2020 BRONFMAN FELLOW INTRODUCTIONS
Max Bamberger three years, and the past two summers I have Berkeley, CA interned for BimBam (formerly G-dcast), in Jewish Community High Oakland, and for Koolulam, in Tel Aviv. I love School learning Arabic, Hebrew, Literature, Math, and History. I am very interested in the stories we Fast Facts tell as cultures and if any story, character, or Co-Editor of his school’s idea is "new" as opposed to remixed or literary magazine, The Howl. repackaged. I like to think about and write Has played leading roles in three of his about adaptation, archetypes, hidden magic, school’s musical productions. changing maps, Jewish symbolism, and Served as the first-ever intern for language. I also strongly believe in music's Koolulam (based in Tel Aviv), a social- unique and tremendous ability to bring people musical initiative aimed at together. strengthening the fabric of society through mass-singing events and online ***** videos. Ava Berkwits Chicago, IL Hi! My name is Max Bamberger, I live in Walter Payton College Prep Berkeley, California, and I'm ecstatic to be a Bronfman fellow this year. When I'm not self- Fast Facts quarantined at home with my four younger Part of Payton’s treble- siblings, I spend my time learning at the Jewish voice acapella group, its musical theater Community High School in San Francisco, rock program, and its concert choir. climbing, acting and singing in the JCHS theater, Organizer with Illinois Youth Climate and playing ultimate frisbee in the park. Some Strike, a youth-led organization activities I AM able to engage in despite the intended to bring awareness and action current situation of immobility include writing, to the climate crisis. playing guitar, organizing the school newspaper Explored her Feminist and Jewish and school literary magazine, attempting to identities as a Rising Voices Fellow. teach my siblings all four parts of "The Longest Time" (which is, coincidentally, how long it has Hi everyone! My name is Ava Berkwits and I’m a been since I set foot in the outside world), junior at Walter Payton College Prep, a public playing an unhealthy amount of Word Hunt on high school in Chicago, Illinois. I love musical iMessage, and gazing longingly through the theater and singing (one of my favorite Jewish windowpane at the glimmering, beckoning San traditions is the Tisch, where everyone sings Francisco skyline in the distance. I attended together), and enjoy painting in my free time Oakland Hebrew Day School for elementary (current project: coronavirus-break art journal). school and the Yeshiva Tichonit Zichron Yaakov I’m really interested in politics, pursuing equity, in Israel for 7th and 8th grades. On Shabbats, and intersectional feminism, and I enjoy my family and I go to Congregation Beth Israel, thinking critically about the issues facing Berkeley's modern Orthodox synagogue. I went America and the greater international to Kayitz BaKibbutz Shluchot summer camp for community. I also love watching a good Netflix
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2020 BRONFMAN FELLOW INTRODUCTIONS
stand-up comedy special, taking Buzzfeed Tal Bresler quizzes, and playing with my dog Suki. I truly Silver Spring, MD believe that discourse and respectful Melvin J. Berman Hebrew disagreement are some of the most important Academy catalysts for social change, and am incredibly excited for all of the discussions we will be Fast Facts having in the coming year! Head of her school’s Israel Action Committee. ***** Served on the 2020 Junior Board of Learn To Be, a national online tutoring Joshua Bock organization that works with Scarsdale, NY underserved students, as well as Scarsdale High School brought LTB into her school and tutors through it. Fast Facts Acts as a davening prayer leader for Captain of his school’s first and second graders. varsity hockey team. Volunteers as a coach for the New York Hey, I'm Tal Bresler. I'm from Silver Spring, Raptors Special Hockey Team, which Maryland and I go to the Berman Hebrew allows children and adults with Academy. I'm thrilled to be a part of this developmental disabilities to fellowship and get to know everyone! I'm not experience the game of hockey. great at introductions, but hopefully, this will Satire writer for his school’s magazine, give you a bit of insight into who I am. I enjoy Maroon. painting (watercolor and oil), reading (almost anything), helping other people (I tutor online), Israel activism, and hanging out with my friends My name is Josh Bock, and I am a junior at and family (especially my adorable nieces and Scarsdale High School in Westchester, New nephews). I'm interested in going into York. I am also a member of Westchester neuropsychology, therapy or research. Beyond Reform Temple. I love to play hockey and I such intellectual pursuits, I like playing guitar come from a family of enthusiastic New York (I'm just starting to learn) and watching the Rangers fans. I also love comedy, having seen Office. For me, Judaism is a pillar of my identity. 30 Rock and all of John Mulaney’s specials My understanding of Judaism is constantly several times over. Like Tina Fey and John changing, but the basic aspects and practices Mulaney, I am also a fan of musical theater act as constants that I can rely on. For this despite my lack of talent in both music and fellowship, I'm most interested in being theater. My family covers a wide range on the challenged. I want to dissect the paradoxes spectrum of Jewish observance, and I am on the intrinsic in Judaism. I want to explore a view reform end of that spectrum. However, my that I hadn't even thought to consider. I want to sister came back from her Bronfman summer talk about everything I've taken for granted my with a new understanding of her religious whole life. I want to learn. These are some of observance, so it seems that between now and the questions I want to unpack over the August, nothing is off the table for me. summer: Where am I my drawing my values from? What does it honestly mean to be a ***** servant of G-d? How has Judaism shifted over time and how does it continue to change? I say I'm Modern Orthodox, is that paradox? Isn't existence simply reconciliation to living with
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paradoxes and uncertainty? Why Judaism when Member of the award-winning GHS other religions have similar moral systems? I Marching Band and Jazz Band. have a million more questions and I'm sure so Advocate for military families many more will come up over the summer. nationally.
***** Hi, my name is Connor Cairns and I am 16 and live in Glassboro, New Jersey. My claim to fame Laila Brustin is that I was born in an Olive Garden bathroom Nashville, TN on 9/11 (not 2001, but 2003.) I’m the second Nashville School of the Arts youngest of four kids and there is never a quiet or dull moment in the house. I love all things Fast Facts music (I can play an assortment of different Active leader in the instruments and belong to every band and pluralistic LGBTQ+ Jewish musical ensemble that exists locally.) Music is a youth program, Keshet. big part of my life, so when I first moved to this Volunteers at the Tennessee Holocaust town, the first thing I did was find out who to Commission. talk to about the school district’s music Fosters animals for the Nashville programs. It helped me feel at home here from Humane Association. the very beginning and has been how I’ve met some of my closest friends. I enjoy gaming, Hi y’all, my name is Laila! I am so excited to be tennis, football, martial arts, cooking, and participating in this fellowship and to get to making my mom want to vomit as I navigate life know everyone. I live in Nashville, TN and at this as a newly permitted driver. Before all this point had attended a public arts magnet school COVID stuff, I was really into archery. I really and worked part time at a movie theatre. like having well-reasoned debates and Hopefully these will both resume shortly! For discussion about the “heavier” stuff in life - now I’m spending my time reading, religion, the meaning of life, and whether embroidering, training the new foster dog, and pineapple belongs on pizza (it does not and you playing the drums. Before moving to Nashville I can debate me if you think otherwise.) lived in Austin, TX where I was both homeschooled and home-shuled. Most of my ***** current Jewish activities revolve around the LGBTQ+ Jewish organization Keshet, and when Devorah Feder I’m visiting family in Los Angeles, participating Sharon, MA in Holiday and Shabbat programs at IKAR, a Maimonides School pluralistic Jewish community. Fast Facts ***** Senior Editor of her school’s literary magazine. Connor Cairns Founder and captain of her school’s Glassboro, NJ Moot Beit Din team. Glassboro High School Spearheaded a women’s davening prayer group at her school. Fast Facts Member of his high I attend Maimonides School, an Orthodox day school tennis team. school with a dual curriculum. If I am not attending, commuting to, or doing homework for school, you can find me at a club meeting or
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sports practice. I devote much of my time to the State of Israel. I am also fascinated by playing on the Maimonides varsity basketball complex discussions on philosophical ideas and varsity tennis teams. My favorite classes from God, to the Bible, to the modern world, are English and Talmud. In my free time, I enjoy and pure theory itself. In my free time, if I'm not hiking, kayaking, and spending time outdoors in doing schoolwork, I enjoy playing board games addition to hanging out with friends. I also love with friends, meditating, reading science fiction, painting and have taken many art classes over playing jazz piano, and binge-watching shows the years. I am deeply interested in social like The Twilight Zone and Black Mirror. justice and have spent many hours volunteering at Rosie’s Place, a shelter for homeless and ***** impoverished women. I am eager to further develop my Jewish identity as a Bronfman Myriam Joseph-Schilz Fellow and was able to begin doing so last year Silver Spring, MD as a Diller Teen Fellow. Washington Waldorf School ***** Fast Facts David Hidary Started horseback Brooklyn, NY riding at Rock Creek Park Horse Center Yeshivah of Flatbush Joel when she was eight and now teaches Braverman High School young children there. Member of her high school’s Fast Facts newspaper. Has taken programming Pursues special interests including courses at Monmouth and bookmaking, printmaking, weaving, and Princeton University. West African drumming. Worked for senior research scientist Dr. Ray Lee at Columbia University's Horses are kind of my thing. The four days a Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior week I spend at the barn, riding or teaching, are Institute. unequivocally my favorite times of the week. President of his school’s astronomy My barn and show team are a community I club. value like no other. My love for baking comes from my nana, with whom I have almost always My name is David Hidary, and I was raised in baked when visiting. My favorite recipe is the Sephardic Syrian community of Brooklyn, cheesecake, but really, I’m down to make New York, where I now attend the Yeshivah of anything if it looks fun. Looking forward, I’m not Flatbush HS. Everything STEM is my passion. I sure what exactly I want to do, but I think I love engineering solutions to problems, writing want to study social sciences and hopefully find computer code, and discovering new concepts a career in social justice, human rights, or in mathematics. Moreover, I find physics health services. Being Deaf is obviously a huge fascinating in the way it seeks to explain the part of my identity. I've been profoundly deaf natural world through math and logic and I one since I was four years old, and received a day hope to work on expanding this frontier. cochlear implant when I was six. The two years I Outside of science, I enjoy poetry and literature, spent at an ASL-only school is a time I'll especially that of Shakespeare and Dickinson. I remember and cherish forever. I don’t think I am also a dedicated political activist and would be the person I am today, adapted to the particularly passionate about matters that hearing world, without those two years of Deaf affect my future, my family, my country, and pride instilled in me. In terms of my Jewish
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identity, I haven't been an active member of a dedicated to BBYO, serving as the Regional Vice congregation in the last two years, and thus, President of Judaism and Community Service, have felt that my Jewish identity hasn’t fully incorporating Jewish values into the lives of found a home yet. I want (and need) very much over seven hundred fifty teens. My story is very to look into what my Jewish identity means to different from others which gives me an me. interesting perspective on my Jewish values and the world around me. ***** ****** Ryan Kassanoff Dallas, TX Samuel Libenson Shelton School Chicago, IL Kenwood Academy High Fast Facts School Co-created the Inclusion Club, which Fast Facts promotes inclusion, Captain of his school’s awareness, and diversity. policy debate team. BBYO Regional Vice President of Judaic Has been doing ballet and modern Involvement and Community Service, dance for 14 years at the Hyde Park providing Judaic and community service School of Dance. programming for over 800 teens. President of his school’s chapter of Best Serves as the Temple Emanu-El Vice Buddies. President of Social Justice. Hi everyone! My name is Sam Libenson. I live on Hello! My name is Ryan Kassanoff. I am the south side of Chicago in Hyde Park, the eighteen years old and I am a triplet! Before neighborhood surrounding the University of you ask, we are not identical! I have a brother Chicago. I have lived in Chicago for most of my and a sister. Anyways, I was born in Dallas, life, but I was born in Oregon and lived in Texas and have lived here my whole life. My Minneapolis until I was three. Until sixth grade, dad is from Midland Texas, a small town in the I went to Akiba Schechter Jewish Day School. In middle of nowhere, where he often had seventh grade, I started at Kenwood Academy, pushback when he tried to express his Judaism. which is my local public school and where I go My mom grew up in the small town of Ruston, now. I have been doing ballet and modern Louisiana in a protestant Christian family. dance, which I really enjoy, for 14 years. The Eventually, my parents crossed paths in Dallas, dance school I go to has given me a great Texas. In Dallas, I grew up going to Hebrew community. At school, I am most significantly school on one Sunday and Sunday school at involved in the debate team and Best Buddies, church the next week. These experiences an organization that promotes friendship helped me grow in my passion for interfaith between students in general education and connections. Eventually, I made the decision to those with intellectual and/or developmental become a Bar Mitzvah. With the support of disabilities. Jewishwise, my family technically both my Jewish father and protestant mother, I belongs to a Conservative synagogue, but I had the ceremony with my siblings. This was don’t consider myself as belonging to a the start of my Jewish adulthood. From then on, denomination. I have many questions about I have grown as a Jewish person in my Judaism and my own Jewish identity that synagogue, BBYO, AIPAC, and in various other remain to be answered. My dad is very involved roles. I spend a large portion of my time in innovative Judaism, so I am exposed to many
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of those ideas. My mom works at the University being on my school’s varsity basketball team, of Chicago, and I have a 14 year old sister and a even though I have almost zero athletic dog. I enjoy reading science fiction and fantasy abilities. Every year, my family goes down to the (I am currently in the final stretch of the Game Miami marathon to run on behalf of Team Cara of Thrones series!). I’m not entirely sure where which is part of Team Lifeline (except that I my interests lie for the future, but I have lately cheer instead of running because like I said been enjoying the subjects of physics, math, before, I have no athletic skills). Last summer I and ancient Middle Eastern history. I'm a Sacha went on an Israel summer program called Yad Baron Cohen fan, and am always happy to do a B’Yad, which I totally loved, but in past Borat or Ali G impression. summers, I have mainly done volunteering camps and babysitting. ***** *****
Cara Lopatin Imogen Lubin Huntington Woods, MI Princeton, NJ Farber Hebrew Day School West-Windsor Plainsboro High School North Fast Facts Involved in Bnei Akiva Fast Facts and Friendship Circle in Senior opinion editor of Detroit. her school’s newspaper, Volunteered with Summer in the City. The Knightly News. Participates in the Miami half marathon Volunteers for HiTOPS, where she as part of Team Lifeline (Chai Lifeline). educates her peers on topics such as identity and expression, sex, sexual Hi! My name is Cara Lopatin, and I am in 11th harassment, and healthy relationships. grade. I live in Detroit, Michigan and go to Co-president of her school’s film club. Farber Hebrew Day School. My family and I moved to Detroit in the summer of 2018 from Hi, I’m Imogen, a resident of Central New Riverdale, New York, where we lived for five Jersey, and a junior at West-Windsor Plainsboro years. Before Riverdale, my family and I lived in High School North. I come from an interfaith Chicago, where I was born, until 2013. In New household and identify as culturally Jewish, York, my siblings and I attended SAR Academy with my only formal Jewish schooling taking and High School, and in Chicago we attended place before kindergarten. I haven’t had a Chicago Jewish Day School. My father is the traditional Jewish upbringing; I didn’t have a Bat rabbi of a shul called Kehillat Etz Chayim, and Mitzvah, I don’t know any Hebrew (although I’m my family and I are very involved in it. I have an working to change that), and now that I think of older sister who was learning in Israel this year it, the only Jewish people I regularly interact but who is now home, and two younger with are those in my immediate family. I’ve brothers, one in ninth grade and one in seventh taken this pandemic-induced time off to grade. I love doing puzzles, playing games, and rekindle some of my passions---passions that pretty much doing anything else with my family. are often muddled by the demands of attending I love everything Disney, and I know all of the a high performing STEM driven school. Thus far, words to almost all Barbie movies and the I’ve hiked daily with my two dogs, Olive and Princess Diaries movies:) I am currently very Bean, baked a cake, finished a prior knitting involved in Bnei Akiva and Friendship Circle in project, written creatively, painted, read some my community, and this year was my first year books that I’ve meant to start, and propagated
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my house plants (it’s so rewarding!) When Oren Minsk school is in session, I spend a lot of time writing Chevy Chase, MD for the paper about issues that are important to Charles E. Smith Jewish Day me, namely: queerness, politics, fashion, School school/education reform, and various other activist issues. I also write about sillier topics, Fast Facts though, like a feature on Trader Joes and Captain of his school’s observations from coffee shops. cross country and track and ***** field teams. Co-Editor-in-Chief of his school’s Max Miller newspaper, the Lion’s Tale. Brooklyn, NY Volunteer at Friendship Circle, spending The Beacon School time weekly with a pre-teen buddy with special needs. Fast Facts Has performed as a Hi! My name is Oren, and I live right outside of saxophone player at NYC Washington, DC. I'm a junior at the Charles E. venues including Carnegie Smith Jewish Day School, and I attended Camp Hall, Radio City Music Hall, Jazz at Ramah in New England for eight years. I have Lincoln Center, Town Hall and The two older sisters who are in college, and we're Bitter End. getting a new puppy this month! I'm really Editor and occasional writer for interested in engineering and politics, and I'm Genius.com. also involved in student journalism at my Volunteered at Lenox Hill school. I enjoy running and have been part of Neighborhood House, where he my school's track and cross-country teams for advocated for elderly and disabled three years. I love traveling and am really public-housing residents in Harlem. excited to meet other Fellows from all over North America and Israel! I am Max Miller, a Brooklyn, NY, resident. I usually spend my free time listening to music, ***** playing saxophone, walking, or eating with my friends. I follow baseball and basketball pretty Kate Orlanski closely (go Sixers), and enjoy playing both, Beverly Hills, CA though I am not that good at either. As for my Shalhevet High School upbringing, my mom was raised conservative, and my dad was raised Catholic, but I grew up Fast Facts reform. The things that bring me most joy in life Founded are long talks with my friends and a good deli and co-chairs her school’s sandwich. I’m super excited to spend a summer chapter of Young Americans with a great cast of Jewish teens. for Freedom, a conservative political club. ***** Vice-Chair of her school’s student council, The Agenda Committee. Features Editor of her school’s newspaper.
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My name is Kate and I was born and raised in Arab history and culture. I'm very interested in Los Angeles, California, where I attend the co- issues of social justice in every field, and I love ed modern Orthodox Shalhevet High School. talking and learning about leftist, postcolonial, When not busy doing school work, my favorite and queer theories. I am passionate about the school-related activity is Model Congress, which arts, including theater, music, and visual arts, as is my school’s parliamentary debate team. I also well as fashion. I also love the outdoors and enjoy writing creative Feature stories for my attended camp Ramah in the Rockies (the most school newspaper. On my free time, I can often outdoorsy of the Ramah camps) for eight years, be found catching up on the news, making where I started a queer group for both campers TikToks (particularly history-related TikToks or and staff and received Wilderness First Aid Torah-related TikToks), listening to show tunes, certification. having photoshoots with my friends, pondering an ethical dilemma, watching Crash Course ***** Philosophy on Youtube, or hugging my very cute dog. I am also very interested in politics and Esther Rella Robinson have been a passionate conservative for as long Cedarhurst, NY as I can remember. While I have spent much of Yeshiva University High my 17 years in Los Angeles, I have also visited School for Girls all 50 states with my family, which has translated into my love of American history, and Fast Facts America in general. Captain of her school’s Model UN team.
***** Passionate about feminism and the Gideon Reiter March for Our Lives movement. Woodbridge, CT Editor of her school’s Yearbook. Choate Rosemary Hall Relly Robinson is a junior at Yeshiva University Fast Facts High School for Girls in Queens, NY. She grew President of his school’s up in an Orthodox community and has attended Arabic club. Orthodox schools and camps her whole life. She Editor in Chief of participates in her school's Model UN and Valour, his school’s fashion Model Congress teams which help foster her magazine. interest in politics and world affairs. Her Member of B’nai Jacob’s chapter of hobbies include taking the Long Island Railroad, Hazamir: the International Jewish Teen signing petitions, reading, and eating overpriced Choir, with whom he has performed food with her friends. Causes that she's twice at Lincoln Center. passionate about include feminism and the March for Our Lives movement. She is ecstatic Hi! My name is Gideon Reiter. I come from an to have been chosen as a Bronfman Fellow and observant Conservative Ashkenazi family in she can't wait to learn and be exposed to new Woodbridge, Connecticut. I am currently a ideologies and perspectives. junior at Choate Rosemary Hall, where I am active in both the Jewish and queer ***** communities. In school, I'm passionate about Arabic, history, and psychology. This past fall, I spent three months studying in Jordan, where I enriched my Arabic and learned more about
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2020 BRONFMAN FELLOW INTRODUCTIONS
Marina Rosenthal Volunteers for Illinois congressman White Plains, NY Brad Schneider's campaign. White Plains High School Hello everyone! My name is Eva Roytburg and Fast Facts I'm a junior at New Trier High School in Co-social justice advisor Winnetka, Illinois. I'm an active member of the for her temple youth policy debate team and an editor for my group. school's newspaper. I love to read and write, Secretary of her and recently I have been particularly fond of student government and vice-president existentialist texts; think Kafka, Camus, of the Global Ambassadors Club. Nietzsche. I'm very politically involved and often Literary editor of her school’s Roar volunteer for the campaigns of my local Magazine. congressman. Though I live in a rather Jewish town, I am not very involved in any Jewish Marina Rosenthal, a junior at White Plains High community around here. I prefer to enrich my School, is a member of Congregation Kol Ami Jewish understanding through independent where she is a co-social justice advisor for the study, which so far means reading the works of temple youth group. At school, she is secretary Jewish people. Many of the Jewish works I read of her student government as well as vice- come from the Jewish Book Council and the president of the Global Ambassadors Club. As Jewish Woman's Archive, and I have been able an executive committee member of the White to engage other Jewish thinkers through Plains Community Youth Court, she works Goodread's Jewish Book Club. As you may have closely with local probation officers to defend already deduced, I'm a little lacking in juveniles in the justice system and helps structured Jewish studies, which is a large part determine sanctions for misdemeanors of the reason I'm so excited to enter this committed in her community. She enjoys community. writing and reading poetry and is the literary editor of the award-winning Roar Magazine at ***** her school. With over 400 hours of community service, she received the Community Service Hillel Schwab Award from the New York Power Authority in Bronx, NY 2019 and intends to maintain an active role in SAR High School her community throughout high school and college. In her free time, she swims on the Fast Facts varsity level and enjoys being a part of the stage Has been performing crew for her school’s productions. with Riverdale Rising Stars, a local musical ***** theater group, since he was in second grade. Eva Roytburg Serves on his school’s spirit student Glencoe, IL council. New Trier High School Involved in his school’s debate team, college bowl, Yachad club and Hebrew Fast Facts language journal. Opinions editor for her school’s newspaper. Hi! I’m Hillel. I live in Riverdale, NY (in the Varsity member of the policy debate Bronx) and go to SAR High School. My favorite team. classes include my traditional Judaic studies
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classes, Jewish philosophy, and Arabic. I love all program for neurobiology, Weill Cornell things music: I am involved in a local community Medicine’s HPREP program, and other musical theater troupe, with which I have educational programs. performed in about 20 musicals since I was in Has been playing guitar since 2nd second grade, and I play the guitar both for fun grade. and for spiritual connection. I am involved in Volunteered at nursing homes and many extracurriculars at school, including the tutors children with learning disabilities. debate team, college bowl, Yachad (a club that facilitates inclusion of people with disabilities), What up homies. My name is Andrew Gavriel and extra after school text study opportunities, Shamailov. I am NYC born and raised. I am of as well as serving on the school spirit student Azerbaijani decent and my family lineage can be council and as a gabbai in the student-led tracked super far back there. I love Kanye, Tame minyan. I also helped found and lead the first Impala, Earl Sweatshirt, Logic (he fell off but I ever GSA in my school this past year. I am a have faith) and of course Frank Ocean he’s just proud Hebrew grammar nerd, and have my own amazing. I’m always looking for new songs to grammar corner), hear and new chord changes and genres. These (הדקדוק פינת column, called in my school’s Hebrew language journal. I am artists and music in general is a huge influence also a nerd about tekhelet, the lost (and on me and just my outlook on things. It’s almost rediscovered) blue string tied into tzitzit. I an identity to be honest. I play bass guitar and bought and tied my own tekhelet a number of guitar I am not bad at piano and learning drums years ago, and since then I have tied numerous at the moment. I’ll play some tunes on my other people’s tekhelet. That is just one favorite guitar. I’m super family oriented. I like example of my strong passion for Judaism and being alone and reflecting but I let in people I all the beautiful values and precious minutiae feel should are trust worthy enough to be let in. that come with it. I am gay by birth and I love the Cavs the Indians and the Browns and Orthodox by choice, and because of that, I think LEBRON JAMES. My mom was raised in really deeply and intentionally about what I Cleveland after coming to America and so her want my Judaism to look like. That why I’m so brothers raised me as a Cleveland fan. I am a excited to be a part of this Bronfman cohort! I Rangers fan in hockey though. But Cavs rule and can’t wait to engage in conversations with so all Cleveland sports rule if anyone is from many different types of people who will agree California and a warriors fan I will leave our with me, disagree with me, and push me on differences aside (unless we play basketball what I believe. I also can’t wait to take in new then I’ll school you). I have a weird obsessive perspectives which will only make my personality where once I’m interested I can’t worldview more nuanced and robust. I am stop reading or thinking about it. I love late really excited to meet everyone and have an night talks so whoever my roommate is I hope awesome summer!! you do too. It’ll be super lit trust me.
***** *****
Andrew Shamailov Daniel Shapiro Staten Island, NY Albuquerque, NM Staten Island Technical High Albuquerque Academy School Fast Facts Fast Facts Studies Japanese and Attended Brown attended high school in University’s pre-summer Japan.
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2020 BRONFMAN FELLOW INTRODUCTIONS
Sings with his school’s classical choral Has been enrolled at Levine Music group, Academy Bel Canto. studying classical piano under Darya Member of his school’s track and cross- Gabay for 11 years. country teams. Has served 6 terms on the executive board in her BBYO Chapter. Hi, my name is Daniel Shapiro, I’m seventeen Serves on the International Leadership and I’m a junior at Albuquerque Academy in Network. Albuquerque, New Mexico. My favorite subjects at school are Japanese, History and Math. I love Leah Shvedova is currently a junior at learning new languages and have had a blast Washington-Liberty High School in Arlington, learning Japanese over the past four years. Last VA, a suburb of Washington, D.C. At summer I got to go on an exchange trip to Washington-Liberty, Leah is enrolled in a full Japan, which was an amazing experience. When Advanced Placement/International I’m not at school, my favorite things to do are Baccalaureate program and thoroughly enjoys music, hiking, mountain biking, but most of all, the rigor of her math, physics, and philosophy spending time with my friends. Music is very classes. Outside of school, Leah has been special to me because I find both listening and enrolled at Levine Music with a full scholarship playing music to be extremely meditative and studying classical piano under Darya Gabay for introspective. I play guitar, both electric and 11 years. In addition to playing classical piano, classical, and I really love singing, although how Leah has also founded a small classical piano good I am at it is up to debate :). I also love school and enjoys her job immensely. In her exercising outdoors, and in addition to hiking Jewish life, Leah is an active member of BBYO and biking in my free time, I’m on my school’s and has served 6 terms on the executive board cross-country and track teams along with the in her Chapter, as well as currently serving on ultimate frisbee team. I am a member of the the International Leadership Network. Through mock trial team because I like the mystery of BBYO, Leah has attended many leadership the court cases, as well as the in-depth conferences and has explored her spirituality immersion into the case characters and the and Judaism. Leah is incredibly excited to opportunity to act. I come from an interfaith broaden her horizons and further her Jewish family - my mother is Jewish, born in the former identity this year at the Bronfman Fellowship. Soviet Union, and my father is Irish. The combination of cultural influences in my life has ***** given me a deep appreciation of both cultures and a desire to learn more about my Kyra Siegel background. Up until now, I have been secular, New York, NY but as I have become older, I have realized that Trinity School being Jewish is extremely important to me. I would really like to broaden my knowledge of Fast Facts the Jewish religion and culture. Co-president of The ***** Jewish Affairs Club, The Girls Math Study Group, and The Baking Leah Shvedova Club. Arlington, VA Photography editor of The Trinity Times. Washington-Liberty High Plays on the varsity tennis team. School Hi :) ! I'm Kyra and I am a junior at Trinity School Fast Facts in New York City. At school, I play on the tennis
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team, do Mock Trial, participate in theater favorite books include Giovanni's Room and The productions, perform in an acapella group, and Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time, am co-president of The Jewish Affairs Club, The and my favorite movies are Dirty Dancing and Girls Math Study Group, and The Baking Club. In Lady Bird. my spare time I do photography, mixed media ***** art, write songs and short stories, and act. If you see me on the street, I am most likely petting a dog, singing louder than one should in public, taking pictures of everything I see, or having conversations with strangers. I love Robin Williams, A Gentleman’s Guide To Love and Murder, Sally Mann, Shabbat dinner, thrifting, rainy Sundays, Kate McKinnon, coffee ice cream, Chandler Bing, A Streetcar Named Desire, learning Chinese and Hebrew, discovering new artists with friends, playing chess (or any other board game), sending letters, and the smell of a just-opened can of tennis balls. I will almost always have paint in my hair. You can count on it.
*****
Ruthie Weinbaum Amherst, MA Amherst Regional High School
Fast Facts Dances at Amherst Ballet and plays the cello in the Springfield Symphony Youth Orchestra. Has appeared on television in the high school quiz show, As Schools Match Wits. Sings in the ARHS Chorale, as well as Western District and All-State Chorus.
Hi! My name is Ruthie and I go to Amherst Regional High School in Amherst, Massachusetts. I have an older brother and an older sister. My favorite subject in school is history, and I spend most of my free time singing, playing cello, and participating in theater through my school. I also love to knit, and hope to have a dog and a cat someday. My
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