Podcasts are free recordings that are automatically downloaded to your computer and to your iPod or other MP3 audio player. No iPod needed! If you don’t have a portable music player you can listen via your computer.

Quick Instructions

1. Download iTunes.
2. View the podcast in iTunes, and subscribe to it by clicking the graphic:
3. You can use iTunes with your iPod, non-iPod music player or your computer’s speakers to listen to the podcast series.

Detailed Instructions

What you’ll need
To listen to podcasts you’ll need a computer with a high-speed connection to the Internet. You’ll also need a portable MP3 music player such as an Apple iPod, or a player from any other company. If you don’t have a player, you can use your computer’s speakers.

Three Steps to the Podcast
Step one: Install Podcast software. The easiest software to use is iTunes, from Apple Computer. You’ll need iTunes version 4.9 or later. For podcasts, iTunes software is free, and can be used with an Apple iPod or any other MP3 music player. If you only use iTunes for podcasts, you do not need to register with Apple, give them your credit card, etc. iTunes is available for Apple and for PC-compatible computers. Download iTunes here.

Don’t want iTunes? Alternatives include Juice, Odeo and others.

Installing iTunes is not too hard. Consult your local computer guru if you have any difficulties.

Step two: Subscribe to the “Pardes from Jerusalem” podcast. Once you’ve installed iTunes and rebooted your computer the process is simple: just click Your computer should start iTunes and open the Pardes podcast page. Since iTunes is a different program from your web browser, you may need to approve a dialogue box.

You should now see the main page for the Pardes podcast. Click the subscribe button and you’re done.

The Pardes podcast main page in iTunes; click to enlarge

Step three: listen!
Click the “Podcasts” link on the far left side of iTunes, below “Library.” This will show you your current podcast subscriptions. Click on the triangle next to a podcast name to “open” the podcast, view and listen to the episodes. The power of podcasting is that your computer will automatically download new episodes when they’re ready for you.

The iTunes Podcasts page showing the Pardes podcast and the episode’s summary popup; click to enlarge. Use the “i” link to bring up the episode’s summary window.

If you have an iPod, synch it with your computer and you’re done! –enjoy the podcast episode.

If you have an alternative to the iPod, drag and drop the audio file from iTunes to your music player. Specific instructions depend on your music player and how it synchs with your computer. But the audio file itself is always compatible because it is an MP3 file. (This is not true for music purchased via iTunes.)

If you decide not to use iTunes, the software will need the feed web address for the Pardes podcast. Here it is:

http://podcasts.pardesusa.org/feed

Handouts

Many of the Pardes podcast episodes will include a printed handout. The summary window will have have information on the handout, or go to www.podcasts.pardesusa.org for the handouts.

Comments

What do you think of the podcast? We’d love to hear from you. Please send us email via podcasts -at- pardesusa.org. Let us know where you listened to the podcast, what type of music player you used and how you heard about the podcast.

Thanks!