Jenna Ackerman, born and raised in Miami Beach, is a junior in the College. She is majoring in Economics and minoring in Math and History. At Penn, she serves on the Exec Board of her sorority, Sigma Delta Tau. She loves the Miami Heat, sunny days, kickboxing, and spending hours on end doing nothing with friends. She attended Hebrew school for about an hour a week when she was younger but has forgotten most of what she learned. As a Pincus JRP Fellow, she is excited to reconnect with her religious youth and further her knowledge of Jewish practices and traditions through discussion with her peers.
Ali Block is a sophomore in the College, studying Health and Societies, Spanish, and Nutrition. Raised by her Filipino mother and Jewish father, Ali has always embraced her mixed cultural background, and she is especially excited to delve deeper into her Jewish heritage as a Pincus JRP Fellow. Ali is a member of the Alpha Phi sorority and loves to spend time with her friends over dinner at Hillel. In her free time, she enjoys cooking, trying new restaurants, going for runs on the Schuylkill, and watching various sitcoms, including Modern Family and How I Met Your Mother. Ali cannot wait to make new friends in Fellows this year and hopes to go on Birthright with some of them in the future.
Adam Brownstein, a junior in the College of Arts and Sciences, is studying Criminology with a minor in Legal Studies and History. Growing up in the Bay (or ‘Yay Area’ to those from Northern CA), Adam found his love for soccer and managed to get a scholarship to American University. However, after sustaining an injury he decided transfer to UPenn after his freshman year to pursue more ambitious academic goals. Since Adam has transferred to Penn, he has been involved with such organizations as Israel Knowledge@Wharton and the club rugby team. His motivation for joining the Pincus JRP fellowship is to get more in tuned with his Jewish heritage as well as interact with others who may also want to learn about Judaism.
Caroline Brand, from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, is a sophomore in the College of Arts and Sciences. She is majoring in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics, and minoring in Psychology. On campus, Caroline is a member of the Penn Running Club and the Delta Delta Delta sorority. At home in Florida, Caroline loves reading on the beach and playing with her adorable Cavalier puppy. Here in Philadelphia, she enjoys exploring different parts of the city by foot, indulging in the restaurant scene, and running along the Schuylkill. She is really looking forward to becoming more involved in the Jewish community at Penn and to having thought-provoking conversations with the other Fellows!
Sharon Friedlander, from Rye Brook, New York, is a sophomore in the College of Arts & Sciences. She plans on majoring in Communications with a minor in History. She loves watching TV, hanging with friends, Starbucks runs, and trying out all the different salads on Penn’s campus (tie: Gia and Sweetgreen). Aside from that, she is an editor for The WALK Magazine, participates in Penn Youth for Debate, and is an active member of Sigma Delta Tau sorority. Having grown up in a predominantly Jewish suburb, she is looking forward to discovering what Judaism truly means to her outside of being a “cultural Jew.” She is excited about working with the group of fellows throughout the 2011-2012 school year.
Shayna Friedman
Alexa Gelbard is a sophomore in the college who will probably major in Communications and minor in Art History and Modern Middle Eastern studies. She grew up in Los Angeles, California and upon coming to Penn has greatly enjoyed exploring all that the city of Philadelphia has to offer (especially the amazing restaurants). Alexa is also a member of the sorority, Alpha Phi, and is super excited to be a part of JRP and to strengthen her connection to the Jewish community at Penn.
Samantha Lieberman is a Junior in the college from Westport, CT. She is majoring in Environmental Studies with a focus on Environmental History and Regional Studies. Clearly she is obsessed with the outdoors and loves camping, hiking, and farming. She is really into cooking especially baking desserts. She is very active in her sorority Alpha Phi and works as a work study Student Coordinator of the Eco-Reps program. She is looking forward to learning about Judaism from her peers in the Pincus JRP Fellows program!
Alex Lustick is a senior in the College studying Political Science. He participated in the Penn in Washington program last semester in which he took classes and worked at a public policy consulting firm. His future is still far from clear but will most likely be somewhere in the political or consulting realm. His main hobbies are tennis and guitar--the latter he enjoys to perform. Alex is excited to be apart of JRP and learn more about why Judaism is an important part of his life through working with and learning from others.
Jennie Pechman is a sophomore in Wharton from Scarsdale, NY. Jennie is a Management 100 TA, a member of Sigma Kappa sorority, and a member of the MUSE community service board. She enjoys hiking, cooking, movies, and kishkeh. On Saturdays, Jennie can often be seen spending her Shabbat with a good book while noshing on a lightly toasted bagel (scooped out of course). Jennie looks forward to exploring the religious, cultural and personal aspects of Judaism with her fellow fellows. She hopes that she has the necessary chutzpah to keep up with the mensches in the group. Let the mishegas begin!
Max Reiter is a sophomore from Brooklin, Maine (though contrary to popular belief, does not like lobster). He is in Wharton and will probably (definitely subject to change) major in marketing. He is an avid lover of sports, whether it be ESPN, a pickup game or Madden 2004 for PS2. On campus, Max is a member of the ski team and the Pi Kappa Phi fraternity. He is looking forward restarting his Jewish involvement in a more modern context after being dormant in the 5 years post-bar mitzvah.
Emily Rubin was born and raised in Needham, MA and is a sophomore in the School of Nursing. If she’s not studying or running to class, you can find her eating frozen yogurt or discussing a Bravo reality TV show. Emily is a a member of Alpha Phi Sorority and has just recently joined City Step. She is always looking for ways to casually incorporate Yiddish phrases into everyday conversation. Emily looks forward to participating in discussions about her Jewish heritage and is excited to further the exploration of her Jewish identity.
Liz Schlessinger is a junior in the college studying Biological Basis of Behavior and Healthcare Management. Born in Chicago, Il but eventually relocated to Richmond, VA, Stamford, CT, and eventually Penn, Liz has become an expert at "Jewish Geography". On campus she can be found giving tours, serving on the Kite and Key executive board as the Alumni Relations coordinator, repping her Sigma Kappa letters, participating in model congress, perfecting the art of the power nap, working in a neuroscience lab, and volunteering. Liz is looking forward to exploring her Jewish identity through JRP and making connections with other students on campus!
