Gallery of Grads: A Columbus Jewish News special section, May 27, 2021

Gaery of Grads

GALLERY OF GRADS

MAY 27, 2021

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A Columbus Jewish News Special Section

Phillip Bradshaw

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MAY 27, 2021

GALLERY OF GRADS

Getting to know some of the class of 2021 STEPHEN LANGEL | BUREAU CHIEF @LangelCJN slangel@cjn.org |

T

his year’s high school and college graduates have endured a senior year like no other. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, they’ve learned to adapt in new ways on a regular basis. Now looking ahead to futures beyond the pandemic

and the next chapter of their lives, a handful of local graduates told the Columbus Jewish News about how Judaism has impacted their school experiences, plans for the future and what they’ve learned along the way.

Jackie Heller / The Ohio State University Hometown: Potomac, Md. Major: Marketing Synagogue: I grew up going to a Conservative synagogue, Congregation Har Shalom, but my family went to Chabad of Potomac Village once I reached high school.

How has your Judaism influenced you?

Because I grew up with such strong religious influences, Judaism has made me feel more connected and part of a community. Many decisions I’ve made throughout college have been made because I factor my religion into my life. For example, which groups I’ve joined, going to Shabbat dinner instead of going out with friends, going home for Passover and missing a weekend with friends, signing up for Sinai Scholars courses.

What were your Jewish activities during college? Attended OSU Chabad for Friday night dinners, High Holidays and other holidays throughout the year; learned with Sarah Deitsch, Chabad program director, one-on-one and at her weekly lunch and learn classes. I was also a member of AEPhi sorority and TAMID Group, a national organization that connects American students to Israel. Both aren’t only Jewish, but AEPhi is based on Jewish values and

special.

What are your most cherished memories from college? Living and interning in Israel the summer after sophomore year as a part of TAMID’s Summer Fellowship program.

Taking a leadership and character class co-taught by former OSU football coach Urban Meyer. Leading the OSU chapter of TAMID as president for a year. Joining and leading the OSU chapter of Spoon University, a cooking publication. Going to the OSU/Michigan game.

Jack Spero / The Ohio State University TAMID works with Israeli startups.

How were these activities meaningful to you? Going to Chabad over the last four years – and especially the past two – has made an incredible impact on my time at Ohio State. Chabad has truly been my home away from home. Rabbi Zalman Deitsch and Sarah’s energy and spirit is contagious, and they make every experience at Chabad so

Mazal Tov to our Samuel M. Melton Religious School

5781 Graduating Classes 7th Grade Noah Grischkan Allison Lefkowitz Benjamin Pesetsky Alexander Popa Emily Wasserstrom

What are the most important lessons you learned during college? Don’t be afraid to create your own path.

What are your goals in life? I want to pursue a career in digital marketing and make a significant impact on a brand. As a marketing major, I have learned a lot about managing a brand and I want to put my creativity and skills to work.

What steps are you taking towards those goals? I am applying to jobs in New York City.

12th Grade Beth Littman

Hometown: Beachwood, Ohio Major: Biology major, Hebrew minor Synagogue: The Temple-Tifereth Israel in Beachwood How has your Judaism influenced you?

Judaism has shaped my values, identity and purpose as a human being. The Jewish people have a lot to offer the world and I’d like to continue the tradition.

What were your Jewish activities during college? I was co-president of the Hillel student board, Heritage chair of Zeta Beta Tau Fraternity, a David Project (Hillel’s non-Jewish outreach) intern and a facilitator for Ohio State’s kosher dining Initiative. I also went on Birthright and Onward Israel, where I lived and worked in Tel Aviv for summer 2019.

How were these activities meaningful to you? I found an authentic, supportive and dynamic Jewish community, broadened my awareness of other cultures and religions, became a leader, and grew my advocacy and support of Israel and world Jewry.

What are your most cherished memories from college? Ohio State beating the University of Michigan, November 2019.

What are the most important lessons you learned during college? Preparation is key. Always stay humble.

What are your goals in life? My life goal

is to be able to send my kids to Jewish summer camp. Since I was a young boy, I have had a passion to become a physician and make a positive impact in the medical field. I have always been inspired by the knowledge that medical doctors possess.

What steps are you taking towards those goals? I will be working as a clinical informatics specialist at Oak Street Health in downtown Cleveland to gain firsthand clinical experience.

What else would you like readers to know about you? I like to run.

GALLERY OF GRADS

MAY 27, 2021

ColumbusJewishNews.com | COLUMBUS JEWISH NEWS | 31

Congratulations to our graduates!

Congratulations to our graduates!

Columbus Academy’s 104-member Class of 2021 will matriculate to 72 colleges and universities in 28 different states (numbers indicate more than one attending): American University Amherst College (2) Arizona State University Babson College Barnard College Bates College Berea College Boston College (3) Boston University (2) Bucknell University Butler University Capital University Carleton College Carnegie Mellon University Case Western Reserve University Centre College University of Cincinnati (2) College of Charleston

University of Chicago College of William and Mary Colorado College (2) Columbia University Cornell University University of Denver (2) DePauw University Emory University Georgetown University Georgia Institute of Technology Gettysburg College University of Illinois Indiana University (3) John Carroll University Kettering University Lehigh University Loyola University Chicago Massachutsetts Institute of Technology

Miami University (9) University of Miami University of Michigan (2) University of Minnesota University of New Mexico New York University Northwestern University University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill The Ohio State University (9) The Ohio State University at Newark University of Pennsylvania University of Pittsburgh Purdue University (2) University of Rochester Rollins College Santa Clara University Southern Methodist University University of South Florida

University of Southern California St. Lawrence University St. Olaf College Stanford University Tufts University Tulane University (2) United States Naval Academy University of Utah Vanderbilt University University of Virginia (2) Virginia Tech Wake Forest University Washington University in St. Louis (4) West Virginia University Westmont College Williams College The College of Wooster Yale University

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MAY 27, 2021

GALLERY OF GRADS

Cydney Platt / Columbus Academy Hometown: Westerville College plans: I will be attending the University of Minnesota to study music therapy.

Synagogue: Congregation Beth Tikvah Jewish activities: Four-year youth group board member at Beth Tikvah (communications vice president, religious and cultural vice president, and president); five-year camper at URJ Goldman Union Camp Institute; current staff member at URJ GUCI; two-time Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism’s L’Taken social justice seminar participant; summer intern at the Jewish Community Center of Greater Columbus Why are these activities meaningful?

All of these activities have given me new friendships and memories. Youth group and camp have taught me to get out of my comfort zone, allowed me to learn a lot

about myself and grow as a person.

L’Taken has expanded my knowledge and experiences with current social justice issues. It has also provided me a safe space to have discourse with other Jewish teens and given me a platform to raise my voice for change.

My internship at the JCC has solidified my desire to work with elementary-age kids in the future. It gave me the opportunity to explore different aspects of the theater, something I am passionate about.

How has Judaism influenced you?

I have always felt drawn to tikkun olam and practice it in my daily life. I am an active member of my school’s service board, was a weekly volunteer at my local library’s homework help center and look for opportunities to give back to my community.

Most cherished high school memories: I have two favorite memories from high

Mazel Tov ASHLEIGH ROSEN Marietta High School

Congratulations Ashleigh!

We’re so proud of you and excited for the next chapter in your life.

Love, Dad and Brett

Washington State Community College

school. The first is my sophomore year band trip – it was the first and only time I have been to Disney World. The second is my “final bell.” It is a school tradition for seniors to gather in the quad and spend our final bell as a class. This was the most normal event we had all year, and it holds a special place in my heart.

Most important lessons learned in high school: It is OK to ask for help – your teachers are there for a reason.

Plans after college: I hope to become a licensed music therapist and work in either a school or hospital setting. My ultimate goal, whether through music therapy or another career, is to give back to my community.

How do you plan to live Jewishly in college? I am planning on participating in Hillel activities on campus.

Hannah Garvin / Columbus Torah Academy Hometown: Bexley College plans: After graduation, I plan on attending seminary at Midreshet Torat Chessed in Israel as a gap year. After seminary, I intend on studying neuroscience and medical ethics at Brandeis University.

Synagogue: Congregation Torat Emet Jewish activities: On Monday nights I learn Torah with one of my teachers at the (Columbus Community) Kollel.

Why is that activity meaningful? I always leave the kollel with a new concept to consider or an idea to contemplate, helping me explore who I am as a person as well as a Jew. How has Judaism influenced you?

The Torah is an instruction book for life – studying it allows me the opportunity to learn how to become a better person.

Most important lessons learned in high school: During high school, I learned I am only in control of myself. I am not in control of how my teachers or friends act or think, as much as I wish I had the ability to do so.

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GALLERY OF GRADS

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MAY 27, 2021

Wide range of options available for graduation gifts BEN BLOTNER | CONTRIBUTOR columbuseditorial@cjn.org

W

hen it comes to choosing the right gift for a recent high school or college graduate, the ideal choice is not always obvious.

Luckily for many, there is no shortage of potential gift sources in the Columbus area.

Parents, other family, and friends can find gifts ranging from art, jewelry and other items offered by Terry Janis to Israeli bonds that can be purchased through Israel Bonds Ohio.

“Israel gets to use the funds for its budgetary needs until the bond matures,” Thomas Lockshin, Israel Bonds Ohio’s executive director, explained to the Columbus Jewish News in an email. “Israel bonds help support every aspect of Israel’s economy. The graduate gets the satisfaction of helping Israel. It is also an investment that earns the graduate interest. At the end of the term, the graduate can reinvest into a new Israel bond or redeem for cash if they have other financial needs.”

New Israel bonds are issued twice each month, with interest rates being fixed for the term of the bond.

“Israel bonds start at $36 and have terms from 1-15 years,” Lockshin wrote.

“Israel bonds must be held until they mature, then the holder has access to the funds and any accrued interest.

This allows these bonds to have a significant benefit, which is important as Lockshin said that gifts for grads should be “meaningful and long-lasting.”

While that certainly can be the case for both Israel bonds, it is also true for more traditional gifts such as the Terry Janis Collection in Columbus, which offers a wide selection of possible gifts for graduates, created by many different artists. Along with having artistic value, the items in her collection are often also useful for practical purposes, making them helpful as well as appealing for those who receive them as gifts.

For instance, in non-pandemic times, pieces of jewelry tend to be among the most popular items in Janis’s collection, but the relative lack of demand in this area over the past year has forced her to adapt in a way.

“Before the pandemic, it used to be jewelry (that was most popular), but with the pandemic, nobody’s getting dressed and nobody’s going anywhere,” Janis explained. “I think now that the restrictions are being lifted, jewelry

Janis

Lockshin

will probably come back into being the number-one topic. Going along with that would be accessories such as purses, handbags, things that you need anyway.

If you’re going out, you’re going to need a purse or a wallet or something like that.”

It is these types of gifts, which can be used for practical purposes, that Janis believes are often the most appropriate for graduates.

“Nowadays, I would say practical (gifts are best),” Janis said. “When you get kind of crazy, then they kind of forget what it’s used for.”

Janis works with a great variety of artists, often traveling the country and attending shows to seek out gifts that can be added to her collection.

“I represent over 200 artists, and I pick (gifts) that fall into any category, whether it be graduations, weddings, general gifting, baby, garden, all these categories where you can use art, enjoy art, wear art,” Janis said. “I’m lucky to be able to meet the artists themselves when I pick out these things that I think would be good for my gallery. When I go to shows, I get to meet them, and then I learn about the process and not just the item.”

Collections like Janis’ can be very convenient for finding personalized gifts, and she hopes small businesses such as her own can continue to find success and even thrive during difficult times.

“I hope after going through a year where we were isolated and everybody was at home and ordering online, (that we) continue to support local and small businesses,” Janis said. “As much of a struggle as it’s been for all the big guys and everyone that people normally like to go to, the small businessperson is struggling as well just to keep their name out front, and so just shopping local and shopping small … would be a big help.”

Ben Blotner is a freelance writer from Columbus.

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Mazel Tov JARED E. STAVSKY, DMD Doctor of Dental Medicine

MAY 27, 2021

Persistence, adaptability, good resume: key to finding your first job MIRIAM SEGALOFF | CONTRIBUTOR columbuseditorial@cjn.org

D We’re so proud of your incredible accomplishments!

We know you will be a wonderful, caring dentist and look forward to your future success. We love you!

Mom & Dad Rachel, Jonah, Michal & Tamar

Rutgers School of Dental Medicine

NOW BOOKING CLASS OF 2022!

Congratulations, graduates! www.westervilleseniorphotography.com

GALLERY OF GRADS

iving into the professional job market for the first time can be scary, but experts agree there are some broad strokes those new to the process can take to keep their heads above water.

First and foremost, recent graduates need to prepare an effective resume. Your resume makes the case for you to be hired and, as such, it is the most important Agin tool at your disposal, Cyndi Freeman, director of the Center for Career Development at Franklin University in Columbus, said. And, the same resume will not work for every job, she added.

“It’s not one-sizefits-all,” Freeman said.

Broidy “A resume has to be tailored to every job you apply for.”

One way to ensure the best possible resume is to work with professionals, such as those in your school’s career center, to craft it, Mindy Agin, the assistant director Freeman for internships and externships at Ohio Wesleyan University in Delaware, said.

“Even if you didn’t go to career services before you graduated, email them now,” Agin said. “Your resume has to be competitive.

You can’t just use a template from Microsoft Office. Attempting to do it alone is a real mistake. There are all these resources out there and people who want to help you.”

Michael Broidy, senior vice president of corporate affairs at Schottenstein Stores in Columbus, said it is just as important to consider what you leave out of your resume as what you include.

“It’s very important that people be honest,” he said. “It’s not good to add things to one’s resume or work history because those things are easy to check. You want to make sure you are not one of the ones who exaggerate their ability to do a job.”

The next step for applicants, once they get an interview, is to do their homework and get to know a company’s vision, mission and

culture, Broidy said. And above all, once they obtain a job, they need to approach their job search with a good attitude and patience, he added.

“As long as you have a good attitude, companies like ours will teach you the field and you can be very successful,” Broidy said.

“What we are looking for is someone who is going to be a good team member. Everyone comes to a job with different skills, but one of the things a company like ours looks for is someone who is going to be a good team member.”

Other top traits employers look for include adaptability, persistence, resiliency, creativity and ability to engage with new technology, Freeman said.

In a post-pandemic world, the experts said, some of those skills take on an additional importance, such as persistence and adaptability.

“You may not get a position immediately, but businesses are most interested in those who show a strong interest in them,” Broidy said. “Persistence is something I find is a strong quality in a candidate.”

Freeman added that the past year has taught the importance of adaptability.

“That’s important because we don’t know what the workplace is going to look like.

There is a whole group of people who don’t plan to go back to work if they have to go back into the office.”

“The silver lining for college graduates is that everyone knows how difficult the pandemic has been,” she said. “People really want to help college graduates launch. I think they always do. But it’s more so now that the pandemic has made the last year so challenging.”

Given the desire of others to help new graduates, it is especially important that they are not afraid to ask for help, Agin said.

However, these experts said that, for those who are planning to wait out the pandemic or unsure of what they want to do, taking a post-college gap year can be helpful and will not hurt their career prospects.

“Gap years are awesome,” Agin said.

“Employers do not think poorly of a gap year. But you need to be able to articulate your story – what you did and why you did it and what skills you are going to bring to the workplace that you learned during that year.”

Miriam Segaloff is a freelance writer from Gahanna.

Publisher’s note: Michael Broidy is a member of the Columbus Jewish Publication Company Board of Directors.

GALLERY OF GRADS

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MAY 27, 2021

OSU offers many options for students to live Jewishly on campus MIRIAM SEGALOFF | CONTRIBUTOR columbuseditorial@cjn.org

A

ccording to Hillel International, about 3,000 Jewish students attend The Ohio State University in Columbus. For some of them, packing for college includes bringing with them their Jewish practice and identity.

Fortunately for those students, there are a number of Jewish organizations on or near campus ready and waiting to help them unpack.

“Anything and everything a Jewish student might need when Deitsch they are away from home, we offer,” Sarah Deitsch, director of operations at the Schottenstein Chabad House at The Ohio State University in Columbus, told the Columbus Jewish News.

That is a sentiment shared by the Ohio State University Hillel.

“It’s a real no brainer to participate in Jewish life on campus,” said Rabbi Ilan Schwartz, Schwartz Hillel’s assistant director.

Both organizations offer a variety of on-campus programs and events, including Shabbat and holiday services and meals, classes, leadership opportunities, social events and one-on-one pastoral support. Deitsch and Schwartz said they try to connect with students at a developmentally appropriate level.

“We provide Jewish students with the opportunity to continue their Jewish lives or develop them further once they get to school,” said Schwartz. “We give Jewish students the tools they need to take the next steps and create a Judaism that is authentic to them.”

There are also options for Jewish students beyond the OSU campus, such as the Columbus Community Kollel in Bexley, which offers classes, discussions, trips and social events.

“Jewish growth is a perpetual process that each student, emerging from their unique Jewish background, must develop at their own pace,” Kollel Rabbi Yaakov Kirschbaum said. “We are committed to offering guidance and opportunities at each step of a student’s personal Jewish journey. Whether you’re a person who thrives in social settings, among a small group of peers or prefers quality one-on-one conversation, you’ll feel right at home.”

Deitsch, Schwartz and Kirschbaum all believe a student’s Jewish identity matures and often solidifies as they grow into young adults, practicing Judaism at a higher level than they may have in the past.

“It’s more sophisticated Judaism,” Deitsch said.

“We are aware they are growing up and maturing in different parts of their lives. There is no reason their Judaism can’t do the same. We provide something more thoughtful and challenging, something they can sink their teeth into and get a really good taste of Judaism.”

Regardless of what kind of background students come from or what spiritual views they bring with them, these organizations can add to students’ college experiences.

“Everyone is accepted on their own level,” Deitsch said. “It’s not about pressure to become more

observant. It’s about educating yourself to make good choices. Now is their opportunity to learn and discuss and delve more deeply into Judaism so they can choose what their Jewish life is going to look like.”

Kirschbaum said, “Our goal is to inspire a lifelong love affair with Jewish learning and inspired living. Whether a person comes from a more- or lessdeveloped background, everyone is encouraged to put this time in their lives into perspective: As much as it’s a time of friends, studying and career, it’s a time when many major directions in our lives are set.”

“Jewish growth is a perpetual process that each student, emerging from their unique Jewish background, must develop at their own pace.”

Rabbi Yaakov Kirschbaum

Miriam Segaloff is a freelance writer from Gahanna.

Mazel Tov to the CJDS Fifth Grade Graduates!

Rony Amar

Jonah Davis

Zeke Moses

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CELEBRATE CELEBRATE CELEBRATE

MAY 27, 2021

Saving for retirement should be a priority for recent graduates

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BEN BLOTNER | CONTRIBUTOR columbuseditorial@cjn.org

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While finding a stable job and beginning to accumulate savings should be among priorities, retirement saving strategies should become an important consideration once those primary goals are being met.

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However, a trend in recent years has seen more employers automatically enroll their employees in the plans, forcing them to opt out in order to decline the benefit. The result may be beneficial, as the majority of employees choose to stay enrolled and continue putting aside part of each paycheck for retirement.

“It’s starting to take shape and I’m seeing it in more and more plans, where new employees are automatically enrolled in the 401(k),” Coffey explained. “It may be as little as 1%, or it may be as much as 5% of their pay that automatically goes into the 401(k) unless they opt out. (This strategy) ends up with a significantly higher percentage of From a freshman music major at Iowa to Israel for people still participating in a 401(k) plan after Counterterrorism and Homeland Security – who knew? the first few months of working, whereas the enrollment percentage of employees who So proud of your initiative, perseverance, and intellectual curiosity! have to opt in is significantly lower.”

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Along with automatic enrollment, another common incentive to encourage Mom, Dad, and Geoff retirement plan participation is the employer match program. With this feature, an employer contributes its own funds to an employee’s retirement plan, matching at least a portion of the employee’s own contributions out of their paychecks.

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Mazel Tov

YENA ZERKEL

Northeastern University Interdisciplinary Center Herzliya, Israel

Bowman

Coffey

sure that you take full advantage of any matching contributions offered by your employer and put as much as you can afford into the plan.”

Coffey added, “to incentivize employees, a lot of employers will opt for a match, and you’d be foolish as an employee not to take advantage of the match. So, you want to at least contribute enough to take maximum advantage of the match.”

Both Coffey and Bowman stressed the importance of beginning to save and invest early in life, allowing employees to save the maximum amount of money possible and achieve optimal growth by the time they reach retirement age.

Coffey provided an example of the value of this strategy. “Let’s suppose you started saving early, so you decide to start saving $1,000 a year,” Coffey said. “If you begin now versus 10 years from now, by the time you retire, you’ll have twice as much money in the account that you started 10 years earlier.

Now, you’ve only saved an additional $10,000 over the 10-year period, but the reason your money is growing so much more is that you’ve given it more time to grow and compound.”

Bowman elaborated on a similar idea, writing a hypothetical scenario as follows: • Scenario 1: You save $39 per week ($4,000 per year) starting at age 25 then stop contributing at age 35. Assuming an 8% rate of return, you’ll still end up with $583,093 when you retire.

• Scenario 2: You start saving $39 per week ($4,000 per year) at age 35 and continue until age 65, ending up with $453,132.

• Scenario 3: You save $39 per week ($4,000 per year) starting at age 25 and continue to do so until age 65, accumulating a total of $1,036,226.

Bowman said getting started early is crucial when it comes to the accumulation of retirement savings as an extra 10 years of contribution and resulting growth can make a huge difference in the overall return. While getting on one’s feet and building a career are appropriately first on most graduates’ priority lists, these experts say retirement planning and saving should certainly work their way into the picture sooner rather than later.

Ben Blotner is a freelance writer from Columbus.

GALLERY OF GRADS

MAY 27, 2021

ColumbusJewishNews.com | COLUMBUS JEWISH NEWS | 37

Bexley students win JCC student-athlete award

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exley High School seniors Madeline Young and Will Meyer received the Don Erkis & Lou Berliner High School Jewish Scholar/ Athlete Award May 12 during the Jewish Community Center of Greater Columbus’ 2021 Teen Awards ceremony.

Young played basketball and soccer, while Meyer played golf and tennis and was on the swim team.

Young and Meyer each received a $1,000 scholarship, along with a one-year JCC health club membership, $100 gift certificate and a fitness evaluation by a JCC personal trainer.

They were chosen from among 15 applicants.

Applicants needed to be Jewish and plan to attend college after graduation.

They needed to reside in Central Ohio; have at least a 3.0 grade-point average after seven semesters; and have participated in a high school sport, club-level sport or another amateur sport.

Meyer

Young

Gallery Of Grads Listings 2021 HIGH SCHOOL JACOB COHEN New Albany High School Class of 2021 High Point University Area of Study - Exercise Science HOLDEN OSBECK Whetstone High School Class of 2021 The Ohio State University Area of Study – Sports Management ASHLEIGH ROSEN Marietta High School Class of 2021 Washington State Community College

COLLEGE BRENDAN COHEN University of Cincinnati Bachelor of Business Administration Information Systems New Albany High School Class of 2018

RACHEL TAMARA GELLER University of Florida Bachelor of Science, Magna Cum Laude Neuro Psychology JON OSBECK Capital University Bachelor of Arts Summa Cum Laude Interdisciplinary Studies with a focus on Film and Journalism YENA ZERKEL Northeastern University Bachelor of Arts, Government Interdisciplinary Center – Herzliya, Israel

GRADUATE SCHOOL JARED E. STAVSKY, DMD Rutgers School of Dental Medicine Doctor of Dental Medicine

to the Senior Class of 2021 from the Columbus Jewish Community

38 | COLUMBUS JEWISH NEWS | ColumbusJewishNews.com

Congratulations JACOB COHEN New Albany High School

MAY 27, 2021

David and Irene Cole Essay Contest winners

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he winner of the David and Irene Cole Essay contest, an annual competition challenging high school seniors to consider their future college experiences, was announced by the Jewish Community Center of Greater Columbus May 12. The essay prompt

FIRST PLACE ESSAY

Talia Delman

Columbus Torah Academy Congregation Ahavas Shalom

E You always reach for the stars, and graduation from high school has been no exception!

You should be beaming with pride - we are!

The stars are aligned for you to do great things at High Point University! Mazel Tov! All our Love, Mom, Dad, Sarah and Brendan

High Point University

Congratulations BRENDAN COHEN

Bachelor of Business Administration

Mazel Tov on your college graduation!

We are so impressed by your dedication and perseverance and so proud of you!

Here’s to your future success as you pursue your Masters in Information Systems at the University of Maryland, College Park.

All our Love, Mom, Dad, Sarah and Jacob

University of Cincinnati

GALLERY OF GRADS

very Friday night, I love watching my mom light Shabbat candles, signifying the start of a day of rest and a break from school and softball. I’ve played softball for many years, debuting as a right-fielder on recreational teams and ascending to the more competitive realms of Varsity and travel ball, as the starting pitcher.

For many softball seasons, I was resigned to the Orthodox principles of modesty that mandate I always wear a skirt, despite the added encumbrance.

The skirt was a necessary part Delman of my Jewish identity but a clear contradiction to the prescribed uniform of my team. My Judaism also stipulates that I keep kosher at team picnics and don’t play softball on Shabbat. I also observe the holidays and I have almost always been content with the balance between my two worlds, playing a game I love while keeping to a uniform that defines my religious identity.

It wasn’t until a sunny day in November when a travelleague umpire ruled my skirt to be an illegal uniform (as an obstruction to the batter’s view of the ball) that I felt my worlds were at odds. Suddenly, the contradictions were thrown into sharp relief. At synagogue, I wore my skirt with pride, honoring my observance, my attire resembling that of those around me. At the same time, on those gameday Saturdays I wondered the fate of the game played in my absence. I imagined my prayer book a bat and my shiny dress shoes scuffed-up cleats. Shabbat left a gaping hole in the Lady Barracudas’ starting lineup; I was the Sandy Koufax of the team. Yet my faith preceded my sport and I embraced my observance.

“Softball?” my Orthodox Jewish friends asked.

“Like with bases? And dirt?” “Passover?” my softball teammates asked. “Like with Moses? And the desert?”

Which uniform to wear? To wear the skirt was to be disqualified at a time when my teammates needed me. But to forego the skirt, I would be forsaking an unshakable part of my identity. Each community held their steadfast beliefs. My skirt drew a line in the sand between the two.

My parents suggested I consult my rabbi. I was skeptical, expecting there to be no way to bend the rules of Orthodoxy. But after hearing the circumstances, the rabbi explained that I was allowed to play without my skirt. I was amazed. I hadn’t known there could be such flexibility within my observance. While I thought I was merely challenging the laws of modesty, I was actually challenging my erroneous belief that Orthodoxy was unyielding. I realized my choice was not a matter of sacrifice; my life had room for both softball and Judaism.

In my high school Jewish Philosophy class, I learned the academics behind the evolution of our traditions, what is unchanging and what is fluid. It helped me grasp

asked applicants how they will perpetuate their own Jewish knowledge and practice as a college freshman and why, with a $1,000 scholarship for the winning essay.

the nuance that allowed a balance between my Jewish observance and the secular world. I could practice the game I loved during the week, but on Shabbat, while my teammates played tournament games, I was listening to my father recite kiddush, the ceremonial blessing over wine. I truly understood that I wasn’t limited to only one uniform: I could wear two.

This past fall, through the college admissions process, I encountered yet another collision between two integral facets of my life.

Mirroring the dilemma between softball and my religious observance, I had spent much of my junior year at Columbus Torah Academy assuming I would have to choose between two worlds: the secular world that encompasses most top-tier nursing programs, or the Jewish community that is most easily found on smaller, more religious campuses. It wasn’t until I came across the University of Pennsylvania that I realized I could coexist in both realms.

Yet daunted by the challenge of Penn’s overwhelmingly low acceptance rate, I felt as though I would have to sacrifice one aspect of my identity for another.

I anxiously awaited the decision release date, the odds not in my favor. Yet upon opening my digital decision from the University of Pennsylvania, I watched with elation as the pixelated confetti exploded across my screen. I was accepted into the 269th class. I committed my enrollment immediately.

This spring, I will march to “Pomp and Circumstance” alongside my mighty class of 10 fellow graduates at Columbus Torah Academy. The small high school population limits extracurricular opportunities; however, what my high school experience lacks in breadth, it makes up for in depth. The relationships that I’ve developed with my teachers and peers are deep and anchored in years of shared experiences. The clubs that I’ve joined have now become a part of my identity.

I will bring to the University of Pennsylvania this immersive approach that will allow me to dedicate myself to the clubs I join, including the Hillel and the OCP, the Orthodox Community at Penn. I also hope to play club sports, unaffiliated with religion, in order to bridge the gap between my secular and Judaic worlds. I eventually hope to assume leadership positions, whether as a member of the OCP board or as team captain of Venus, Penn’s ultimate frisbee club team. In turn, I will benefit from the newfound breadth and plan to take advantage of the myriad opportunities.

Following a gap year at the Michlelet Mevaseret Yerushalayim seminary, I will join the University of Pennsylvania class of 2026. There, I will wear my skirt proudly, as a testament to my faith and observance. I will savor the Friday night candle lighting that will always connect me to my home and my family. I will daven every morning with my classmates and study the Torah in Judaic classes hosted by the Hillel. I know there will inevitably be new challenges that I face, yet I expect to not only perpetuate, but strengthen my Jewish connection through my time at the University of Pennsylvania.

Talia Delman, 18, will attend the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia after a gap year in Israel.

GALLERY OF GRADS

MAY 27, 2021

ColumbusJewishNews.com | COLUMBUS JEWISH NEWS | 39

David and Janet W. Goldsmith Teen Kavod Gadol Award winner

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he winner of the David and Janet W. Goldsmith Teen Kavod Gadol Award, an annual competition where students write essays demonstrating how their commitment to community service, leadership and compassion for others

FIRST PLACE ESSAY

Nate Eisenberg Bexley High School

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ommunity service, leadership, and compassion for others have become an integral part of my daily life. These attributes are used within my academic, extracurricular, and Jewish aspects of my life. Through involvement as a math tutor, leader in the Bexley theater department, and Eisenberg as a member of the Jewish Columbus Youth Foundation, I am able to continue to build these ideals into my everyday life.

Last year, after being inducted as a member of my school’s chapter of the National Honor Society, I was given the requirement of completing fifteen hours of in-school community service. While I already had done community service with outside organizations, I had never completed service hours within the school. While there were many options for hours, such as cleaning lab equipment or peer-editing essays, I immediately gravitated towards helping in my school’s math resource center (MRC).

During my study hall, I would report to the MRC to help underclassmen with

algebra, geometry, and trigonometry, and while I was only scheduled to come in twice a week, I would come in to work with peers in precalculus on the other days of the week. Not only did I enjoy the opportunity to help others, but the chance to work with my peers who were also interested in math was an incredible experience.

We were able to move beyond topics from class and began to discuss more involved concepts with our supervising teacher. I ended up surpassing my fifteen service hours within three weeks, but had so much fun during my time helping, I continued to come for the rest of the year. This year, due to COVID-19 restrictions on leaving study hall, I initiated a before-school tutoring center where high school tutors can come in and aid teachers who need help during office hours.

While I don’t always enjoy waking up early, it is always rewarding to help other students who have a difficult time understanding math.

Beyond math tutoring, I am heavily involved in my school’s theater department. This year, I am serving as president of Thespian troupe 2512.

As president, I act as a liaison between staff and students; organize, lead bonding and fundraising activities; schedule monthly meetings; and ensure elected officers fulfill their duties. Prior to my term as president, I served two terms as communications officer. In this position, I shared schedules and

will strengthen and improve the Jewish community, was announced by the Jewish Community Center of Greater Columbus May 12. The winner’s essay is printed below. rehearsal videos with the company and ran all social media outlets to promote shows. From joining the theater department in 1st grade, I have always wanted to take on leadership roles. These positions have allowed me to work on developing my leadership skills and give back to something that has had such a great impact on my life.

Along with serving in elected positions, I also directed high school one acts and choreographed the elementary musical. My favorite musical to choreograph would have to be Cinderella KIDS. Having played Prince Charming during the JCC summer camp’s production of the musical when I was going into third grade, it was great to return to a show that held such fond memories. Of the shows I directed, my favorite would have to be 937, which followed the journey of the MS St. Louis and its attempt to help Jewish refugees flee Nazi persecution in Cuba. Not only was it a learning experience directing the show, it was a great teaching experience being able to share such an impactful story and to educate about the Holocaust.

I have also served for three years as a member of the Voting Cohort of the JewishColumbus Youth Foundation.

In this position, I helped identify priority causes, and review and select grant proposals from local charities to fund activities, or resources up to $5000. With a focus of wellbeing, we funded a community garden at

the Columbus Jewish Day School with produce that was shared with underprivileged youth. This year, with a focus on programming for those who are physically at risk during the pandemic, we funded a Jewish Family Services program that provided technology, access to Internet and remote socialization programming to isolated seniors so they can feel a sense of community. The ability to make such a significant impact is hard to come by, and being on this board has allowed me to make an impact at a level I never could have imagined. Working with a group of other Jewish teens also provided an incredible sense of community that I had not previously felt beyond my time at sleep away camp.

Community service and leadership are a huge part of my life across all of my different areas of interest. I plan on continuing to do so next year in college, at Arizona State University. I will have the opportunity to become involved in Hillel, Chabad and AEPi, as well as leadership and service opportunities beyond the Jewish community. No matter what happens next year, I know I will continue to help build and strengthen the Jewish community, simply in a new environment.

Nate Eisenberg will be a freshman at Barrett, The Honors College – Arizona State University in Tempe, Ariz., in the fall.

Presidents of teachers unions call for full school reopening COLLIN BINKLEY | AP EDUCATION WRITER

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he presidents of the nation’s two major teachers unions called separately for a full return to in-person learning in the fall, with the leader of the American Federation of Teachers declaring May 13 that her organization was “all-in.”

In an address on social media, Randi Weingarten said the wide availability of vaccines and a new infusion of federal education money have removed many obstacles that prevented schools from opening.

“Conditions have changed,” Weingarten said. “We can and we must reopen schools in the fall for in-person

teaching, learning and support. And keep them open. Fully and safely, five days a week.”

The National Education Association issued its own statement after Weingarten’s remarks.

“NEA supports school buildings being open to students for in-person instruction in the fall,” said the group’s president, Becky Pringle. “Educators will continue to lead in making sure each school has what it needs to fully reopen in a safe and just way, and to ensure the resources exist to meet the academic, social and emotional needs of all students.”

If local unions heed theses calls, it would be seen as a major stride in

the effort to reopen schools. Teachers unions have been blamed for slowing the process with demands for a variety of safety measures. Teachers in some districts have refused to return until ventilations systems are updated, virus tests are given and all teachers are vaccinated.

Weingarten said vaccines have been the decisive factor in her vision for a fall reopening. President Joe Biden in March ordered states to prioritize teachers in vaccination rollouts, and by the end of that month, federal health officials said 80% of school workers had been given their first shot.

“I hear it in educators’ voices and see it in our polling results,” the union

chief said. “The fear that they will bring the virus home decreases the moment educators get the shots.”

Surveys by the union find that 89% of its 1.7 million members have been fully vaccinated or want to be, she said.

Still, Weingarten isn’t suggesting a quick return to the type of schooling students knew before the pandemic.

She said schools should continue with mask requirements, social distancing, contact tracing and other measures recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“It’s not risk free,” Weingarten said.

“But we can manage the threat by encouraging people to get vaccines and following guidance from the CDC.”