Jewish prayer is a paradoxical pursuit: it is an individual spiritual enterprise undertaken in a communal setting. The paradox is not of our making or desire; it is inherent. To be sure, we covet communal spaces that facilitate our personal journeys, and when we are...
The Turkish Gesture: A Custom in Danger of Extinction
While travelling with a group of Pardes students to Istanbul, Turkey, we encountered a fascinating custom. As we stood in the synagogue about to begin the silent amidah prayer, people turned and looked at each other and gently waved. It was a gesture that lasted a...
From the Classics — A Baghdadi Mystery: Rabbi Yosef Hayim and Torah Lishmah
Levi Cooper teaches at the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies and is a rabbi in Tzur Hadassah. He is a post-doctoral fellow at Tel Aviv University’s Buchmann Faculty of Law. Rabbi Dr. Cooper is Contributing Editor to Jewish Educational Leadership. In 1973, a curious...
A Tunisian Skills-Based Program
Levi Cooper teaches at the Pardes Instititute of Jewish Studies and is a rabbi in Tzur Hadassah. He is a post-doctoral fellow in Bar-Ilan University’s Faculty of Law. Rabbi Dr. Cooper is a Contributing Editor to Jewish Educational Leadership. The notion of focusing on...
From the Classics — Elias Levi: The Rangoon Rabbi
Levi Cooper teaches at the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies and is a rabbi in Tzur Hadassah. He is a post-doctoral fellow at Bar-Ilan University’s Faculty of Law. Rabbi Dr. Cooper is Contributing Editor to Jewish Educational Leadership. “… Come you back … come you...
Divide and Learn
Levi Cooper teaches at the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies and is a rabbi in Tzur Hadassah. He is currently a post doctoral fellow in Bar-Ilan University’s Faculty of Law. Rabbi Dr. Cooper is a contributing editor to Jewish Educational Leadership. In this edition...
The Tikkun Olam Catch-All
Levi Cooper teaches at the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies and is a rabbi in Tzur Hadassah. He is currently a post-doctoral fellow in Bar-Ilan University's Faculty of Law. Rabbi Dr Cooper is a contributing editor to Jewish Educational Leadership. 1. What does...
An Ethos of Empowerment
Levi Cooper is a rabbi in Tzur Hadassah and teaches Jewish studies at the Pardes Institute and other university level programs in Israel. Rabbi Dr. Cooper is Contributing Editor to Jewish Educational Leadership. When we walk into our classrooms, we enter with a matrix...
Goals of Assessment in Traditional Jewish Educational Institutions
Rabbi Dr. Levi Cooper is a rabbi in Tzur Hadassah and teaches Jewish Studies at Machon Pardes and other university level programs in Jerusalem. He is Consulting Editor to Jewish Educational Leadership. There are two key issues associated with assessment in educational...
From the Classics: The Cantorial Performance
Levi Cooper is a rabbi in Tzur Hadassah and teaches Jewish Studies at Machon Pardes and other university level programs in Jerusalem. One quintessential form of Jewish art is hazzanut, the cantorial performance of the leader of the prayer service. The office of the...