of Mishnah Berakhot juxtaposes the mitzvah of reciting the Shema with the experience of standing before God in the silent prayer of Amidah. To teach about the difference between these two core rituals of relationship to God, the Mishnah examines the situation of professional paid workers and builders: ‫האומנין קורין בראש האילן או בראש הנדבך מה שאינן רשאין לעשות כן בתפלה‬

The craftsmen read [Shema] on the top of a tree or on top of a stone wallthat which they are not permitted to do with Tefillah. (Berakhot 2:4) The straightforward difference between these two rituals is that as prayer is said standing before God it would be extremely difficult and possibly dangerous to properly focus on the Divine while balancing precariously on an unfinished wall, and so one may not do so; whereas Shema may be said in any position and thus being on a wall does not detract from one’s intention. However, there seems to be a deeper meaning to the example of the stonemason given in the Mishnah which teaches about the essence of the mitzvah of Shema.

Interestingly Beit Hillel rules in a beraita (BT Berakhot 16a) that not only is the Shema said “on the job” but that the workers ‫ – עוסקים במלאכתן וקורין‬continue to lay stones and build the wall as they recited the Shema! The builders are actually still immersed in their work as they proclaim the fundamental faith statement of the Jewish people.

This Mishnah uses the image of a builder on a wall to address the question of balancing one’s relationship with the Divine and one’s relationship with the surrounding community. The first and central line of the Shema itself incorporates this tension as the individual does not address God, as with prayer, but rather the community of Israel.

The Mishnah seems to be saying that to fully proclaim God’s oneness in the world and to reside in a holy domain (Malkhut Shamayim as the Mishnah describes the experience of Shema earlier in the same

chapter) one does not retreat from civilization but rather one actively builds society. Building a wall of a building is not a distraction from the mitzvah of Shema, as it would be in the case of tefillah, because building community itself is an actualization of the core tents of the Shema. To fully recognize and proclaim God’s unity in this world is to bring that experience into every aspect of living life as part of a people.

The recitation of Shema is a testament to our commitment to build a holy community defined by faith in one God. May the groundbreaking of the new Pardes building be another step in our community’s commitment to physically building a space which reflects the Divine in this world.

Rabbi Rahel Berkovits teaches Mishnah, Talmud and Halakha at Pardes.

On Constructing a New Sacred Space Levi Cooper

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he head of the Talmudic academy in the Land of Israel, Rabbi Yohanan, was astounded to learn that there were elderly people living outside Israel.

Rabbi Yohanan’s amazement was born of his reading of the biblical verse that forms part of the daily Shema prayer: ‫למען ירבו ימיכם וימי בניכם על האדמה אשר נשבע ה' לאבתיכם לתת להם‬ .‫כימי השמים על הארץ‬

In order that your days be multiplied and the days of your children in the land that God swore to your ancestors to give them (Deuteronomy 11:21).

Focusing on the words “in the land,” Rabbi Yohanan understood that the only location that held the prospect of growing old with grandchildren was the Holy Land. Outside this unique space, the Divine blessing of longevity was not even a possibility, hence Rabbi Yohanan’s astonishment at the Babylonian elderly.

Rabbi Yohanan was mollified only when he was told that the elderly of Babylonia were people who would rise early to attend morning services and stay late to participate in the evening service, thus spending extended time in the synagogue. “That is the merit which is responsible for their longevity,” he declared (Bavli Berakhot 8a).

A question arises from this Talmudic exchange. What is the connection between longevity and lingering in the synagogue?

According to one commentator, staying longer in the synagogue or in the beit midrash is rewarded measure-for-measure by having life prolonged.

The time invested in prayer and Torah study is repaid with a life extension (Rabbi Yehonatan HaKohen of Lunel). This approach teaches that despite the scriptural promise of longevity conditioned on living in the Land of Israel, there may be other deeds that warrant this gift. Indeed, the Bible and the sages detail a number of acts that merit long life.

An alternative approach recalls a fascinating Talmudic image. Our sages teach that in the future, the synagogues and houses of study that are located in the Diaspora will be uprooted and replanted in the Land of Israel (Bavli Megilla 29a). In light of this future relocation, these institutions carry a certain Holy Land quality, even while they are still located all over the world. In a sense, time spent in the synagogue and the beit midrash is time spent in the Land of Israel. Hence the blessing of longevity particular to those dwelling in the Land of Israel, extends to those who habituate the synagogue or beit midrash (Maharsha).

The idea that someone can be standing in one place physically, and yet be considered to be in another locale, is recognised in international law. Countries have extra-territorial jurisdiction over their embassies abroad, even though strictly speaking, the embassy compound is on the land of the host country. Similarly, a vessel or aircraft bearing the flag of a particular country is bound by that country’s laws, even when it leaves the territorial waters or airspace of that country.

Despite the parallel between international law and the image our sages conjure up, there remains a salient difference. International law creates a legal fiction that is limited to questions of jurisdiction. In contrast, our sages teach that despite physical location, a particular space may have an added spiritual dimension that transcends its physical confines.

As we break ground on a new physical beit midrash for Pardes with the vision of constructing an inviting sacred space in Jerusalem, we are proud that our students will continue to go forth from Zion to communities around the world. We are confident that wherever our students go, they will contribute to creating and sustaining learning communities. These Torah circles will be extensions of the holiness of the Pardes beit midrash in Israel. Our historic groundbreaking in the Holy Land promises to facilitate traces of holiness that will be carried forth by all who will to join us for the unique experience of studying within Pardes’s new walls.

Adapted from (Relics for the Present: Contemporary Reflections on the Talmud) by Levi Cooper, Published by Maggid and Pardes Rabbi Dr. Levi Cooper teaches Bible, Hasidut, Maimonides and Midrash at Pardes.

Adding Benches to the Study Hall Rabbi Leon A. Morris

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here is an intriguing story in the Babylonian Talmud about the ousting and succession of the man who held the highest rabbinic position in the land of Israel, the Nasi, or head of the Sanhedrin, the Great Assembly of the Jewish people. Rabban Gamliel, seen as overly authoritative, uncompromising and insufficiently sensitive to his colleagues, is forced out of office. In Rabban Gamliel’s place, they appoint an 18-year old scholar named Rabbi Elazar ben Azarya. The most fascinating feature of this Talmudic story is not just the particular change in the personality of these leaders, but rather a change in style that these leaders embodied. ‫ שהיה‬.‫תנא אותו היום סלקוהו לשומר הפתח ונתנה להם רשות לתלמידים ליכנס‬ .‫ כל תלמיד שאין תוכו כברו – לא יכנס לבית המדרש‬:‫רבן גמליאל מכריז ואומר‬ ‫ פליגי בה אבא יוסף בן דוסתאי‬:‫ אמר רבי יוחנן‬.‫ההוא יומר אתוספו כמה ספסלי‬ .‫ שבע מאה ספסלי‬:‫ אתוספו ארבע מאה ספסלי וחד אמר‬:‫ חד אמר‬,‫ורבנן‬ It was taught: On that day [that they removed Rabban Gamliel from his position and appointed Rabbi Elazar ben Azarya in his place, there was also a fundamental change in the general approach of the study hall] as they dismissed the guard at the door and permission was granted to the students to enter. [Instead of Rabban Gamliel’s selective approach that asserted that the students must be screened before accepting them into the study hall, the new approach asserted that anyone who seeks to study should be given opportunity to do so.] As Rabban Gamliel used to proclaim and say: Any student whose inside, his thoughts and feelings, are not like his outside (i.e., his conduct and his character traits are lacking) will not enter the study hall. The Gemara relates: On that day several benches were added to the study hall to accommodate the numerous students. Rabbi Yohanan said: Abba Yosef ben Dostai and the Rabbis disputed this matter. One said: Four hundred benches were added to the study hall. And one said: Seven hundred benches were added to the study hall. (Babylonian Talmud, Berakhot 28a, translation from Steinsaltz-Koren Talmud Bavli)

On the face of it, Rabban Gamliel’s criteria for entering the beit midrash (study hall) might seem like a justified, and even wise standard of admissions. The beit midrash seeks out students who have integrity, are honest, and without pretenses of being something they are not. That personality, combined with the serious study of Jewish texts, might indeed lead to a character development that successfully integrates the values gleaned from the texts themselves.

But who knows what is truly in another’s heart? Who can predetermine how Torah study might shape an individual and contribute to his or her evolving personality and sense of self? If Rabban Gamliel is representative of the high bar approach to learning, Rabbi Elazar ben Azarya brings with him a diametrically opposed point of view. He eliminates the bouncer, opens the gates wide, and allows everyone who desires to come and learn.

Accessibility to the texts of our tradition is a core value of Pardes. For the Talmudic Rabbis the question was who may enter the world of Jewish study? The approach of Rabbi Elazar ben Azarya, embodied in Pardes’s ethos, is one that maintains that by opening up the world of study to everyone, far more will be gained than what might be lost. Of course, there is a risk that, outside of a more traditional environment of learning, these texts may not be treated with sufficient reverence, boundaries may be transgressed. Ultimately, however, the approach of Rabbi Elazar ben Azarya is the one that guides us as we break ground on our new beit midrash. By having the opportunity to add more benches to our beit midrash we hope to demonstrate how both the individual and Jewish life benefits from this openness. Individuals are given the opportunity to expand their minds and their hearts, to acquire new forms of expression, to pursue wisdom, to enhance their lives, and to strengthen their connection to God and to one another. At the same time, the classic texts pored over by a more diverse population makes possible more commentary and more chidushim, insights, and allows those texts to speak in new ways.

Rabbi Leon A. Morris is the President of Pardes.

Building Pardes Strengthening the Jewish People: Pardes Capital & Endowment Campaign Pardes is revitalizing the Jewish people. Pardes empowers the Jewish world to become more literate, open and passionate. Pardes empowers individuals to become more involved, more connected and more committed. But Pardes is about more than personal learning, a personal journey and a personal transformation.

Pardes is leading a revolution. Our graduates are agents of change who understand that “knowledge means empowerment.” They know that vibrant, contemporary and sustainable Jewish life is rooted in Jewish texts. Having developed a transformative relationship with our texts and tradition, they can authentically be a part of – and lead – the conversations about what it means to be a Jew in the 21st century. *Rendering for illustrative purposes only

Pardes is one of the top incubators for innovation in Jewish life in North America, according to a recent report on the “Jewish innovation economy.”

With over 7,300 alumni who span the breadth of Jewish communal life, our graduates are reshaping its character. On the professional side, Pardes alumni are founders and leaders of some of the most exciting and innovative new Jewish start-ups. And they are day school and experiential Jewish educators, Hillel professionals on campuses worldwide, and rabbis of every denomination and also of no denomination. As lay leaders, they give their time and money to found new communal organizations and independent minyanim, and to strengthen existing ones. They advocate for more serious, more accessible, richer Jewish content, ensuring the continuation of the Jewish story.

– and Yours Fulfilling Our Potential

With a new building Pardes will accomplish more for the Jewish people. It is a simple formula: more Pardes programs featuring unparalleled teachers mean more students to inspire; more inspired students mean more alumni with an all-too-rare combination of deep Jewish knowledge, openness, nuanced experiences and a desire to make a real difference in their communities.

Imagine if Pardes housed the premier auditorium space in south Jerusalem to host the growing number of lectures and classes that currently leave standing room only in our beit midrash.

Imagine if Pardes faculty members had dedicated space to collaborate with each other and incubate new and exciting programs for teaching Torah.

Imagine if Pardes had the facilities needed to welcome greater numbers of short-term visitors to Israel, such as Hillel, Birthright, Federation and synagogue trip participants, and infuse them with powerful Pardes learning experiences. *Rendering for illustrative purposes only

Imagine if Pardes had the space to expand our long-term programs aimed at new audiences, including Israelis, Europeans and Jewish communal professionals.

Imagine if Pardes had the built-in technological capabilities to expand Pardes’s unique, vibrant digital content so that any Jew can learn any Jewish subject with Pardes anywhere and at any time.

Board of Directors, Israel Chair: Sherwin B. Pomerantz Secretary: Jean Balcombe Deborah Abramowitz Alan Adler Charlotte Blumenfeld Michael Brous John H. Corre* Adam Frank Daniel Gamulka Michael Gillis* Brian Glenville* Abbie Greenberg Jordan Herzberg Larry Kluger Renee Rabinowitz Matt Schein Audrey Kaplan Scher* Phil Schwartz Lisa Silverman Suzanne Singer Toby Ticktin Back Howard Weisband Libby Werthan* Moshe Werthan* Founder: Michael Swirsky Legal Advisor: Richard Aron * Past Chair

Board of Directors, North America Chair: Deborah Shapira (New York, NY) Treasurer: Bryan Kocen (Rancho Mirage, CA) Thomas K. Barad* (Los Angeles, CA) Giti Bendheim (Riverdale, NY) Jack Bendheim (Riverdale, NY) Rabbi David Gedzelman (New York, NY) Francine M. Gordon* (New York, NY) Daniel Krasner (New Rochelle, NY) Darell Krasnoff (Pacific Palisades, CA) David Kuney (Potomac, MD) Mark Levenfus* (Scarsdale, NY) David Shapira (Pittsburgh, PA) Michael Stein (Skokie, IL)