Recently in Alumni Profiles Category

Abbie Silber is a singer and songwriter from Cedar Rapids, Iowa.  Following her graduation from the University of Indiana, Abbie was a participant on the WUJS Arts Track and today is an up and coming artist with her own album.

Abbie was recently interviewed by her university alumni association.  Check it out at http://alumni.indiana.edu/singinghoosiers/docs/sh-spring11.pdf

You can also check out Abbie's own site at http://abbiesilber.com/default.aspx

Seth is pictured on the left of the picture together with some of his friends from the WUJS program in Tel-Aviv

As a California boy, I never thought others would recognize me as anything but American, until this past year. People approach me on a daily basis assuming that I may be Russian, Israeli, French, British, Mexican, and even South African. This can only happen in the diverse city of Tel Aviv. It doesn't bother me at all and I am flattered to look like such a mutt. I think that means I have adapted quite well since I am no longer mistaken as the typical American tourist.

A year ago I came on WUJS (World Union Jewish Students), a 6 month internship program sponsored by Haddasah/Young Judea. The program allows you to pick an internship of your choice, in the field you wish to pursue your career in, become a volunteer for a non-profit organization, or venture out and work in a field that you may have never tried back at home. While working hard, 3-5 days a week, there are also weekly trips around Israel which include hiking, touring, and educational excursions. I finally saw the acres of green trees and forests made possible by the donations from JNF. The tree certificates we buy definitely make a difference. Ulpan or Hebrew classes are mandatory twice a week but necessary and worth while if you want to steer away from your everyday American lifestyle. 

Just before I left Pismo Beach, CA., I had been working in the hospitality industry at a small boutique hotel for a year, and really enjoyed it. I came to work in Israel in order to build my resume with some international experience. I got to Tel Aviv and two weeks later, without knowing much Hebrew, I was working behind the reception desk (kabbalah) at a large Israeli hotel chain, The Moriah Plaza (now the Leonardo Plaza). I thought to myself, how was I going to survive and actually have a worth while experience not speaking the native tongue? On top of that I think many of us assume that Israelis have no patience for Americans, at least this was was I thought. But my assumption was soon turned around, my manager and co-workers were actually excited to have an American working with them. They were patient in the training process and helped explain procedures in English, while here and there using important Hebrew vocabulary that would help me understand the language more in the work place. As they became more confident with me, like any job, my responsibilities grew and I was able to work with more and more Israelis customers with my broken Hebrew. I was having a blast while getting some valuable experience at the same time. 

I lived just a short 20 minute ride from work, a 20 minute daily adventurous bus ride that is, which was also a new and different experience for me. Having driven a car for almost half of my life, I had never really taken public transportation, let a lone a city bus with the most insane drivers in the entire world. I was nervous at first especially with all the bus bombings we hear about in the states, but soon got over this fear and made the most out of it. 

After the 6 month program ended, I decided to stay. Soon enough, I applied for a work visa, found an apartment and was offered a job at the David Intercontinental Hotel in Tel Aviv. Unlike the bad condition of the economy in the States, tourism is booming in Israel despite the "flotilla scare", most hotels were sold out this summer. The salary is not great, rent is expensive like in New York, but there are jobs, people still go out to have fun, and its a great feeling to say "Shabbat Shalom" to your neighbor.

I have been here for a year now and have not yet decided when I will come home. I still manage to stay close with my family via Skype and keep in touch with my friends through Fantasy Football. This amazing Israel experience would not have been possible without the financial support from The Jewish Federation of Fresno. They had granted me a generous loan which helped me pay the tuition for the program. I recommend this adventure to anyone in search of a career path, a new experience, and life long friends. 

Thank you so much!

Seth Felix

Ricky Yihye with former Bialik Rogozin school volunteer Michal Swerdlow

A few weeks ago, the principal of the Bialik Rogozin School in South Tel Aviv, invited me to attend a special evening dedicated to all the interns and volunteers.

Currently, we have a WUJS participant volunteering at the school and helping teach English to the children of the refugees and foreign workers.

The evening was supposed to start at 6:30PM.  I was happy for the invitation and arrived a little early. I did not plan to stay long, just pop in, to show support for the school and our participant.  When I arrived I saw it was something more serious then I originally thought.

At the entrance a few students greeted guests with a smile and referred them to the dinning hall. In the dinning hall, the tables were laid with fruits, pastries, soft drink, hot drinks, and scented candles.  As time passed more and more people arrived and the room was filled almost entirely with volunteers.

Everyone gathered in the auditorium and the ceremony began with a song sung by children in more than five languages - English, Hebrew, Russian, Arabic, and Spanish. It was exciting to see and hear them sing together, especially in Hebrew so well. Following the song, the principal spoke and introduced some honored guests:

Minister of Education, Gideon Saar, Tel Aviv Mayor Ron Huldai, Mrs. Aliza Olmert, former Supreme Court Justice Yitzhak Zamir and his wife and many more, all of whom made room in their schedule and hearts to come to this event and say thank you to all the volunteers.

Of course the subject of their deportation came up and the unknown future of these children.

This was one of those evenings that you feel lucky to have been a part of.

It made me happy to see that they are in good hands and that we, even if indirectly, are taking a part in shaping their educational future.

After studying hotel management at Indiana University in Pennsylvania and working in the business for two years, Pittsburgh-native Ben Levine decided that he needed to take some time to explore his Judaism.  "I knew that I wanted to start defining myself as a Jew.  It had been pushing through my head during college," says Ben.  "And I knew that if I wanted to go overseas, I had to do it before I got caught up in work."

Ben turned down a promotion at work and enrolled in WUJS Jerusalem Learning that includes Jewish and Zionistic studies taught in a pluralistic environment, weekly field trips, hikes, meetings with Israeli peers, and volunteer opportunities.

Though Ben attended Solomon Schechter Day School until the eighth grade, he had not been involved in Jewish life at college because of his busy sports schedule.  With WUJS Jerusalem Learning, Ben was able to take courses in a variety of Jewish subjects, including Talmud, Kaballah, and the Arab-Israeli conflict, visit different parts of Israel he had never seen, including the Yemenite community in Rosh Ha'ayin, and experience daily life in Jerusalem.  "On a short organized trip, it's all sight-seeing," says Ben.  "But, in six months, we were able to live like Israelis--riding the bus and shopping at the market--and adapt to the culture."

His teachers, who Ben describes as "some of the greatest I've ever had," the WUJS courses and Jerusalem life helped Ben determine how he could live a Jewish life.  "The program didn't push me towards any new religious nature, but it did show me how I might adapt myself to being the sort of Jew I want to be," says Ben.

Though Ben recently returned to the United States, he definitely sees a future for himself in Israel--be it through future visits or another extended stay.  "The way Israelis interact is refreshing--like the sabra fruit, prickly on the outside and sweet on the inside," says Ben. "When I was in Israel, I met many families who treated me like a son."