2013 Fellows - Bronfman Fellows

Cole Aronson
Liliana Brown
Marin Callaway
Yishai Chamudot
Bronx, NY
Miami Beach, FL
Harry Doernberg
Emmet Dotan
Julietta Garbasz
Mikaela Gerwin
Jacob Goldberg
Bethesda, MD
Brookline, MA
Atlanta, GA
Encinitas, CA
New York, NY
New York, NY
Ethan Danial
Brooklyn, NY
New York, NY
The Bronfman Youth Fellowships in Israel
2013 Fellows
Cameron Isen
Avigayil Halpern
Malvern, PA
West Hartford, CT
Purchase, NY
Los Altos Hills, CA
Jaime Korman
Becca Krieger
Zoe Morgan-Weinman
Sarah Novicoff
Ella Padawer
Tyler Kaye
San Francisco, CA
Beverly Hills, CA
Isabel Snodgrass
Williamsburg, MA
Rachel Tsuna
Memphis, TN
Watertown, MA
Cleveland, GA
Marni Loffman
Samuel Malnik
Nachman Reich
Zachariah Smart
Teaneck, NJ
Montreal, QC Canada
Matthew Wallock
Santa Barbara, CA
Newberry, FL
Stamford, CT
Sophia Wolf-Camplin
West Branch, IA
2013 Fellow Bios (Listed by State)
California
Sarah Novicoff (Beverly Hills, CA.), daughter of Mr. Michael Novicoff and Ms. Suzanne
Rosencrans, is a junior at the Harvard-Westlake School in Los Angeles, California and a
member of the reform Temple Emanuel of Beverly Hills. While at Harvard-Westlake, Sarah
began the Girl Up Ice Cream Sundae Fundraiser, a now-annual event to raise money and
awareness for the United Nations’ program for girls’ education in the developing world.
Additionally, Sarah is a Features Section Head on her school’s award-winning newspaper,
The Chronicle, and a member of the Model United Nations club as well as an ambassador and
panelist for her high school admissions office. Sarah participates actively in her temple’s
teenage programs as a Madricha, a religious school teachers’ assistant, and as a member of
MATCH, a Jewish teen philanthropy organization. Sarah spent her previous summer
assisting in biomedical research at UCLA and is a co-author of the resulting paper published
in Gene Therapy. Sarah also works as a volunteer counselor at Camp Harmony, a one-week
summer camp for children in Los Angeles’ foster and shelter care systems.
Marin Callaway (Encinatas, CA.), daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Ed Callaway and Amy Freeman,
is a junior at San Dieguito High School Academy in Encinitas, CA. Actively involved in her
school, Marin is a member of the Varsity track and cross country teams. She also belongs to
a number of clubs including National Honor Society, Spanish National Honor Society, and
Students for Energy Efficiency. Marin enjoys the unique and inclusive spirit of her school
where her love of Spanish, running, and learning flourished. Marin’s Jewish education began
at Temple Solel in Cardiff by the Sea, CA. After her mother converted to Reform Judaism in
1997, she started to attend religious school and became a Bat Mitzvah in 2009. Both in her
school and temple environments, Marin has learned lessons of tolerance and tikkun olam.
She hopes to build on the values of her own family and community through the new
experiences and people she will encounter as a Bronfman Fellow.
Jaime Korman (Los Altos Hills, CA.), son of Siobhan and Joshua Korman of Los Altos Hills
is a junior at Kehillah Jewish High School in Palo Alto. An avid soccer player, he has played
with the Palo Alto Soccer Club since he was 7, and was the co-captain of his high school
team last fall where he earned All League honors. He is an accomplished artist, and is
currently spending the spring semester at the Oxbow School in Napa. He has won multiple
awards for his art including a Gold Key in the National Scholastic Art competition. He has
been a board member of the SF Jewish Community Teen Foundation, and served on its
leadership council.
Zoe Morgan-Weinman (San Francisco, CA. ), daughter of Michael Weinman and Laura
Morgan, is a junior at Jewish Community High School of the Bay in San Francisco. Zoe comes
from a blended family including Jews by birth, Jews by choice and non-Jews. She is an avid
volleyball player having played on school and competitive club teams. Recently, Zoe was
named First Team All League in her school’s athletic division. A lover of literature and
poetry, she started a poetry club at school and has been a writer’s apprentice at San
Francisco’s 826 Valencia. She has a strong interest in early childhood education and for
several years has worked at a local preschool as well as volunteering with children on the
autistic spectrum. Zoe also has a passion for languages and is the TA for her school’s
Spanish teacher.
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Matthew Wallock (Santa Barbara, CA. ), son of Dr. Leonard Wallock and Dana Leventhal,
is a junior at Santa Barbara High School. He was born and raised in Santa Barbara,
California with his twin brother, Daniel, and younger sister, Sarah. He is the Editor-in-Chief
of the student newspaper and a member of the boys’ varsity tennis team. Matthew enjoys
co-teaching the high school Journalism class and is involved with Link Crew and the
National Honors Society. Every Sunday Matthew is a Madrich at Congregation B'nai B'rith,
where he attended religious school for nearly ten years and was Bar Mitzvahed. He is also
the President of Congregation B'nai B'rith's high school youth group, The Santa Barbara
Organization of Reform Temple Youth, as well as an active member of NFTY SoCal (North
American Federation of Temple Youth). Whether participating as a Camper In Leadership
Training at Skylake Yosemite Camp, traveling to Vietnam with Friendship Tours World
Travel, or interning at Capps for Congress, Matthew is truly passionate about learning.
Connecticut
Zachariah Smart (Stamford, CT.), son of James and Michal Smart of Stamford, CT, is a
junior at SAR High School, a modern-Orthodox Jewish day school in Riverdale, NY. An
aspiring artist and poet, Zach participates in the Artist-in-Residence and Visual Thinking
programs at school, writes for SAR’s literary magazine, is a member of the Slam Poetry
team, and studied visual art at Brandeis University’s BIMA program. His poetry has
garnered first place in the Darien Library Teen Poetry Contest and a silver key in the New
York Casita Maria Poetry Contest. Zach is also an avid birder, serving as Vice President of
the New York State Young Birder’s Club and a member of SAR’s Science Olympiad team. He
is one of the original members of the Kuriansky Teen Tzedaka Corps, an
interdenominational group of teen leaders who organize community service events in
Fairfield County, CT. A competitive long-distance runner and triathlete, Zach earned first
place in his age division in the 2012 KIC IT triathlon, second place in his age division in the
2012 Bucks County Marathon, and third place in his age division in the 2013 NYC HalfMarathon. He has served in the student government for two terms, as Grade Representative
in sophomore year and Council Member this year. He is also captain of SAR’s JV College
Bowl team, a member of the varsity Track, Soccer, and Wrestling teams, and has a black belt
in Tang Soo Do.
Avigayil Halpern (West Hartford, CT. ), daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Eric and Lisa Halpern, is
a junior at the Hebrew High School of New England (HHNE), a Modern Orthodox Jewish day
school in West Hartford, Connecticut. At HHNE, Avigayil has founded the Dvar Torah
Initiative, a program which gives the student body a regular opportunity to learn Torah
from their peers, and the Mishna Club, a group which meets weekly to study Talmud and
drink hot chocolate. She is President of HHNE’s Feminist Club, and a proud member of the
school’s softball team. Avigayil is also a member of the Religious School faculty at
Congregation Beth Ahm in Windsor, CT, where she teaches Modern Hebrew. Avigayil has
been published in the JOFA Journal, the New York Jewish Week’s Fresh Ink for Teens website,
and The FBomb (thefbomb.org), a website for young feminists.
Florida
Ethan Danial (Miami Beach, FL.), son of Mojdeh and Robert Danial, is a junior at the Rabbi
Alexander S. Gross Hebrew Academy in Miami Beach where he is engaged in a dual
curriculum of Judaic and secular studies. He has spent one summer at Columbia University
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studying Psychology and another at Stevens Institute of Technology studying Engineering
and Business. Ethan is captain of his school’s Model UN team, president of JSTAR, a Greater
Miami Jewish Federation affiliated community service program for high school students, a
youth ambassador to the Greater Miami Jewish Federation, and on the board of JSERVE, and
he is also Student Council Treasurer. He and the Hebrew Academy NCSY JUMP team
reached the final four in this year’s competition. Ethan is a member of the National Honor
Society, and a proud participant in the AIPAC high school students’ division. He is
extremely honored to represent South Florida in the Bronfman Youth Fellowships in Israel
this summer.
Samuel Malnik (Newberry, FL.), son of Sonya Salkin, is a junior at Oak Hill School in
Gainesville, Florida. He is a high honor student. Sam serves as the vice-chair of Oak Hall
School’s Honor Council and the secretary of his school’s chapter of the National Honor
Society. He is also an active member of Mu Alpha Theta Math Honor Society and Oak Hall’s
Spanish Honor Society. Sam’s passion for helping his community is evidenced through his
role as the leading fundraiser in Alachua County’s chapter of Chain Reaction, the youth
leadership council for the March of Dimes. Sam was honored to be the recipient of Florida
Youth in Government’s Most Outstanding Supreme Court Law Firm Award in both ninth and
tenth grade under the tutelage of his older brother Zachary. As an outstanding soccer
player, Sam routinely travels five hours each direction on weekends to his club soccer team,
West Pines Strikers F.C., based out of Pembroke Pines, Florida. Sam has traveled for soccer
nationally to cities as diverse as Las Vegas and Boston. Internationally, Sam has traveled to
Buenos Aires, Argentina as part of Florida’s Olympic Developmental Soccer Program all
while maintaining his position on Oak Hall’s Honor Roll. Sam scored perfect 5’s on his AP
Exams taken in tenth grade. Sam would like to thank his eldest sister Jessica who set the
academic standard for her siblings and his little sister Amanda, age nine, who
enthusiastically accompanied him to New York City for his interview. Sam is thrilled to have
been selected and looks forward to this journey and learning on his first trip to Israel.
Georgia
Liliana Brown (Atlanta, GA.), daughter of Daniel and Myra Brown, is a graduate of The
Davis Academy and a junior at The Weber School. At Weber, Brown serves as a student
Peer Leader, and runs and directs programs for the student body as part of the Israeli
Action Fellows club. Brown is a Weber School representative for Peace by Piece, an
interfaith club of Atlanta high school students from Jewish, Muslim, and Catholic day
schools. She is also a Girl Talk leader, a volunteer club designed for Weber girls to mentor
seventh grade girls in Atlanta’s Jewish community. Brown was recently elected as the
Democratic Representative to Weber’s Junior States of America club. Outside of school,
Brown’s primary focus is United Synagogue Youth, where she currently serves as her
chapter’s president and has held other leadership roles in the organization’s
Religion/Education area. Brown was selected to represent the Weber School at the AIPAC
Schusterman High School Summit in October, 2012, and attended AIPAC’s annual Policy
Conference in March, 2013 as a USY delegate. She has spent eight summers as a proud Camp
Ramah Darom camper. In addition, Brown volunteers on Friday nights at The Carlton, a
Jewish senior living facility in Sandy Springs, to facilitate and ensure a comfortable Shabbat
evening experience for the residents. Brown and her family are members of Congregation
Or Hadash in Sandy Springs.
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Ella Padawer (Cleveland, GA.), daughter of Orly and Ariel Padawer, is a junior at
White County High School in Cleveland, Georgia. Ella is the youngest of three; her
brother, Ishai lives in New York and her sister Talia is currently travelling in
Australia. She and her parents are part of a congregation called Shalom b'Harim in
the neighboring town of Dahlonega. Along with being an honor student at the top of
her class, Ella is also a dedicated member of the Gateway Theatre Company (her
school's drama program), a second year Georgia high school thespian, and an
honors chorus student. In addition to being an active member of the White County
High School Chorus, Ella takes private vocal lessons and participates in numerous
singing competitions each year. In her free time she likes to watch films, read, jam
out with friends, and go hiking in the beautiful Georgia mountains.
Iowa
Sophie Wolf-Camplin (West Branch, IA.), daughter of Nicole and Steve Wolf-Camplin, is a
junior at Scattergood Friends School. Sophie has attended Scattergood Friends School for
three years. Founded in 1890, Scattergood is a Quaker college-preparatory boarding and
day school for grades 9 -12 with a diverse student body from the United States and all
corners of the globe. Sophie is an active leader in her school's GLBTQA group and raises
community awareness and support at her school around issues of gender and sexuality. She
also serves as a Clerk of the entire Girls Dorm, where she works to improve cohabitation
and lead her community in necessary conversations.
Maryland
Cole Aronson (Bethesda, MD.), son of Pamela Auerbach and Bart Aronson, is a junior at
the Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School, which he has attended since kindergarten. Cole’s
family belongs to the Ohr Kodesh Congregation in Chevy Chase, Maryland, where Cole also
became a bar mitzvah. Cole is the Lieutenant Governor of the Mid-Atlantic Junior State, of
the Junior State of America, a high school civic education organization. In the summer of
2012, Cole was an assistant teacher at Horizons, a summer academic bridge program for
Washington, DC public school students. Following his work with Horizons, Cole developed a
financial aid fund to help students attend Junior State of America conventions. Cole thanks
his brothers, sisters, parents, stepparents, teachers from JDS, and his Jewish community for
their love and friendship, and is excited to spend five weeks in Israel with his fellow
Fellows.
Massachusetts
Harry Doernberg (Brookline, MA.), son of Mr. John Doernberg and Dr. Carol Ehrlich and
the younger brother of Sam and Molly. He is a junior at The Roxbury Latin School in West
Roxbury, Massachusetts, which he has attended since 7th grade. Harry has played the cello
since age five and has been featured on NPR’s From The Top as a member of a trio and has
participated in the New England Conservatory Youth Philharmonic Orchestra and the
Boston Philharmonic Youth Orchestra for the past three years. He also enjoys playing
sports and is a co-captain of the cross-country and wrestling teams as well as a member of
the track and field team. He volunteers at Gateways: Access to Jewish Education, attends
Prozdor Hebrew High School, and is a member at Temple Beth Shalom in Cambridge. His
other interests include chess, debate, crossword puzzles, and card games.
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Rebecca Krieger (Watertown, MA.), daughter of Dr. David Krieger and Susan Musinsky, is
a junior at Watertown High School, in Watertown, Massachusetts. There, she is a peer
advisor to 9th grade students, a member of the state champion field hockey team, and
serves on the School Committee Advisory Board. This year, she has also participated in the
Tufts Health Plan Foundation Future Philanthropists Initiative. Rebecca teaches swim
classes and lifeguards at the Watertown Boys and Girls Club. A student at Prozdor Hebrew
High School, she also volunteers at Gateways: Access to Jewish Education. She is a member
of the Temple Emanuel USY Board, and for the past seven summers has attended Camp
Yavneh, a pluralistic Jewish summer camp. Rebecca and her family are members of
Congregation Beth El, a reform synagogue in Sudbury.
Isabel Snodgrass (Williamsburg, MA.), daughter of Dr. Judith Goldman and Mr. J. Sheldon
Snodgrass, is a junior at Northampton High School in Northampton, MA. Isabel’s parents
were founders of Beit Ahavah, a reform synagogue in Florence, MA. Isabel became a Bat
Mitzvah at Beit Ahavah, was a teacher’s assistant at the Sunday school, and an active
member of Shevet, the Beit Ahavah youth group. Isabel has also served on the Board of B’nai
Tzedek Youth Foundation, a teen philanthropic organization supported by the Harold
Grinspoon Foundation. Isabel is on the Ultimate Frisbee, Cross Country, and Varsity Ski
Teams at her school. She is also a part of her school’s improvisational theater troupe and
has performed in several plays at the High School, including Grease and Shakespeare’s
Merry Wives of Windsor. Isabel has enjoyed playing violin since the age of five and three
years ago shifted from playing classical violin to Celtic music. In the winter months, Isabel is
a ski instructor at Berkshire East Ski Resort.
New Jersey
Marni Loffman (Teaneck, NJ.), daughter of Caryn and Clark Loffman, is a junior at The
Frisch School of Paramus, New Jersey. She is a member of the Congregation Beth Shalom
community in Teaneck, New Jersey. One of four girls, she shares her growth with three
sisters, Sara, Hannah, and Eliana. A graduate of the Solomon Schechter Day School of Bergen
County, she attended Camp Ramah in Canada for eight consecutive summers, and
participated in the World Religions course at Genesis@Brandeis. In her school community
she participates in the RealSchool Club, the Debate team and the School choir. In RealSchool,
she organizes programs based on environmentally friendly living and healthy eating as part
of the Health and Environment team, and encourages curiosity and discourse on the
Religious Identity team. Outside of school, she participates in Write on for Israel, an Israel
advocacy program, where she learns about Israeli history and develops the skills to be an
effective advocate on campus. Her passion for music is expressed through guitar, singing,
and her participation in the HaZamir International Choir. She was also a lead singer in the
Emunah Benefit Concert to raise money for Beit Elazraki Organization. One day a week, she
has volunteered five years for The Friendship Circle, visiting the homes of special needs
children.
New York
Yishai Chamudot (Bronx, NY.), son of David and Michal Chamudot and brother of Daniel
and Yonatan, is a junior at SAR High School, a Modern Orthodox co-educational high school
in Riverdale, NY. Yishai is on his school’s Varsity Model UN team, as well as the College Bowl
and Torah Bowl teams. He is currently an editor of his school’s literary magazine and a
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contributor to its Hebrew journal, and is an active participant in its Israel Activism
committee. Yishai is also co-founder of his school’s Ultimate Frisbee club and competes on
his school’s track-and-field team. He is a member in two a capella groups, and will be
starring in The SAR Drama Society’s spring production of Lend Me a Tenor. This past year,
Yishai was invited to the Jewish Foundation for the Righteous’s dinner at the Waldorf
Astoria to witness the reunion of a Righteous Gentile with the Jew she rescued during the
Holocaust. In 2011, Yishai was a finalist in the International Chidon Ha’Tanach (Bible
Contest), televised nationally in Israel. He enjoys performing slam poems, watching movies,
and leading the Riverdale Jewish Center’s Junior Congregation, where he is a senior youth
leader.
Jacob Goldberg (Brooklyn, NY.), son of Lori Lasson and Donald Goldberg, is a junior at
Edward R. Murrow High School in Brooklyn, New York. Jacob graduated from the Hannah
Senesh Community Day School in 2010. He spent eight summers at the B’nai B’rith Perlman
Camp in Starlight, Pennsylvania, where he served as Camper Captain during Maccabiah in
2010. For the past two years, Jacob has been a lead attorney on Murrow’s mock trial team
which competes in annual state-wide competitions. Jacob is also a member of Murrow’s
MSG Varsity Challenge team, a state-wide televised high school “jeopardy” competition, and
will serve as the team’s captain senior year. As a freshman in high school, he developed a
tutoring business in which he offers tutoring services for middle and high school students.
Jacob is passionate about baseball and for the past eight years has been a starting travel
baseball player. He has played with the Brooklyn Bulldogs and the Brooklyn Bonnies, and is
currently playing with the New York Grays. He was Captain of the Bulldogs team, and has
played in numerous nationwide tournaments. He was also a volunteer for President
Obama’s reelection campaign.
Emmet Dotan (New York, NY.), son of Mr. Shimon Dotan and Ms. Netaya Anbar-Dotan,
grew up in Pelham, a suburb of New York City. As a child, he was enrolled in the town’s
public schools. He regularly attended the town’s conservative synagogue: The Pelham
Jewish Center. After completing middle school, he and his family moved to Manhattan. He is
currently in his first year of the college program at Bard High School Early College, a public
school in NYC. He is an active member of BHSEC’s parliamentary student government,
which deals with all matters regarding the student body’s in-school experience, and he is
one of two leaders of the schools gardening club, which teaches its members and the school
about sustainable agriculture as well as urban farming and gardening. He composes music
that has been performed by members of the American Symphony Orchestra, and was an
editor on his school’s literary journal, The Hype at Bard, for which he continues to write film
reviews.
Julietta Garbasz (New York, NY.), proud daughter of author Joanna Barsh and
mathematician David Garbasz, Julietta attends The Dalton School, a secular private school,
where she participates in many extracurriculars. She is an Under-Secretary General on the
Model UN team and has attended 11 conferences to date, winning 11 awards. Julietta also
writes for her school's newspaper, The Daltonian, and political magazine, Real Politik. And
she is as enthusiastic about mathematics. Julietta is a high scorer on her school's math team,
a two-time American Invitational Mathematics Exam qualifier, and a Math Prize For Girls
participant. A member of the NYC Math Team, she is captain of one of the city's American
Regional Mathematics League teams. Julietta teaches a math circle at PublicPrep, an all-girls
charter school on the Lower East Side. In parallel, she has coached Dalton's middle school
math team to a top ten finish three years running. In past summers, Julietta has attended
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Yale's Ivy Scholars Global Leader Program, where she was named valedictorian of her
cohort, and Stanford University Mathematics Camp. A sea kayaker, SCUBA diver, and hiker,
Julietta has traveled to five continents and three oceans over the course of her explorations.
Notably, she has conducted fish surveys with REEF in the San Blas islands of Panama,
participated in an economic impact study in Uganda for The Hunger Project, and climbed
Mount Sinai prior to the Arab Spring.
Mikaela Gerwin (New York, NY.), daughter of David Gerwin and Lisa Gersten and older
sister to Yardena and Adina, is a junior at the Abraham Joshua Heschel School in Manhattan.
She has attended Heschel since nursery school, with the exception of two sabbatical years in
Israel. Most recently she spent sophomore year at Tehilla Evelina, an all girls Israeli
orthodox public high school in Jerusalem. This year, Mikaela was awarded first place at the
New York City Science and Engineering Fair (NYCSEF) for her research on RNA and has
been selected as one of 15 projects out of 700 to represent New York City at the upcoming
Intel International Science and Engineering Fair. At Heschel she is on the Debate Team,
Mock Trial Team, the Varsity Floor Hockey team, and the literary journal. This past year
Mikaela co-founded Heschel’s first interfaith club. She was selected to be trained in Israel
advocacy by the organization Write On for Israel and was a Szarvas Fellow this past
summer. Mikaela has been playing the oboe since middle school and enjoys being a part of
her school’s Jazz Band. She is a leader of Heschel’s egalitarian minyan, works part time
leading Shabbat children’s services at Darchei Noam, and regularly leins for her community,
Minyan Maat. She is also a weekly volunteer at the homeless shelter housed in her
synagogue congregation Ansche Chesed. Mikaela enjoys creative writing, baking and
theater.
Tyler Kaye (Purchase, NY.), son of Sheryl and Chip Kaye of Purchase, NY, is a junior at Rye
Country Day School. A proud member of the Varsity Soccer and Track and Field teams since
freshman year, Tyler brings his enthusiasm and energy to other clubs such as RCDS Tour
Guides and Peer Mentoring. Tyler is the President of the Academic Challenge as well as a
member of OPI where he shares his passion for the Chinese language as an Oral Proficiency
intern for younger students. Tyler and his family belong to Congregation Emanu-El of
Westchester where he was confirmed in 2012. Tyler spent the last 3 summers backpacking
through Alaska and Utah, and most recently stayed in a remote rural village in the Yunnan
Province of China where he was able to form a deep connection with his homestay
family. Tyler is the first student from RCDS to receive the prestigious Bronfman Fellowship
and he is greatly looking forward to his experience in Israel and future projects with
Bronfman Alumni throughout the years.
Pennsylvania
Cameron Isen (Malvern, PA.), son of Mr. Jonathan Isen and Mrs. Lorna Isen, is a Junior at
The Hill School in Pottstown, Pa. He attended the Haverford School from Jr. Kindergarten to
9th grade, and 10th grade year, he transferred to The Hill. Cameron has a brother, Spencer
(18 years old), who will attend Brandeis University next Fall, and a sister, Sloan (12), who
attends The Baldwin School. Cameron goes to the Chabad of Chester County for holidays
and Shabbat, when home from school. Also, Rabbi Yossi Kaplan of Chabad of Chester County
makes his way to the Hill School to teach Talmud to Hill Students, and Monday night
program established by Cameron and his brother Spencer. Cameron is a Senator in the
Student Government Association and created “The Merit System,” which recognizes
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students in the school for doing good deeds. He is also Captain of the Debate Team and
Semi-Finalist in several National Circuit tournaments, including the University of
Pennsylvania Liberty Bell Classic. He is also Co-Consul (Co-President) of the Classics club,
and has been a Varsity/AAA Ice Hockey goalie since the age of 7, and was formerly ranked
#1 in the elite AYHL and led a team to the AYHL championship. Last summer, Cameron was
a camp counselor at Camp Magar, located at the Baldwin School, where he was responsible
for 5-6 year olds for 6-weeks. At Hill, Cameron found his deep admiration for Classical
Studies (i.e. Latin and Greek), which he plan to further pursue in college. He often explain
that what draws him to classics is the very idea that by studying civilizations and languages
from over 2,000 years ago, we can learn hidden secrets into our current lives, cultures, and
beliefs.
Tennessee
Rachel Tsuna (Memphis, TN.), daughter of Effie and Talya Tsuna, is a junior at the Goldie
Margolin School for Girls, a division of the Margolin Hebrew Academy/Feinstone Yeshiva of
the South which she has been attending since Pre-K. She is a member of the National Honor
Society. She has been a delegate to Model United Nations for the past two years. She is a
member of the GMSG debate and Mock Trial teams and has starred in her school’s theatrical
productions for three years. She is a level two student of Krav Maga and has been on her
school’s varsity basketball team for two years. Rachel is a youth leader of third and fourth
graders at BYSY, a Torah Mitzion affiliated program established at the Baron Hirsch
synagogue. She volunteers weekly at the Special Olympics King Pins Bowling League.
Montreal, Canada
Nachman Reich (Montreal, Canada.), son of Dikla Amar, is a junior at Collège Français de
Montréal. Class valedictorian in elementary and high school, he has been an honor roll
student five years in a row. He writes for his school paper, and has written for a Jewish teen
publication as well as a Hassidic website devoted to interfaith dialogue, tackling issues
ranging from politics to multiculturalism. An avid sports player, he has played and won
awards in track and field, soccer and hockey. He has also practiced martial arts (mainly
boxing, Senshido and Krav Maga) for the past two years. Nachman has participated and won
awards in Chidon Hatanach and Spelling bees. He enjoys public speaking and is the founder
of his school’s debate team, which competes in tournaments across Quebec. Nachman has
gotten lead roles in many plays, especially musicals, aided by his one-of-a-kind voice. He has
also sung solo in front of big crowds at camp, school, in various choirs and was chosen to
sing at his high school graduation ceremony. In 2012, Nachman founded Oplus inc. a
business selling handy accessories. Nachman’s love of economics pushed him to participate
in NAJEQ, a stock-market simulation for high-school students. He is vice president of the
Human Promise, a social justice organization which aims to ease the suffering of the
afflicted. Nachman is a tutor and does door-to-door marketing for a (meagre) living. During
his spare time, Nachman takes university classes online, reads, studies Torah, and goes
clubbing.
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