NIF/Shatil Social Justice Fellowship Alumni Network
The NIF/Shatil Social Justice Fellowship (SJF) is a 10 month immersive experience in Israel, where fellows work on cutting-edge social justice issues alongside veteran activists and NIF grantees. Established in 1997, the SJF community comprises nearly 100 alumni, spread out across the U.S., Israel, and the globe.
Search the Social Justice Fellowship Alumni Database
You can search for Social Justice Fellowship Alumni using the dropdown fields below. Search and sort by Fellows’ Name, Fellowship Year, Location, and Areas of Interest.
Our Alumni
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Rebecca Arian, 2016-2017 Fellow
New York, NY, USA
Staff Attorney
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Rebecca Arian
New York, NY, USA
Staff Attorney
Fellowship Year: 2016-2017
Placement: Physicians for Human Rights-Israel Interests:
Bio: Creating housing stability for individuals and families while fighting gentrification, Rebecca Arian currently works as a Staff Attorney in the Legal Aid Society’s Housing Practice, representing low income tenants in eviction cases in Brooklyn Housing Court. Rebecca has been dedicated to serving marginalized communities through a career in public service. Prior to the Legal Aid Society, Rebeca conducted international legal advocacy advocating for Palestinian Human Rights as a fellow with Physicians for Human Rights Israel as a recipient of both the NIF / Shatil Social Justice Fellowship (2016-2017) and the Dorot Fellowship in Israel (2015-2016). She earned a B.A. with honors in Political Science from Vassar in 2009 and a J.D. from the City University of New York School of Law in 2015.
In My Own Words: The SJF was a blast! Our year had the best cohort and I really had the opportunity to get knee deep in the social issues facing Israel. The seminars were so informative and our cohort was able to meet so many people carrying out interesting work on the front lines.
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Michal Boyarsky, 2010-2011 Fellow
Northampton, MA, USA
Registered Nurse
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Michal Boyarsky
Northampton, MA, USA
Registered Nurse
Fellowship Year: 2010-2011
Placement: Physicians for Human Rights - Israel Interests:
democracy, civil rights, human rights, social justice
Bio: Michal Boyarsky works as a nurse in western Massachusetts. They live with their partner Naomi and their dog Alvin.
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Aurel Diamond, 2013-2014 Fellow
Tel Aviv, Israel
Senior Officer for Public Diplomacy and Trade, Embassy of the Netherlands
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Aurel Diamond
Tel Aviv, Israel
Senior Officer for Public Diplomacy and Trade, Embassy of the Netherlands
Fellowship Year: 2013-2014
Placement: YEDID: The Association for Community Empowerment Interests:
Bio: Aurel Diamond holds a PhD in Sociology/Public Policy from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and specializes in policy analysis, educational matters, and social science research.
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Kevin Dwarka, 2008-2009 Fellow
New York, NY, USA
Urban Planner
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Kevin Dwarka
New York, NY, USA
Urban Planner
Fellowship Year: 2008-2009
Placement: Adam Teva V'Din Interests:
Bio: Kevin Dwarka provides land use and economic analysis for local governments, non profit organizations, and developers.
In My Own Words: Through the Social Justice Fellowship, I made lasting friendships and made a real contribution to my placement organization.
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Peri Feldstein, 2019-2020 Fellow
New York, NY, USA
Law Student
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Peri Feldstein
New York, NY, USA
Law Student
Fellowship Year: 2019-2020
Placement: Itach-Ma'aki: Women Lawyers for Social Justice Interests:
Bio: Peri Feldstein is interested in how to create social change through the legal sphere, and used her Social Justice Fellowship experience to start that journey before law school. She is originally from Princeton, NJ, went to university at Washington University in St. Louis, and currently attends Cardozo School of Law in NYC.
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Asher Firestone, 2018-2019 Fellow
New York, NY, USA
Community Manager and Facilitator at Fearless Futures
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Asher Firestone
New York, NY, USA
Community Manager and Facilitator at Fearless Futures
Fellowship Year: 2018-2019
Placement: Gisha Interests:
Bio: Asher Firestone (they/them) is a New York-based activist and artist from Israel-Palestine. They completed their Master of Public Policy at the University of Virginia, where they co-founded the PULSE Dialogue Retreat, facilitating students in identity questions around cycles of oppression. They also conducted research for young LGBTQ adults in Latin America to receive effective online mental health resources. Asher then spent two fellowship years living in Tel Aviv, creating a podcast about civilian voices in Gaza and developing community leadership seminars. They are a dynamic facilitator and writer for Fearless Futures, who challenges individuals to engage in vulnerable anti-oppression work.
In My Own Words: Working at Gisha was a special opportunity to dig into the details of anti-occupation work, and follow the important leadership of folks who know the intricacies of these oppressive systems. I was so grateful to learn from my colleagues and also be given the opportunity to design a podcast that would build on the exposure of Israel's inhumane treatment of people in Gaza, and who is responsible to change it.
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Maya Fried, 2018-2019 Fellow
Tel Aviv, Israel
Director of International Relations, The Association for Civil Rights in Israel (ACRI)
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Maya Fried
Tel Aviv, Israel
Director of International Relations, The Association for Civil Rights in Israel (ACRI)
Fellowship Year: 2018-2019
Placement: The Association for Civil Rights in Israel (ACRI) Interests:
Bio: Maya was born and raised in Thousand Oaks, California to two Israeli parents. She graduated from the University of Southern California and moved to Israel a few years later as an NIF/Shatil Social Justice Fellow, where she was a Fellow at ACRI. Today she is Director of the International Relations Department.
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Leanne Gale, 2013-2014 Fellow
Washington, DC, USA
Attorney
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Leanne Gale
Washington, DC, USA
Attorney
Fellowship Year: 2013-2014
Placement: Ir Amim Interests:
Bio: Leanne Gale is an attorney currently serving as a legal fellow at Capital Area Immigrants' Rights (CAIR) Coalition. She attended Yale Law School, where she was a co-director of the Allard K. Lowenstein Clinic for International Human Rights and Editor-in-Chief of the Yale Journal of Law and Feminism. While in law school, she also co-founded the first-ever Yale Law School Human Rights Trip to Palestine & Israel. She is -- most importantly -- a proud dog mama to her senior pup, Emma Goldman Gale.
In My Own Words: The Social Justice Fellowship changed my life. It brought me into relationship with many of the advocates I admire most, fighting for justice under intensely oppressive circumstances. It was honor to work alongside Palestinian communities in Jerusalem fighting against apartheid, as well as the Jewish Israelis and international advocates who show up in solidarity with their struggle.
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Itamar Haritan, 2010-2011 Fellow
Ithaca, NY, USA
Student
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Itamar Haritan
Ithaca, NY, USA
Student
Fellowship Year: 2010-2011
Placement: Tarabut Interests:
democracy, human rights, civil rights, shared society, social justice
Bio: Itamar Haritan is an Anthropology PhD Candidate at Cornell University. He received his BA in Anthropology from the University of California, Berkeley, and his MA in Anthropology and Sociology from Tel Aviv University. He is interested in Ashkenazi Jewish identity in Israel/Palestine, specifically the ways that the “negation of the diaspora” is enacted and challenged in contemporary practices of remembrance, forgetting and self-making.
In My Own Words: I had a great time on the program! It was a lovely opportunity.
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Isaac Kates Rose, 2014-2015 Fellow
New York, NY, USA
Organizer / Filmmaker
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Isaac Kates Rose
New York, NY, USA
Organizer / Filmmaker
Fellowship Year: 2014-2015
Placement: Rabbis for Human Rights Interests:
Bio: Isaac (he/הוא) lived in Jerusalem for 7 years, or a full shmita cycle, and always missed Canadian winters. After studying Israel-Palestine in the University of Toronto’s Jewish Studies and Middle Eastern Studies programs, Isaac left the classroom and joined the movement. A founding member of All That’s Left, Isaac also spent his Social Justice Fellowship year with Rabbis for Human Rights, organizing the olive harvest in the northern West Bank, and providing solidarity to Mizrahi families fighting eviction, and to Bedouin communities fighting displacement, in the Jerusalem area. He got involved with the Center for Jewish Nonviolence in 2015 as a Jerusalem Organizer, and for 5 years was involved in building CJNV's coresistance DNA, planning their delegations, and stewarding the relationships with the Palestinian and Israeli movement leaders on the ground. A new filmmaker and newer New Yorker, whenever you're reading this, Isaac is probably still learning the NYC subway system.
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Emma Kippley-Ogman, 2018-2019 Fellow
St. Paul, MN, USA
Rabbi, College Chaplain
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Emma Kippley-Ogman
St. Paul, MN, USA
Rabbi, College Chaplain
Fellowship Year: 2018-2019
Placement: Shovrim Shtika Interests:
democracy, human rights, civil rights, religious freedom, shared society, social justice
Bio: Emma Kippley-Ogman is Rabbi and Associate Chaplain for Jewish Life at Macalester College. Born and raised in Jewish and folk culture communities in the Twin Cities, she was ordained by the Rabbinical School of Hebrew College (Boston), trained as a chaplain at Brigham and Women’s (Boston) and United (St. Paul) Hospitals, and has served communities in Boston, Jerusalem, and the Twin Cities. Emma holds an AB in history and science from Harvard College. She is a member of Jewish Community Action, of the Selah Jewish Social Justice Leadership Network, and of T’ruah: the Rabbinical Call for Human Rights. Emma lives in the Summit-University neighborhood of St. Paul with her partner, Benj Kamm, and their two children, Otto and Ida.
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Abby Kolker, 2014-2015 Fellow
Washington, DC, USA
Immigration Policy Analyst and Professor
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Abby Kolker
Washington, DC, USA
Immigration Policy Analyst and Professor
Fellowship Year: 2014-2015
Placement: Kav LaOved Interests:
human rights, civil rights, social justice
Bio: Abby Kolker is an Immigration Policy Analyst at the Library of Congress and an Adjunct Professor at the City University of New York (CUNY) School of Professional Studies. Abby holds a PhD in Sociology.
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Sam Kuttner, 2015-2016 Fellow
New York, NY, USA
Head of Learning and Development, BrainPOP
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Sam Kuttner
New York, NY, USA
Head of Learning and Development, BrainPOP
Fellowship Year: 2015-2016
Placement: The Hotline for Refugees and Migrants Interests:
Bio: Sam Kuttner loves to spend his time traveling (when possible), cooking (or attempting to), and convincing everyone he knows to get excited about the Eurovision Song Contest. Sam spends his days at the Head of Learning and Development for BrainPOP, an Education-Technology company, where he applies organizational psychology to build out learning systems and people development cycles to create a culture focused on empathy, growth and outcomes for kids. Sam started his career as a High School Economics teacher, and has been a community organizer and teacher coach, and spent the last 11 years working in training and coaching in the nonprofit and social justice world.
In My Own Words: My year at the Hotline for Refugee and Migrants accelerated my understanding, skills, and commitment to advocating for a just, inclusive, and and thriving democratic state in Israel. It fueled both my passion for, and ability to work along-side, impacted communities.
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Joshua Leifer, 2017-2018 Fellow
New Haven, CT, USA
Journalist and Graduate Student
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Joshua Leifer
New Haven, CT, USA
Journalist and Graduate Student
Fellowship Year: 2017-2018
Placement: +972 Magazine Interests:
democracy, human rights, civil rights, shared society, social justice
Bio: Joshua Leifer is a contributing editor at Jewish Currents and a member of Dissent's editorial board. His work has appeared in The Guardian, The Nation, n+1, and elsewhere. He is currently working on a book about American Jewish politics and identity. He lives in New Haven, where he is pursing a PhD in history at Yale.
In My Own Words: The SJF was an invaluable opportunity to pursue the kind of work I'd dreamed of doing. Working at +972 was the most important kind of education I've received. It jump-started my writing career in ways I never could've imagined.
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Rabbi Annie Lewis, 2001-2002 Fellow
Gaithersburg, MD, USA
Rabbi
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Rabbi Annie Lewis
Gaithersburg, MD, USA
Rabbi
Fellowship Year: 2001-2002
Placement: Kol Ha-Isha and YEDID: The Association for Community Empowerment Interests:
Bio: Annie Lewis is a rabbi, poet, singer, organizer, and mother.
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Yael Maizel, 2006-2007 Fellow
Los Angeles, CA, USA
Southwest Regional Director, J Street
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Yael Maizel
Los Angeles, CA, USA
Southwest Regional Director, J Street
Fellowship Year: 2006-2007
Placement: YEDID: The Association for Community Empowerment Interests:
Bio: Yael Maizel has been with J Street for 10 years, currently serving as the Southwest Regional Director. Before joining J Street, she lived in Israel for 5 years. She began as a NIF/ Shatil Social Justice Fellow, working at YEDID and managing a number of their community organizing projects in Haifa. Following the fellowship year she stayed at YEDID as a grant writer while completing her MA at Tel Aviv U in political science. She then worked at ACRI for 2 years in the International Relations Department. She now lives in LA with her husband and daughter.
In My Own Words: The Social Justice Fellowship was a wonderful opportunity to contribute to the work of human rights and social justice organizations in Israel.
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Ariella Meinhard, 2004-2005 Fellow
Toronto, Canada
Clinical Social Worker / Psychotherapist
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Ariella Meinhard
Toronto, Canada
Clinical Social Worker / Psychotherapist
Fellowship Year: 2004-2005
Placement: Working with youth in Akko, Kafr Yasif, and local Bedouin villages Interests:
Bio: Ariella Meinhard has a background in community health & social justice work and has experience working in Toronto and internationally. This eventually led to a career in holistic healthcare after completing studies in Traditional Chinese Medicine. While mostly working in Toronto, she also spent 4 months practicing acupuncture & Chinese medicine in Nepal as part of a community health & development project. She then completed a Master's degree in Social Work and continues to offer mental health support through community health centers and private practice in Toronto.
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Rena Oppenheimer, 2014-2015 Fellow
Berkeley, CA, USA
Therapist
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Rena Oppenheimer
Berkeley, CA, USA
Therapist
Fellowship Year: 2014-2015
Placement: Itach-Ma'aki: Women Lawyers for Social Justice and the Tel Aviv Rape Crisis Center Interests:
Bio: Rena “Ro” Oppenheimer (she/they) is a white Ashkenazi genderqueer somatic therapist, visual artist, and dancer. She is lucky to spend her days lovingly witnessing and reflecting back the creative transformational power of millennials and young people. They are a grandchild of Holocaust survivors, Jewish leaders, and community workers. Ro speaks Hebrew and Arabic and is in the beginning of her Yiddish journey.
In My Own Words: My time on the Social Justice Fellowship was a hands-on immersion in solidarity work with Palestinians. It also taught me about how essential joy and community are to resistance work.
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Maya Paley, 2010-2011 Fellow
Los Angeles, CA, USA
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Maya Paley
Los Angeles, CA, USA
Fellowship Year: 2010-2011
Placement: ASSAF Interests:
democracy, human rights, social justice
Bio: Maya Paley is a nonprofit professional and social justice advocate. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from UC Berkeley and her Master’s degree in International Affairs from Columbia University. She received the Outstanding Woman Leader Award from the City of Santa Monica in 2018 and the Women in Leadership Award from the City of West Hollywood in 2019.
In My Own Words: The SJF was life-changing for me. I grew into myself, learned what I was capable of, and became a true advocate. I am grateful for the lessons I learned, the experiences, and the memories.
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Leah Platkin, 2014-2015 Fellow
Los Angeles, CA, USA
Clinical Social Worker
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Leah Platkin
Los Angeles, CA, USA
Clinical Social Worker
Fellowship Year: 2014-2015
Placement: Arous El Bahar, Ossim Shalom, Jaffa Institute Interests:
human rights, shared society, social justice
Bio: A clinical social worker who has worked with those who are most marginalized. My year doing the NIF fellowship started with doing trauma treatment with women and youth in Jaffa and children and adult asylum seekers from Eritrea and Sudan living in South Tel Aviv. I stayed in Israel for 5 more years and continued working with asyum seekers and met my husband a Palestinian citizen of Israel.
In My Own Words: I am a clinical social worker and spent my fellowship year doing treatment with Palestinian youth and women in Jaffa, asylum seekers in South Tel Aviv, and advocating for shared society and those who are most marginalized among a group of Israeli and Palestinian social workers.
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Aaron Press Taylor, 2014-2015 Fellow
Cambridge, MA, USA
Operations, Programs, and Sales
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Aaron Press Taylor
Cambridge, MA, USA
Operations, Programs, and Sales
Fellowship Year: 2014-2015
Placement: Jindas: A Social Urban Regeneration Organization (Lod) Interests:
Bio: Aaron Press Taylor has been a medium-to-longer term guest of Teaneck, NJ - Spokane, WA - New York City - Waltham, MA - Cambridge, MA - Lod/al-Lydd, Israel/Palestine - Ramallah, Palestine - Jerusalem. Time in each of these places yielded dear friends, indelible memories, and some kind of commitment to action. His most recent professional endeavors include alternative tourism design and management of heritage properties, with nostalgia for many summers at Jewish camp. His "vacations" are best spent with family and friends.
In My Own Words: The Social Justice Fellowship was a point of entry into a community of inspiring activists, actors, supporters, and friends committed to building a more just and democratic Israel. It was the beginning of an extended chapter of life in Israel-Palestine and an integral piece of a continuing relationship.
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Sara Robinson, 2009-2010 Fellow
Brooklyn, NY, USA
Attorney
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Sara Robinson
Brooklyn, NY, USA
Attorney
Fellowship Year: 2009-2010
Placement: Physicians for Human Rights- Israel Interests:
human rights, civil rights, social justice
Bio: Sara was an NIF social justice fellow from 2009-2010 at Physician for Human Rights-Israel. Sara then worked as a Refugee Campaigner at Amnesty International Israel until 2014, when she moved back to the United States. She completed a Masters degree in Human Rights Studies from Columbia University in 2015 and a juris doctor degree from New York University School of Law in 2019. She then worked as a legal fellow at the NYU Global Justice Clinic, representing survivors of the CIA torture and rendition program. Sara is currently clerking for U.S. District Judge Valerie Caproni in New York City.
In My Own Words: I loved my time as an SJF fellow. I learned so much working at Physicians for Human Rights-Israel and I am grateful that I had the opportunity to contribute to such important work.
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Moriel Rothman-Zecher, 2011-2012 Fellow
Yellow Springs, OH, USA
Author
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Moriel Rothman-Zecher
Yellow Springs, OH, USA
Author
Fellowship Year: 2011-2012
Placement: Rabbis for Human Rights Interests:
democracy, human rights, civil rights, shared society, social justice
Bio: Moriel Rothman-Zecher is a Jerusalem-born novelist and poet. His first novel, SADNESS IS A WHITE BIRD, was a finalist for the Dayton Literary Peace Prize and the National Jewish Book Award, the winner of the Ohioana Book Award, and longlisted for the Center for Fiction's First Novel Prize. Moriel's poetry and essays have been published in Barrelhouse, The Common, The New York Times, the Paris Review's Daily, and ZYZZYVA, and he is the recipient of the National Book Foundation's '5 Under 35' Honor, two MacDowell Fellowships, and Yiddishkayt's Wallis Annenberg Helix Fellowship. Moriel lives in Yellow Springs, Ohio, with his wife, Kayla, and their daughter, Nahar. His second novel, BEFORE ALL THE WORLD, is forthcoming from Farrar, Straus and Giroux in Fall 2022.
In My Own Words: My year as a Shatil Fellow in Jerusalem was a transformative one. During that time, I helped spearhead a campaign to prevent the eviction of the Sumarin family in Silwan. I began writing a blog, The Leftern Wall, which ultimately became home for hundreds of thousands of words of reflection on the chaos, pain and beauty of Israel-Palestine. I made lasting friendships, and got connected to Israeli Human Rights and anti-occupation communities. In general, it's a year for which I am profoundly grateful.
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Josh Schwartz, 2016-2017 Fellow
Washington, DC, USA
Policy Analyst, MITRE
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Josh Schwartz
Washington, DC, USA
Policy Analyst, MITRE
Fellowship Year: 2016-2017
Placement: Ir Amim Interests:
Bio: Josh Schwartz lives in Washington, DC and works as a policy analyst for The MITRE Corporation, a not-for-profit corporation that operates Federally Funded Research & Development Centers (FFRDCs) for the U.S. Government. Josh's academic background is in International Relations, and he speaks Hebrew and Arabic. During his Social Justice Fellowship year, he worked with Ir Amim supporting the organization's international advocacy efforts and engagements.
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Rabbi Andy Shugerman, 2003-2004 Fellow
Pittsburgh, PA, USA
Rabbi & Development Director
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Rabbi Andy Shugerman
Pittsburgh, PA, USA
Rabbi & Development Director
Fellowship Year: 2003-2004
Placement: Masorti Movement Interests:
Bio: Rabbi Andy Shugerman is the inaugural Development Director for Beth Shalom, a Squirrel Hill resident, and an ELC parent. He most recently served as the Executive Director of the Federation of Jewish Men’s Clubs (FJMC) and the lead professional for Men of Reform Judaism (MRJ), a combined role that matched his unique career path as a pluralistic rabbinic educator and professional fundraiser over the past dozen years. Rabbi Shugerman honed his skills as a rabbi, teacher and major gifts fundraiser while serving for four years as Rabbinic Fellow in the Florida Regional Office of The Jewish Theological Seminary (JTS), from which he received ordination and a master’s degree in Jewish Education in 2009.
In My Own Words: NIF afforded me an invaluable opportunity to contribute to and learn from counterparts in the Israeli movements for pluralistic Judaism, civil marriage, and LGBTQ rights.
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Ilana Sichel, 2008-2009 Fellow
Somerville, MA, USA
Psychologist
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Ilana Sichel
Somerville, MA, USA
Psychologist
Fellowship Year: 2008-2009
Placement: Ir Amim Interests:
democracy, human rights, civil rights, religious freedom, shared society, social justice
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Irit Tau-Webber , 1997-1998 Fellow
Natick, MA, USA
Legal Aid Attorney
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Irit Tau-Webber
Natick, MA, USA
Legal Aid Attorney
Fellowship Year: 1997-1998
Placement: Kol Ha-Ishah, Shatil Interests:
civil rights, democracy, human rights, religious freedom, shared society, social justice
Bio: I work as a family law attorney at Community Legal Aid in Worcester, MA, serving low-income litigants, mostly domestic violence survivors, in family law cases.
In My Own Words: My fellowship year was an unparalleled opportunity to get to know an Israeli social change organization up close and experience life in Israel as a young adult - I highly recommend it.
