Current Fellows

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Hello, my name is Daniel Aaron. I live in Monsey, New York, and I am currently an upper sophomore attending Yeshiva University studying finance and mathematics! I went to Heichal Hatorah in Teaneck, New Jersey for high school and then took a year and a half to learn in a Yeshiva in Israel called Yeshivat Mevaseret Tzion. I spent my 10th grade summer with NCSY on their kollel program and I loved it! I have a strong passion for kiruv and inspiring people! I wasn’t as religious as I am right now and I can relate to many kids going through different stages of their life in a way that very few people can. I love reaching out to people and making new connections while also advocating and supporting a cause that I fully believe in and am proud to be a part of! I love learning and creating an aura and appreciation for Judaism in ways that is fun and exciting!

Hi! My name is Daniella Abekassis and I'm from North Woodmere, NY. I am a junior at Stern College and I am studying psychology. I have been a NY advisor this past year as well as a Shevet Glaubach Fellow. Although we did not have a chance to do much this past year, I am super excited to make up for it and get started!

I'm Eric Abraham and I'm from Florida. Currently, I do not attend college but plan to next school year. Previously I was in the glaubach fellows last year. And I’m excited about opportunities through the fellowship because Ive experienced them before and I know theyre amazing

Hi! My name is Elisheva Adouth, I am from Miami, Florida, I just finished my year in Israel at Sha'alvim for Women. I am attending Stern College for Women this fall and am planning on majoring in Jewish Studies. I did NCSY all throughout high school (summer programs, regionals, learn and earn, etc), when I got home from Israel early due to the Coronavirus pandemic I began learning with an NCSYer a year younger than me, I engaged heavily in a Chaburah Workshop in seminary in preparation for learning with students in the future as I want to go into Jewish Education. I am excited about the opportunities that I have through the Shevet Glaubach Fellowship. , I feel as if the resources within the fellowship will allow me to learn a lot about teaching and bringing people closer to Hashem in general. I would love to use what my advisors once taught me to help and foster relationships with others.

Hi guys! I'm Benjy Aryeh and I hail from West Hempstead, NY. I am currently a student at Yeshiva University where I am majoring in Finance and minoring in Marketing. As a high schooler, I participated in Latte and Learning and went on spring regional. Last summer I was a counselor on Yad B Yad and valued spending time and connecting with all of the participants. I have given a chabura every week to my participants ever since that summer and I'm looking forward to giving it for another year! Fun fact about me is that I can't open an envelope cleanly for the life of me. I always tend to rip it not on the seam. So if anyone can teach me how to do that it would be much appreciated. I am so excited to join the Glaubach Fellowship as it gives me the ability to connect with more people and put a smile on their face along with building a long term connection. I also love planning and participating in activities so this should be fun!

My name is Aviel Avidan and I am blessed to have the opportunity to partake in a program like the Shevet Glaubach Fellow this coming year. Over the 20 years that Hashem has blessed me with, I have been in many different places—by places I mean spiritually not geographically. I started off life as a non-observant Jew. My father spent a significant portion of his teenage years at an anti-religious kibbutz, while my mother, a Russian immigrant, was not familiar with being religious until her late teenage years. Although this was the case, ever since a young age, I had a natural draw to being an observant Jew, but was unable to make anything of it because of my family’s circumstance. As time went on, I slowly incorporated different Mitzvot into my everyday life. When it came to deciding my high school, I was at a crossroads between Solomon Schechter of Westchester, a conservative program I had just spent 13 years alongside many friends, versus Torah Academy of Bergen County, an all-boys modern-orthodox high school. Even though it was difficult for me to make the switch, I felt like TABC was the right move. In high school, for the most part, I was your classic modern orthodox teenager. Although I did not devote much time to learning and was not strict on keeping Halacha, being religious always had a special place in my heart, sparking my involvement with NCSY. Rabbi Reuven Lebowitz, my chapter director, encouraged me to spend a year in Israel. Although there was a large financial burden, NCSY gave tremendous help, and served as the main reason for why I went to Israel—an experience that changed my life! I live in Teaneck, NJ, and am currently a senior at Yeshiva University.

My name is Tzvi Berke and I’m from Cedarhurst in the Five Towns. I’m currently in NYIT studying architecture. I’ve been an NCSY advisor since last summer when I did TJJ for NJ. Since the summer over this last year I’ve went to the Winter Regional/ Yarchei Kallah. I’ve also been on two mission trips to New Orleans with NJ teens. Although not an NCSY program, I did got to Winnipeg for a shabbos retreat to meet high schoolers from the only Jewish school there although not a very religious community. I’ve mostly done NCSY programs associated with less religious teens. But I’ve done 1 of the mission trips with a yeshiva and gave chaburahs to yeshiva teens at the winter regional. I’m very excited to about the opportunities through the Glaubach Fellowship because it means I get to be involved more with NCSY. I’m excited to have the chance to meet with more teens through NCSY and on a more consistent basis and develop deep and meaningful connections with them.

Hi! My name is Yonatan Berner. I am from Teaneck, NJ and I am currently studying Computer Science in Yeshiva University. Going on NCSY JOLT was my first NCSY experience. This was a life changing, transformational experience which left a big impact on me. Last summer, I had the amazing opportunity to be an adviser on NCSY Hatzalah Rescue. Walking away from this program, I took with me not only an amazing experience, but realized that I learned and grew so much. Not only did I enjoy being part of the NCSY mission and helping others grow, but it helped me grow personally as well. Being able to be part of NCSY is an amazing experience and I very much look forward to facilitating growth for others as well as myself.

My name is Binyamin Ciment and I am from West Hempstead, New York. I am currently a sophomore in Yeshivah University. I am excited to have been given the opportunity to help individuals connect to God, from where they are holding.

My name is Tehila Cohen and I am from Queens, NY. I went to Central for high school, then to Shaalvim for Women in Israel. I now attend Stern College where I am a senior, majoring in Elementary education. In the summer of 2019, I worked on TJJ and that really got me involved in NCSY and kiruv in general. I also had the opportunity to be a Glaubach fellow last year and appreciated its message tremendously!

Hey everyone! My name is Liat Cohen and I’m from Brooklyn, New York. I went to Central, and studied for a year in Israel at Midreshet Moriah. I’m currently enrolled in my second year at Stern/Sy Syms School of Business. I am looking forward to being a Shevet Glaubach Fellow for the Southern Region and serving on SGF Leadership Board! Looking forward to meeting you all!

Hi! My name is Leeyan Cohen. I am from Miami, FL. I went to Sharfman’s seminary for my gap year, which was unfortunately cut short due to Corona. I am currently studying psychology in Broward College. I was a NCSYer myself in my Junior and Senior years of high school, where i started my religious journey. My senior year, I was Southern NCSY Regional president and now I'm so lucky to be back as a fellow and give back to the organization that gave so much to me but most importantly, be there for NCSYers who are in the same shoes i was just a few years ago!

Hey! My name is Chana Caley Coughlan and I’m from Denver, Colorado. I go to Stern and I’m currently studying psychology and plan to pursue my dream of being a therapist. This is my first year as an advisor and SGF for Southern and I am so excited! I have been involved in NCSY for five years, and last year I was an advisor for Southwest and was supposed to staff TJJ AP (Be'H this summer!) I am most excited to broaden my scope of Torah knowledge, specifically the practicality of it all, and how to infuse my life with rich Torah values.

Hi. My name is Gedalia Dock. I’m from Teaneck, NJ. This year I will be attending Touro’s Lander College for Men and majoring in Biology. I was an SGF last year and I look forward to reaching out and connecting to as many Jews as possible through the SGF this year.

My name is Rivkie Elman and I’m from Brooklyn, New York. I’m starting Queens college and I’m not exactly sure what I’m going into, but have many interests so we’ll see! I don’t have any real background in NCSY but I’ve ALWAYS been interested in kiruv; before my year in seminary, I was upstate with a friend and we were speaking to her non-religious neighbors. We ended up speaking for almost 2 hours about Jewish life and what it means to us to be religious young girls; I found that I heavily enjoyed the experience and wondered if I should seek out other opportunities to “recreate” it. Obviously, this program is a perfect way to do so! I absolutely LOVE speaking to people, especially when it comes to Judaism, paired with deep, meaningful ideas. I also really enjoy learning and have had several chavrutas throughout this year. I believe that this program encapsulates these two things I’m most passionate about in the best way possible- learning and creating close connections to people. I’m truly excited to see how this will play out and what I can gain from these experiences, as well as how the larger Jewish community will hopefully be effected!

Hi! I’m Neeli Fagan. I grew up in Skokie, Illinois and am currently attending Stern College. I am majoring in Biology, and plan to pursue a career in nursing IY’H. For the past two years, I have been an NCSY advisor for the Southern Region. I was also supposed to be a TJJ advisor this summer. NCSY has come to hold a very special place in my heart, and I have formed very close connections with some of the teens within my region. While the past two years have been great, since I do not live in Florida, I have really only been able to attend two to three shabbatons a year. Shevet Glaubach, which expects their advisors to attend more than 2/3 shabbatons a year, as well as to have a certain number of chavrusas throughout the year, would be a great opportunity for me to strengthen my bond with the teens, and to become the best advisor that I can be.

Hi! I’m Zahava Fertig and I’m currently a senior at Stern College for Women, studying Political Science. I’m from Woodmere, NY and prior to Stern, I went to MMY for seminary, and Midreshet Shalhevet for high school. After spending some summers working at Moshava I.O., this summer I co-created and facilitated a two week mental health advocacy program for Jewish teens with a grassroots non-profit called Project Proactive. As a returning Shevet Glaubach Fellow (and Leadership Board member) and Southern NCSY advisor, I am eagerly anticipating the start of the new academic year filled with meaningful learning opportunities and programs, development training workshops, and actively participating in new collaborative projects. Whether it will be in person or over Zoom, I look forward to meeting and working with this year’s cohort of Shevet Glaubach Fellows as they transform the present and future development of our beloved Jewish community.

My name is Jakey Friedman, and I am from West Hempstead, New York. I attended DRS for high school and then had the privilege of learning in Yeshivat Shaalvim for two years in Eretz Yisroel. I am in my first semester in Yeshiva University, and although I am undecided major, I am highly considering majoring in Psychology/smicha, or possibly pre-med/smicha. Throughout my summer experiences, I have been blessed with incredible role models, counselors, and mentors, and it has been a dream of mine to be able to give over what I have received from them.

My name is Sruli Fruchter, I’m a junior at Yeshiva University, and I’ve been a Southern NCSY advisor for the past year. The Shevet Glaubach Fellowship is a fantastic opportunity to both strengthen my friendships with NCSYers and deepen our discussions as we continue to learn about our relationship to ourselves, Am Yisrael, and Hashem — I can’t wait for what comes next!

Hi! My name is Daniella Furman, from West Hempstead,NY. I went to SKA for high school, and then MIDMO for seminary! I now attend adelphi university studying to become an RN in a joint BSN program. I went on GIVE Israel going into 11th grade. Little did I know I would come back with a new passion and outlook on torah and religion. I was raised in a frum halachik home, however GIVE made me have an excitement and passion of my own! I got extremely close with one of my advisors and through watching her pure love of torah and Judaism, and countless conversations with her I was given a new outlook and took on a new approach to making Judaism my own. Joining the scholarship would give me the opportunity to give back to the organization that gave so much to me. I would love to have the opportunity to effect the lives of teens just like my advisor effected me!

My name is Tali Goldman and I’m from highland park NJ. I go to stern and am studying business analytics and computer science. I love learning and teaching Torah and am excited to spread more torah through the fellowship.

Hi! I’m Avi Greenberg, from Woodmere, New York. I’m have just started YU and studying Business. Three and Four summers ago I had the privilege of being in NCSY Kollel where I had the most amazing summers and Iearned so much about what it means to be a Jew. In my second summer in Kollel I roomed with 4 friends and 4 kids from Vegas who were part of the Mechina Program. Having this setup was incredible for me and for them. We would have very meaningful conversations about Yidishkeit which helped me a lot and I’m sure it helped them as well. It helped me because I needed to know the reasons for why we do many things that we do in Judaism. Many if these things I realized that I didn’t know before they asked me, so I went to a rebbe or Madrich and asked the question to them so that I can give them the correct answer. Over the course of the 6 weeks we became very close with them and even some of them I have spoke to recently. this summer I had the privileged of being an advisor for New York NCSY and felt that I was able to have an impact even in the few short weeks I spent with the NCSY’ers. I am very excited about opportunities of the Shevet Glaubach Fellowship because it can give me the opportunity to give over why I feel it’s Geshmak to be a Yid. It will also allow to form relationships with teens whom I can speak to on a daily basis and have an impact on.

Hello! My name is Meira Greenland and I proudly hail from Chicago, Illinois. I spent a year at MMY before attending Stern College. Currently, I am a senior at Stern while simultaneously taking classes at Azrieli, where I am pursuing a Master’s in Jewish Education. I am a very passionate person and am always looking for ways to be involved in Jewish education and the Jewish community, either formally or informally. I just started my third year as a Midwest NCSY advisor to which I devote most of my time. Last summer, I staffed the Midwest NCSY TJJ bus. And, I hope to continue my work with the Glaubach fellowship as well, as I truly believe in the work it is doing!

I am a home grown NCSY advisor from Southern Florida. I discovered NCSY in high school, and fell in love! It helped me discover my passion of spreading Yiddishkeit to the world. Now, I am currently a full time student and a full time teacher of Torah. I am finishing my degree from Lander’s in Psychology and Judaic Studies while also teaching 2nd and 3rd graders Limudei Kodesh at The Jewish Academy in Hollywood, Florida. I am excited about the Shevet Glaubach Fellowship because I know it offers high leveled professional development opportunities. I am looking forward to learning and growing together, to create a stronger Jewish nation.

Hi! My name is Michal Herman. I am currently a junior at Stern College and studied at Sha’alvim for Women for seminary. I live in Teaneck, NJ and am the oldest of three. Some of my hobbies include dancing, playing guitar, playing volleyball, reading, etc. I am a very outgoing and energetic person and bring my excitement with me wherever I go! Though I am a serious student, I also love to relax with friends and have a good time. I am really looking forward to bringing my energy to all future NCSY events!

My name is Sivan Import. I’m from Columbus, Ohio. I went to Columbus Torah Academy and then to Sha’alvim for Women. Now I’m in Stern College for Women studying speech pathology and audiology. I was a Shevet Glaubach Fellow last year. Being a Shevet Glaubach Fellow is an incredible opportunity. It gives you the chance to inspire the Jewish future. I grew up doing NCSY and I think that NCSY has really helped shape who I am today. I want to be that advisor for someone else. I think it’s important to show people the fun parts of Judaism and that the halachot aren’t just there as barriers. Staying connected to HaShem gives you a happy and meaningful life.

My name is Gabe Isaacs, and I will be in my first year in Yeshiva University this year. I went to MTA even though I live in Teaneck and currently am planning on majoring in computer science. In the past I have attended camp Mesorah, went to NCSY Kollel, worked at Morasha, Kaylie, and Mesorah. I am excited about the opportunities from the Shevet Glaubach Fellowship because it gives me the opportunity to give back to the Jewish people, while doing something I care about. Helping people grow in their Jewish ways is something I love doing even though it is a different experience for each person. It is something I feel very strongly about and hope I will be able to do for years to come.

Hi! I am Dov Jacobson. I live in Teaneck NJ and teach at RYNJ. I am also perusing my bachelor’s degree in psychology and I hope one day to use that background to help people navigate life. Glaubach is a really exciting opportunity to take NCSY to the next level in terms of connection with the NCSYers and I can’t wait to get started.

Hi! My name is Shmuel Kaplan and I’m from Teaneck, New Jersey. I had the privilege of attending Heichal for high school and Yeshivat Kerem B’Yavneh for yeshiva. Currently, I am trying various classes at Yeshiva University in attempt to decide on a major. I have previous experience in working with teens as a Counselor at Camp Simcha Special and Head Counselor of Shoresh Kollel. I’m excited to be a Shevet Glaubuch Fellow because the program seems like an incredible opportunity to give to others and grow as a leader.

Hi! My name is Jaclyn Kholodenko and I’m from Toronto, Canada. I spent the last two years learning in seminary in Israel and Brooklyn, New York. I’m a first year at University of Toronto majoring in Cognitive Science. It is a fundamental idea that every Jewish soul has their personal stake in Torah, regardless of background and therefore it is our responsibility to ensure that every Jew has the capacity to realize how precious they are as a member of Klal Yisrael. It is largely for this reason that I’m passionate about the work NCSY does. NCSY is where I, along with many others, was given a once in a lifetime opportunity to discover the meaning of Jewish identity and use it to create a palpable connection to our past, present, and future. I was an active participant in NCSY in high school, serving as vice president for our Student Board in my senior year of high school. In my time as an NCSYer, I found that the most meaningful and impactful experiences came in the form of leadership programming. I look back on those leadership seminars and summer programs with so much fondness and gratitude because it was through them that I was able to carve out a personal identity in the bigger picture of Jewish nationhood. I’m especially excited about Shevet Glaubach’s mission of building a cohesive unit of like-minded individuals committed to the preservation of tradition. I look forward to the opportunity to discuss issues our respective communities face and collaborate on strategies to bring the Jewish world closer together.

Hi! My name is Sabina Korman I’m an undergraduate student at Stern College for Women where I’m pursuing a joint nursing program. I’m happy I had the chance to be a part of the Glaubach fellowship and hope to continue making an impact on the Jewish community.

My name is Yonatan Kurz, and I’m from Teaneck, New Jersey. After having attended TABC for high school, followed by two years in Israel learning at Yeshivat Sha’alvim, I am currently a student at Yeshiva University, where I am majoring in Political Science and Jewish Studies. I have previously been an advisor on NCSY Summer for the past three summers on different programs after having been a camper on NCSY Kollel, and I have also been a youth leader in my community and an older mentor in my school. I am very eager and enthusiastic about all the potential that comes with the Shevet Glaubach Fellowship, as I know that it is a tremendous opportunity for growing Jewish leaders to have a profound impact on various communities. The ability to share one’s excitement for Torah and Jewish life with others while building lifelong relationships is truly an incredibly enriching and meaningful experience, and having such hands-on experience in other communities with fellow leaders of the Jewish Future who share the same passion and devotion to communal growth and leadership is an incredible opportunity. The chance to give back and have a tremendous impact on the Jewish community while making a difference in the lives of others and emulating those who have had a lasting influence on my religious growth means everything to me, and I am very excited about this fellowship.

Hi! My name is Miriam Rivkah Lapson and I grew up in Skokie, Illinois. I am currently a senior at Touro College finishing my B.A in Biology and Judaic Studies. I was a fellow last year and really enjoyed the experience. So much so, that this year I have joined the board in order to make the experience even better for the upcoming year!

My name is Anna Lis. I am from Skokie, Illinois. I just started Touro’s Graduate School of Education. I am studying both typical education and special education with a focus on Grades 1-6. Last year, I was fortunate to be a Shevet Glaubach Fellow (SGF) and I loved it. I also have been involved with NCSY and Yachad for years! I am excited about the many opportunities that the Shevet Glaubach Fellowship affords its participants. I love being able to exercise leadership. I love getting to build lasting relationships with mentors, peers, and NCSYers. Most of all, I hope to continue to help and give back to the Jewish community as a Shevet Glaubach Fellow.

My name is Michael Livi and I am 22 years old. I was blessed to attend North Shore Hebrew Academy my entire life, graduating as Speaker of the Class in 2017. I was privileged to then study at Yeshivat Netiv Aryeh in Jerusalem for one year upon graduating High School. I am currently enrolled in the Honors Program at Yeshiva University Sy Syms School of Business, where, Be’ezrat Hashem, I plan to graduate with a Major degree in Finance and a two Minors in both Real Estate and Accounting. My service to the wonderful Great Neck community officially began in high school for the Gym Minyan (a Minyan for High School teens of all backgrounds), where, alongside 2 peers, I helped run a Minyan that catered to 150+ teens every week. I was first exposed to NCSY by Jonathan Zar as a young high school student, falling in love with what NCSY offers. Upon my return from Yeshiva, I applied to be (and was accepted as) an NCSY advisor for the New York (Great Neck) region and I currently seek to give back more to my community.

My name is Aryeh Margolin and I live in Edison New Jersey. I plan on attending YU this semester to major in accounting. I was a counselor for post tenth graders this past summer and I helped change my perspective on viewing other people’s personal situations. After meeting one of my campers, I figured he was a typical kid; he was energetic, always had a smile on and a positive attitude. I would have never guessed that there were any difficult things going on in his family. His challenges had nothing to do with the corona virus but, as I’m sure everyone has experienced, it made the problem much worse. This experience has helped me tremendously to always be cognizant of how other people react to situations they are placed in and therefore being sensitive to their individual needs. This is especially true during these scary times.

Hi my name is Shira Nimchinsky. I am originally from Texas but I’ve moved around a lot so I’m from all over. I am currently in Stern College for Women and I am studying Psychology. I was an NCSYer back in Texas and knew that doing Kiruv was something extremely important to me even back in high school. I am an adviser for Southern NCSY. I am super excited for the opportunities the Shevet Glaubach Fellowship is providing because I will better myself as an adviser and I will have more chances to interact and learn with my NCSYers.

Hi! I’m Adina Peck. I currently study Psychology and am thinking about minoring in Quantitative Sciences at Emory University. I grew up as a curious and proud Jew in Charlotte, NC; yet, until high school, I didn’t know how deeply I loved learning Jewish topics, and I didn’t know that there were others - let alone thousands - who were serious about becoming a better person and more educated Jew. Recently, I studied in Israel at Midreshet Tehillah, led a chabura with a handful of holy teens over Zoom (before it was cool :P), initiated a Charlotte NCSY chapter, worked as a Southern Region advisor, and have been teaching folks how to read Hebrew. I’ve been blessed to learn from brilliant, compassionate role models who’ve helped me to see Judaism as a boundless source of wisdom and community, and it would be my greatest privilege and joy to be such a mentor for others. I’m excited to build connections with thoughtful individuals through the Shevet Glaubach Fellowship and reveal and arouse teens’ love of Torah and Yiddishkeit. I hope to empower them to continue lifelong journeys of Jewish enrichment and self-development, and I look forward to guiding and supporting them to the best of my ability.

My name is Kayla Plutzer and I am from Plainview,NY. I am a current senior at Stern College for Women studying Jewish Education, I will be graduating in January and working at Bais Yaakov of the Lower East Side. I am a Plainview advisor and help with JSU Club at Bard High School in Long Island City. I plan on going into formal education for a few years and eventually going into kiruv full-time. I am also a photographer on the side, which is something I really enjoy

Hi, my name is Daniel Rosenthal! After an amazing four years at DRS, I spent a year studying at Aish Gesher before staying for the summer at Aish HaTorah where I was able to learn Jewish outreach tools, have ’one-on-ones,’ and even teach classes. Now I’m starting the third year of my Computer Engineering degree at the City College of New York where I’m on the board of the Chabad club. Last year, I had the amazing opportunity to be a part of the first year of the Shevet Glaubach Fellowship, and I am excited to hopefully continue to have the opportunity to impact my community this year.

Hey everyone! My name is Miriam Rozin and I am from Columbia, SC. I went to public school practically my whole life. I made the big jump to attend Machon Ma'ayan for Seminary. I currently attend the University of South Carolina, majoring in Mathematics towards my goal of becoming a high school math teacher. Growing up, I had practically been the only involved teen in my shul community and one of the few teens involved in the greater community. Being a Fellow allows me to give back to the community that gave me sustenance in my yiddishkeit in order to continue growing the future for these teens. Very excited for what this year brings to us!

Hi! I’m Sandy Shaoolian, I’m from Great Neck, NY, and I’m a biology major in my senior year at Stern College. I’m really looking forward to the Shevet Glaubach fellowship because I’m excited to be given the opportunity to learn and grow with the teens, side by side, and I really love the message of community that this fellowship is trying to get across!

Hi, My name is Ariel Shayesteh. I am from Great Neck NY and i have been with NCSY for 3 years now and this will be my second year in Glaubach.

My name is Ariel Shayesteh. I am from the Great Neck region. I was raised in Great Neck went to Yeshiva my entire academic life. I currently am the Youth President of Ahavat Shalom Synagogue and a staff member of NCSY Great Neck. I want to continue my role in kiruv and become a Glaubach fellow so I can bring our community closer together.

Hi my name is chananya shiff and I am from passaic nj. I recently graduated from lander college for men with a degree in psychology. I have been a glaubach fellow for a year now and am looking foward to the continuous opportunities that being a fellow offers.

Hello! My name is Shoval Shoshani and I am currently a student at Yeshiva University. I was born and raised in Queens, New York and currently live in Washington Heights. I attended Yeshiva of Central Queens for Middle School, then attended North Shore Hebrew Academy High School, and Yeshivat Torat Shraga for my gap year in Israel. I consider myself a friendly, outgoing young adult whose trying to grow in Derech Eretz and Avodat HaShem. I would like to consider myself a proud, passionate and observant Jew whose attempting to share the light of Torah and Derch Eretz with others.

Bracha Smith is from Los Angeles and graduated from Touro College Los Angeles with a degree in psychology. She then went on to earn her teacher’s credentials through Hebrew Union College. She has spent the past two years as an advisor for NCSY, first for West Coast NCSY and then for New York NCSY. She is looking forward to continuing her involvement with NCSY as a fellow. She hopes to inspire the next generation and contribute to the NCSY community.

Hi my name is Rebecca Weiss. I was born and raised in Woodmere, New York. I am currently in Stern studying Speech Pathology. I was a counselor at Camp Morasha for three summers and this past summer I was a counselor at Camp Mesorah although my original plan was to be an advisor on NCSY Give. I loved having meaningful conversations with my campers and helping them to further understand different areas of Judaism that they had questions about. I love being able to connect to different types of people I meet and I want to help others find the same love for Judaism that I have discovered in my own life and I’m hoping to be able to do this through the Shevet Glaubach Fellowship!

Hi my name is Josh Wiener. I am  a 20 year old YU student living in Woodmere NY. I am fortunate to have 5 sisters and be the only male sibling in my family.  I feel very strongly about the continuity of the Jewish people.  I realize that observing a Torah way of life is the only guarantee that we, as diaspora Jews have, in order to continue the link to our past heritage. I have joined with my grandparents to visit many Jewish communities as part of my grandfather, Steve Savitsky’s speaking engagements.  As a former OU president, he has been very active with NCSY.  I have witnessed first hand the tremendous impact that NCSY has made on Jewish teens.  This has motivated me to do all that I can to stop assimilation and intermarriage in our community.  I have been involved in Partners in Torah, an organization that fosters one on one learning between a mentor and a mentee.  On the local level, I have been involved in Yachad as an advisor and have attended many shabbatonim. It would be an honor to be a Shevet Glaubach fellow and spend the next year fulfilling my dreams and aspirations to help the Jewish community.

Hi! My name is Aliza Zavdi and I’m from Los Angeles, California. I went to YULA for high school and Tiferet for seminary, now i'm enrolled in Stern. I was raised in a Chabad household and it taught me to be open minded and to see the individuality in every person. I strongly believe and I have seen for myself that connecting and having a relationship with someone goes far beyond your religious observance. I am super excited to continue connecting to others through Torah and Judaism!