Erica Barish, Park Ridge, New Jersey

Erica attends Indiana University, where she studies Youth Development and Jewish Studies and is an active member in “Hoosiers for Israel.” She grew up as a camper and counselor at URJ Camp Harlam and is a NFTY in Israel staff member. She is also an alumna of NFTY-EIE High School in Israel.

 

Graham Carpenter, London, England

Graham works full time at the New Israel Fund in London. He is also deeply involved in Liberal Judaism UK, as a past leader of LJY-Netzer, the Zionist youth movement of Liberal Judaism, and as a member of their Board of National Officers. He represents the Birmingham Progressive Jewish community in the interfaith social action Citizens UK forum, and is a member of the coordinating committee for cultural performances at the 2015 Limmud UK conference.

 

Dan Dobin, Tel Aviv, Israel

Dan is a law student at Tel Aviv University and is also a news editor at Galei Tzahal, the nationwide Israeli radio network operated by the Israel Defense Forces. He is a past participant in the Bronfman Youth Fellowships in Israel, a non-profit educational program for young Jews in Israel and America, and is also a graduate of the Israel Movement for Progressive Judaism’s post-high school gap year program in Jaffa.

 

Yael Efraim, Jerusalem, Israel

Yael studies Education and Sociology at Hebrew University in Jerusalem. She also works part-time for Gesher, which bridges rifts in Israeli society. She grew up in Kol Haneshama, a Reform congregation in Jerusalem and took on many leadership roles in the Telem youth group. Prior to her service in the IDF, Yael participated in the Israel Movement for Progressive Judaism’s post-high school gap year program in Jaffa.

 

Zachary Goldberger, Raleigh, North Carolina

Zach is a history major at North Carolina State University, where he’s become increasingly involved in the Jewish community and is now the president of the University’s Hillel. He works over the summer at the URJ’s 6 Points Sports Academy and participated in the Cornerstone Fellowship, a leadership program through the Foundation for Jewish Camping.

 

Aaron Graubert, Boca Raton, Florida

Aaron is studying political science at the University of Florida. This year, through his marketing internship at the Hillel, he helps Jewish “gators” work on professional skills and is deepening Israel outreach and connection on campus. Throughout high school, Aaron was also deeply involved in his BBYO (B’nai B’rith Youth Organization) chapter. Over the summer, Aaron is a counselor at URJ Camp Coleman.

 

Aron Hajnal, Budapest, Hungary

Aron attends university abroad in England at the University of Warwick, where he studies economics. Growing up he was very involved in Bet Orim, one of the Progressive Jewish congregations in Budapest, and also attended Szarvas Camp, an international Jewish camp in Hungary. He previously worked at Solomon Schechter Camp as a counselor and also took part in the Forum for Jewish Leadership Program organized in London last year.

 

Stav Hanegbi, Mevaseret Zion, Israel

Stav recently completed his army service, where he served in an intelligence unit as a commander. He became engaged with Reform Judaism through his work as a counselor at URJ Greene Family Camp. He was in the Israeli Scouts for nine years, three as a counselor.

 

Noga Hazan, Mevaseret Zion, Israel

Noga currently attends Ben Gurion University and studies Jewish philosophy. When she is not at school in Beersheba, she attends events at Kol Haneshama synagogue in Jerusalem and her congregation in Mevaseret Zion. She is a graduate of the Israel Movement for Progressive Judaism’s post-high school gap year program in Jaffa.

 

Becci Jacobs, Memphis, Tennessee

Becci works full-time at the Union for Reform Judaism, as the URJ Henry S. Jacobs Camp Assistant Director and NFTY Southern Regional Advisor. She has worked at Jacobs Camp for six summers, and was selected for the Cornerstone Fellowship, a leadership program through the Foundation for Jewish Camping. Becci has an educational background in social work.

 

Arkadij Khaet, Cologne, Germany

Arkadij recently graduated from film school and plans to pursue an advanced degree in film. He received a scholarship from the Ernst Ludwig Ehrlich Studienwerk, a German foundation for active Jewish students. He founded the youth center of the new Reform community in his hometown of Oberhausen and is very involved in Nezter Olami (the worldwide Reform Jewish Youth Movement).

 

Melisa Kyrlyncharslan, Kiev, Ukraine

Melisa is a law student at the Academy of Advocacy of Ukraine and is interested in going into diplomacy. She attended Jewish camps growing up, and was a counselor at the World Union for Progressive Judaism’s Camp in the FSU.

 

Izabella Menczer, Budapest, Hungary

Izabella is working towards her Master’s in Translation and Interpreting at Eötvös Lóránd University. She is a member of Szim Salom, a Progressive congregation in Budapest. She has worked at URJ Camp Eisner and was also a counselor-in-training at Szarvas Camp, an international Jewish camp in Hungary.  She led the Progressive choir, Shir Chadash, and is presently the deputy of the newly reestablished Arzenu Hungary.

 

Omer Nisanov, Herzliya, Israel

Omer was the head of the Israeli delegation at URJ Eisner Camp and will return as a staff member this summer.  During her IDF service, Omer taught courses to nearly a thousand soldiers to strengthen their Jewish and national identity.

 

Anna Posner, London, England

Anna is a first year rabbinical student at Leo Baeck College in London. She recently returned from Israel after working there for two years on the Shnat Netzer gap year program, running classes, helping with seminars, and providing emotional support for the 18 and 19 year old gap year students from around the world. She also grew up in the Liberal Jewish youth movement, and currently teaches in three different synagogues in London.

 

Alexander Reschetnikow, Reinfeld, Germany

Alex studies Media & Entertainment Management of Business Administration at Stenden University in the Netherlands. In Germany, he joined the Netzer (Reform young adult) movement and has taken on multiple leadership roles since, including becoming the head counselor for the Progressive German Movement.

 

McKenzie Sigle, Allen, Texas

McKenzie studies Elementary Education at the University of Kansas, and works part-time in the Office of Admissions as a student ambassador. She is also a counselor at the URJ’s Greene Family Camp and participated in the Olim fellowship, a professional development program for counselors.  Growing up, McKenzie engaged in Judaism through her synagogue, camp, and NFTY (the North American Reform youth movement).

 

Shannah Zilcha, Herzliya, Israel

Shannah is an IDF officer in air force intelligence. She grew up in Kehilat Raanana synagogue in Raanana where she was part of a youth Beit Midrash.  For three years of high school she was a counselor in the Israeli youth movement “Hanoar Haoved Ve’Halomed.” She also participated in the Israel Movement for Progressive Judaism’s post-high school gap year program in Jaffa.