Fellows
Boston College
Albert Barkan is a fourth-year student at Boston College studying Economics and History. Shaped by the stories of his family’s hardships as Jews in the Soviet Union, Albert has found purpose in supporting and defending the Jewish state on his campus. He is proud to be a four-year member of Eagles for Israel, BC’s official pro-Israel advocacy group, and is looking forward to spending his senior year as the club’s president.
Brandeis University
Aviya Zarur is a freshman at Brandeis University. She was born in Israel, and despite being raised in Los Angeles, CA, considers Israel her home. Aviya is committed to continued learning and understanding Israel’s social, political, and economic status in order advocate properly for Israel on campus. She serves as Judges for Israel’s first-year rep.
Brown University
Micah Rosen is a sophomore at Brown University, majoring in History and Philosophy. He grew up with a strong connection to Judaism and to Israel, developed especially in his summers at Camp Ramah in California, where he met and developed relationships with Israel staff members, planned Israel education programs and panels for high school campers, and learned from others heavily involved in Israel advocacy.
At Brown, he is a staff writer and frequent contributor to the Brown Political Review, and is on the board of Brown Students for Israel, planning Israel-related events and working with student leaders to promote a relationship with Israel. He hopes to use his position and involvement with the Brown Student Government as well as his involvement in several campaigns in the Providence community to defend Israel against unwarranted criticisms and promote progress in my community’s discussions about Israel.
California State Polytechnic University
Jody Miller is a third-year journalism student concentrating in public relations at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. She has had a passion for Israel for as long as she can remember and truly feels at home when she goes to visit.
At school, Jody is a member of Mustangs United For Israel (MUFI), in which she attends many pro-Israel events on campus. This upcoming year, Jody will serve as the Cadre Communications Coordinator for the AIPAC cadre at her university.
As a CAMERA Fellow, Jody hopes to create a positive contribution to the worldview of Israel by sharing the truth the media frequently overlook. She hopes to continue a career in pro-Israel advocacy and put a stop to the anti-Israel bias in the media.
Case Western Reserve University
Hannah Pomerantz is a second-year student at Case Western Reserve University studying History and Political Science. Since her first visit to Israel in 2012, she has felt a profound connection with the state which sparked an interest in advocacy.
Hannah is an active member of Israel’s CWRU, the pro-Israel group on the Case campus, as well being involved with Cleveland Hillel and the Israel advocacy that they do. With programming through these organizations, she seeks to spread knowledge and a sense of understanding about Israel and its place in the world on her campus.
In high school, Hannah received an award for her activism from the Inter-Religious Council of New Rochelle. In the future, Hannah would like to hold public office and in doing so, strengthen the relationship between Israel and the United States. She is proud to have the opportunity to show support for Israel through CAMERA and looks forward to what she will accomplish in the year ahead.
The City College of New York
Ariel Avgi is a sophomore at The Macaulay Honors College at The City College of New York pursuing a double major in International Relations and Applied Mathematics. She is very active in City College’s chapter of the Roosevelt Institute where she wrote and published a policy proposal in its 10 Ideas Journal for Defense and Diplomacy. As a co-founder of the Students Supporting Israel chapter on her campus, and now as a CAMERA Fellow, she is eager to educate students and faculty on Israeli history and culture this academic year.
Ariel was raised in Queens, New York and on Long Island, but had a strong Israeli upbringing that follows her everywhere. She has been to Israel a few times in her life, and a large part of her devotion to Israel advocacy comes from the moral obligation she feels as simply a person who has experienced life in Israel and returns home to see the inaccuracies crafted of her homeland.
Cornell University
Josh Elkouby is a sophomore at Cornell University’s Dyson Business School. There he is concentrating in Finance and minoring in Real Estate. Coming from a strong Jewish background, he is a proud and staunch Zionist. As student body president at Rambam High School, Josh created several clubs which organized Zionistic rallies, collected money for the IDF, and sent care packages to Israeli soldiers. After graduating high school, Josh spent a year in Israel learning Judaic Studies at Yeshiva Torat Shraga in Jerusalem. On Campus, Josh serves as the treasurer for Cornellians For Israel (CFI), is on the Hillel Finance Committee, and is an active member of the Center for Jewish Living.
Israel Advocacy is a central part of Josh’s life. He believes that the best way to combat anti-Israel sentiment is through proper, unbiased education.
Dartmouth College
Joshua Kauderer is a Sophomore at Dartmouth College who intends to double major in History and Government. At Dartmouth, Josh is an editor of The Dartmouth Review and active in the Dartmouth Students for Israel organization. He is also a founding member of the TAMID campus chapter at Dartmouth, which works with Israeli startup companies. While in high school, Josh participated in the Write On For Israel Program where he learned how to be an effective advocate for Israel. His passion for Israel began while he was an elementary school student at the Solomon Schechter Day School of Bergen County. Josh has done research on media bias against Israel and has studied the correlation between anti-Israel views and anti-Semitism. In his spare time, Josh enjoys skiing, playing squash, and mountain biking.
The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Eden Adler currently attends the Hebrew University of Jerusalem where he is studying Political Science and International Relations. He was born in Israel and grew up in the community of Kfar Roses. He joined the Israel Defence Forces at 18 and was part of the 101st Paratroopers Brigade. By the age of 20, Eden commanded 40 soldiers. In the summer of 2014, he took part in Operation Protective Edge. After being released from the army, Eden started working for Israel’s public relations in the United States, Canada, and Geneva. He is the also the president of CAMERA at HUJI.
The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Lee-El Haune made aliyah eight years ago to Northern Israel. After a year at the mechina “Tzahali”, he was drafted into the IDF Spokespersons Unit. There she was responsible for coordinating visits and briefings for high-level government officials with the IDF. After being released, Lee-El began studying International Relations and Political Science at the Hebrew University. In addition to her studies, Lee-El works at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Emergency and Crisis Management Center, and is a MASA Ambassador, speaking to a large number of Taglit groups. She is also a Fighting BDS Online Fellow. Lee-El is the co-founder of CAMERA at HUJI, responsible for the external relations of the group.
Published Articles:
The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Bar Fabian was born and raised in Israel and currently lives in Jerusalem. Bar served as an officer in the artillery forces of the IDF for four and a half years. After his discharge, he spent a year traveling in South, Central, and North America. Following his return to Israel, he managed, led, and coordinated all of the youth activities in the region of ‘Hof Hefer’ in the Emek Hefer valley.
Last year, Bar began attending the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. He plans to double major in International Relations and Communications. Bar has gained pro-Israel advocacy skills through his experience working with the STWU Fellowship and through CAMERA at HUJI.
Bar has also taken part in a social scholarship called “Let’s,” which advocates against racism and intolerance towards minorities in schools and in Israeli society. Through the scholarship, Bar has arranged meetings for Jewish high school students and representatives from the Arab and the LGBTQ communities. He is currently employed at Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the security department. In the future, Bar plans on continuing working in public diplomacy while increasing awareness of social issues and political issues in Israel and abroad.
King’s College London
Joelle Reid is a first-year student from London reading Political Economy at King’s College London. Despite gaining fluency in Modern Hebrew and avidly following Israeli Politics throughout secondary school, her interest in Middle Eastern studies was piqued after she spent a year abroad in Israel studying Talmudic law and philosophy at Midreshet Lindenbaum.
During her gap year, she was accepted into the Jerusalem U Oz fellowship programme, where she interacted with top Israel experts and acquired a deeper and broader understanding of Israeli politics while touring around the country. Joelle also participated in a four-week social media workshop run by BOMAH in Jerusalem, focusing on the utilization of social media in marketing and on social network advocacy training. She honed her skills by attending many political and cultural events during her year in Israel, including the 5th Global Forum for Combating Antisemitism, the National Yom Haatzmaut beacon lighting ceremony, and the annual reception celebrating Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s birthday hosted by the British Ambassador to Israel.
Joelle has been dancing ballet from the age of three with the Royal Academy of Dance, is a hiking enthusiast, and recently managed her school basketball team to league victory.
Ohio State University
Rebecca Zagorsky is a sophomore at The Ohio State University, currently combining the fields of business and psychology. She is interested in looking at the world through new perspectives, both in and out of the classroom. She has traveled to many different areas of the globe, from third world countries in Asia to first world countries in Europe. Her favorite part about traveling (besides the food) is interacting with locals. She is passionate about understanding people’s beliefs and motives, as well as the cultures behind their values.
This summer, she is working on turning an economic textbook into a series of online videos. She loves the daily challenge of teaching herself the ropes of video editing and animation, and the even bigger challenge of making economics engaging. When she is not working or traveling, however, she loves a good debate, especially about Judaism, curling up with her cat and a book, but especially laughing and eating incessantly with her friends. She is incredibly excited to be a CAMERA fellow this upcoming year and learn fascinating skills with a great cohort.
Princeton University
Leora Eisenberg is a freshman at Princeton University who hopes to major in Near East Studies. She enjoys writing, reading, singing, teaching yoga, and educating others about Israel and Judaism.
Leora has been featured in publications such as the Algemeiner, Orthodox Union, Hevria, the Forward, and more. She also maintains a regular blog at the Jerusalem Post and Times of Israel.
Published Articles
- Leora’s Times of Israel Blogs
- Black Lives Matter in Israel (InFocus)
- AJ+ is Lying to You (InFocus)
- Letter: Mainstream pro-Israel groups do welcome liberal Zionists (Washington Jewish Week)
- A Breakup Letter to Europe (InFocus)
SUNY Binghamton
Dalya Panbehchi is a first generation Iranian-American from Atlanta, Georgia and is a first-year student at Binghamton University. Although surrounded by Zionism and Middle Eastern culture her entire life, her interest in the Middle East and love for the State of Israel was intensely vivified post-high school.
Following her graduation, Dalya was finally acquainted with Israel in person for the first time. She spent an exceptionally stimulating year in Israel at Midreshet Moriah, cultivating knowledge and igniting a passion for Judaism and Zionism through both challenging classes and travel.
In addition to her love for Israel, Dalya is fluent in Farsi, loves reading, playing sports, satirical humor, and French fries. She hopes that being part of the CAMERA team will help her continue to carry the honorable burden of representing Israel and its values.
University of California, Berkeley
Lily Greenberg Call was born in Laguna Beach and raised in San Diego, California. She is a sophomore at the University of California, Berkeley, where she is a board member of Bears for Israel, one of two Zionist groups on campus.
Lily was the president of her high school’s Israeli Advocacy club and has been involved with AIPAC since her freshman year of high school. During the summer of 2014, she covered the events leading up to and through Operation Protective Edge on a Young Judea and Write on For Israel journalism and advocacy trip to Israel.
University of Cambridge
Shlomo Roiter is a second-year undergraduate student at Hughes Hall college studying Human Social and Political Sciences, with a focus in Politics and International Relations. Originally from New York, Shlomo and his family now live in Jerusalem. Shlomo served as an officer in the IDF after high school and spent a gap year learning in Yeshiva and working on a Kibbutz in Israel.
Shlomo is one the of the co-founders of the Cambridge Middle East and North Africa Forum (MENAF), a society on Cambridge University campus focusing on educating students on political issues related to the greater Middle East as well as providing a platform for the expression of a wide range of opinions on relevant political issues.
University of Central Florida
Jason Frances was raised in West Palm Beach, Florida. Upon completion of his A.A. at Palm Beach State College, he transferred to the University of Central Florida in Orlando. Since arriving there, he has become heavily involved with Knights for Israel, UCF’s Pro-Israel club, and Jewish life on campus. As an upcoming Senior and newly elected Vice President of Knights for Israel, Jason looks forward to continuing with the amazing work CAMERA has done for UCF’s campus. After graduating in May 2017, Jason has plans to make Aliyah and join the Israel Defense Forces.
University of Glasgow
Jonathan Manevitch is a fourth-year student at the University of Glasgow’s School of Political Sciences. Having always been politically interested, it was natural that through Jonathan’s gradual rise to student leader in his Jewish student community, he would end up with a passion for Israeli and Middle Eastern politics.
Jonathan is a graduate of the EUJS seminar at the United Nations where he first developed a passion for international humanitarian law under the auspices of Ido Rosenzweig of Haifa’s Minerva Center for the Rule of Law under Extreme Conditions.
This continued interest and understanding that Israel was generally being held to a much higher standard than comparable nations involved in similar situations, coupled with the increasing understanding that the United Nations had abandoned principles formulated in the UN Charter, making it unfit for function, led Jonathan to become involved with CAMERA.
University of Massachusetts, Amherst
Isaac Simon is a second-semester journalism major at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Since attending the University, Isaac has worked as a columnist for the Massachusetts Daily Collegian where he writes about politics and world events. He currently holds a position on the board of UMass Student Alliance for Israel (SAFI) where he works with both the Collegian and other journalistic news outlets when it comes to how Israel is written about on campus. An avid reader, Isaac stays informed through reading Israeli National News, The Jerusalem Post and The New Yorker Magazine.
Vassar College
Jason Storch is a third year pre-med student at Vassar College, where is studying Chemistry, Russian Studies, and History. He hopes to one day be a cardiovascular surgeon. Jason is excited to work with CAMERA and help inform others about the bias that exploits Israel.
Published Articles:
- Mob Mentality at Vassar BDS Vote Typical of School’s Anti-Israel Climate (The Times of Israel)
- How Jewish Students Like Me Got Buillied at Vassar BDS Vote (Jewish Daily Forward)
Vassar College
Jesse Horowitz is a sophomore at Vassar College. He plans to double major in political science and film. He is a staff writer for The Miscellany News, submitting articles on topics such as antisemitism, Israel, political correctness, and disability rights.
Jesse is excited to work with CAMERA in order to promote Zionism and combat anti-Israel bias and antisemitism on his campus.
Published Articles:
- Anti-semitism present in anti-zionist rhetoric (The Miscellany News)
Yeshiva University
Emily Firestone is a freshman at Yeshiva University. After graduating from Weinbaum Yeshivah High School in Boca Raton, she spent a year in Israel studying at Midreshet Moriah. In Israel, she participated in Jerusalem U’s Core 18 Fellowship where she deepened her understanding of the Middle East conflict and advanced her leadership skills. She has been involved with AIPAC for a few years. She participated in the Schusterman Advocacy Institute High School Summit, three AIPAC Policy Conferences, and two Saban Leadership Seminars.
York University
Ben Shachar is a senior at York University majoring in Biology. He is a recipient of the 2013 Schulich Leader Scholarship, an undergraduate award for Canadian and Israeli undergraduates studying STEM.
Ben is passionate about Judaism, Israel, and combating injustice, and his writing about anti-Semitism on campus has been featured by the Times of Israel. He is the co-founder of the Random Acts of Kindness Project, a movement of students doing acts of kindness that expanded to more than 10 campuses worldwide. He is involved in several other initiatives intended to promote inclusive and meaningful dialogue.
Additionally, Ben is a disability advocate, a long-time peer tutor, and a programming enthusiast.