Chicago, IL
Shwayder Camp
Columbia University and JTS

South Orange, NJ
Ramah in New England
University of Massachusetts, Amherst

Michal is a junior at UMass studying Education with a minor in sociology and a certificate in social work. On campus she works as a rock climbing instructor. She is also an intern at a math tutoring company that serves low income school districts. She was a camper at Ramah Palmer from 2014-2020, went on Ramah Israel Seminar in 2021, and has worked on staff every summer since 2022. Camp Ramah allowed her to discover her passions for Judaism and education. She looks forward to furthering these interests through the Nachshon Project.

Los Angeles, CA
Columbia University and JTS

Natan Rosenbaum is a junior in the joint program between JTS and Columbia University, majoring in American Studies and Talmud. An alum of Yeshivat Ma’ale Gilboa, Natan is enthusiastic about learning Torah and discussing Judaism. Natan believes that there is infinite wisdom within the Torah and Jewish tradition for everyone. He is invested in helping build a strong Jewish future through Torah. A product of sunny Los Angeles and Camp Ramah in California, Natan is a fervent appreciator of blue skies and California hills. Natan is excited to grow with the rest of Cohort 11.

Deerfield, IL
URJ OSRUI
George Washington University

Noah Shapiro is originally from Deerfield, IL and is currently in his Junior year at the George Washington University in Washington DC, where he is earning his degree in Organizational Sciences with minors in Hebrew and Judaic Studies. He has been a camper and staff member for 13 summers at OSRUI in Oconomowoc, WI and has worked for multiple summers in the Chalutzim Hebrew immersion program to help American teenagers create their own unique relationships with Israel. He has also served as the GW Hillel’s Director of First Year Experience. In addition, he serves as a mentor for the 2024-25 URJ Teen Israel Organizing Immersive, 2024 FJC Cornerstone Fellow, and was a 2023-24 HUC Teaching Impact Fellow. He is passionate about finding engaging solutions to modern day issues faced by Jews and hopes to combine his love for Performing Arts and Judaism to inspire Jews of different backgrounds.

Charleston, SC
Camp Stone
Yale University

Sammy Rosenberg, is a junior studying Philosophy at Yale University from Charleston, SC. After high school, he spent two years studying at Yeshivat Har Etzion, where he came to love Torah study as a centerpiece of his life. In his summers, he can always be found at Camp Stone, where he most recently worked as Rosh Machal and Rosh Moshava! In Yale, he's on the boards for YIHY (the Orthodox community), Yale Friends of Israel, and was recently a part of the Hillel Student Board. Jewish education and community has always been and continues to be central to his life, and he's incredibly excited to join the Nachshon Project!

Wilmette, IL
Ramah in New England
Bates College

Sarah is a junior at Bates College, majoring in History and minoring in Educational Studies. She is the co-president of the Jewish Student Union, the Jewish organization on Bates campus. She is also the spiritual leader and coordinates weekly Shabbat services. Sarah writes for the Bates newspaper and works in Alumni Advancement on their social media team. Sarah attended Camp Ramah in New England for 6 years as a camper and will be returning this summer for her 4th year on staff, working with the oldest division. Sarah is passionate about her Jewish identity, connection to Israel, and is eager to further develop her leadership skills and explore opportunities in the Jewish professional world.

South Orange, NJ
University of Michigan

Sari Rosenberg is a senior at the University of Michigan where she majors in Women and Gender Studies, and minors in Judaic Studies and Community Action and Social Change. Originally from NJ, Sari is passionate about Reform Judaism, social justice work and building a stronger Jewish community. When she is not at Hillel, you can find her babysitting, playing with her dogs, listening to podcasts or reading.

Teaneck, NJ
Camp Stone
Yale University

Shlomi Helfgot grew up in Manhattan and was educated in institutions including Yeshivat Har Etzion and Camp Stone, where he has been on staff almost continuously since 2016. Shlomi is now a senior in Yale University. While majoring in philosophy and computer science, his interests include music theory and composition, digital humanities, comparative Semitics, and proof-based mathematics. When not playing ukulele, snowboarding, or copyediting Judaic Studies books, Shlomi can be found working on a research project on Zerahiah ha-Levi's Talmudic hermeneutics, an endeavor which combines his love of Arabic, Hebrew, Talmudic method, and Aristotelian philosophy. Shlomi loves teaching Torah and sharing his passion for Jewish philosophy, Jewish texts, and discussions about the Jewish future. He has been a teaching fellow at the Maimonides School, co-head of the Beit Midrash at Camp Stone for three sessions, and helped develop curricula for / teach a brand-new Biblical Hebrew course at Yale.

Sheburne, VT
Yale University

Sophie is a senior at Yale majoring in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. She grew up just outside of Burlington, Vermont, in the small but very special Vermont Jewish community. At Yale, she researches biogeography and physiology of mountain and desert plants. She feels most at home at Slifka, Yale’s center for Jewish life. Sophie served as Hillel Student Board Co-President for the past year, and as a gabbai of the Egalitarian minyan before that. Before college, she spent a gap year in Israel at Kol Ami Mechina. When not at Slifka or chasing down plants, she plays oboe in a pops orchestra, works at the Yale farm, and teaches second grade Hebrew school at a local synagogue. She is excited to continue exploring Jewish learning and communal leadership through the Nachshon Project this semester.

Valley Stream, NY
Yeshiva University

Uriel Sussman is a senior at Yeshiva University pursuing a degree in Philosophy with minors in Jewish Studies and Math. Raised in North Woodmere, Uriel spent two years at Yeshivat Har Etzion studying Talmud and being trained in analytic conceptual analysis. Serving as President of Student Council and Editor-in-Chief of Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary’s Beis Yitzchak journal, Uriel is passionate about serving his community to the best of his abilities. Uriel hopes to combine his leadership skills with his penchant for traditional text study to help create a new generation of Jewish leaders grounded in tradition and committed to their people.