Rabbi Michael Swirsky launched Pardes in the fall of 1972 with the support of the World Zionist Organization, which provided the facility and covered overhead costs.

The institute began with 25 students in the summer of 1972 at 10 Rehov Gad in the Baka, Jerusalem.

[1] In that first year, its faculty included the following rabbis and professors, each teaching one full day each week: Adin Steinsaltz, David Hartman, Eliezer Schweid, Pinchas Hacohen Peli, and Michael Rosenak, with Dov Berkovits [1] and Menachem Froman functioning as teaching assistants.

Pardes was originally housed next to Ulpan Etzion in Baka and then moved downtown to Shivtei Yisrael Street.

When the opportunity arose, a facility was rented on Pierre Koenig Street in Talpiot.