New York Hub

Bereket (he/him) is an environmental sustainability professional and will be working at Hofstra Hillel as a Leadership Fellow to support environmental efforts and engage diverse students. At the age of twelve, Bereket moved to the US from Ethiopia in the hope of better opportunities in education. After high school, Bereket studied at Mount Saint Mary College where he obtained his undergraduate degree in Human Services. His education continued at Hofstra University, where he earned a Master’s degree in environmental sustainability and became involved with the Hillel community. 

At Hofstra University, Bereket co-founded a sustainable, affordable housing start-up that finished as runner-up in The Innovation & Entrepreneurship Challenge. Bereket hopes to continue collaborating with others to find creative ways to combat climate change. He aims to open doors for people of color to achieve more equity and equality in today’s society. 

As a fellow, Bereket hopes to bring sustainability expertise to leading environmental initiatives while rediscovering his Ethiopian Jewish heritage. 

Jay (he/they) is a community organizer placed at JCC Harlem as a Leadership Fellow, where they will work on advancing mutual aid. Jay is a 24-year-old non-binary transmasculine individual with roots in Puerto Rico and Israel, and was born and raised in the Bronx, NY, where they attended public school. Jay then studied sociology to further his interest in community and mutual aid work. Jay is dedicated to advancing Black Trans liberation; he partners with different trans-led organizations to help feed people nutritious and hearty meals, and to promote community healing through the practice of food sovereignty at the ground level. Through this work, it is Jay’s goal to build bridges among intersectional marginalized communities. 

Maryam (she/her) is a proud “Mus Jew,” passionate about interfaith dialogue, community building, and using the arts as a vehicle for social change. Outside of the Fellowship, Maryam works for LUNAR: The Jewish Asian Film Project and runs a Moishe House in Lower Manhattan. Past work experiences include the NYC Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs, the Office of Senator Schumer and Secretary Hillary Clinton, the Anti-Defamation League, and numerous political campaigns.

Maryam received her B.A. in Theater for Social Change and American Studies from Brandeis University.

Haftam (she/her) was born to a Jewish family in Ethiopia in 1987 during a time of civil war and famine. At the age of three, she and her family were evacuated to Israel where she grew up in the town of Beit She’an. After graduating high school, she joined the Israeli Defense Forces and served in the medical laboratory unit for two years.

While in high school, Haftam was part of a cultural exchange program in the US.  When she finished her military service, she came to the US. as an au pair, the only way she knew how. After a long journey, she has finally become a US citizen and is studying childhood education. She is inspired to work in nonprofits to help others so that their journeys will not be as difficult. Haftam has worked at the Jewish Women’s Foundation of New York, where she currently serves on the Board of Directors and is co-chair of the Diversity, Equity, and Justice Committee. She has also been involved with JCC Manhattan and Be’chol Lashon.

Kavi (he/they) has a strong interest in healthcare equity/accessibility, including mental health and the many external factors by which it is influenced. They are also passionate about restorative justice and finding the best ways to address trauma and conflict. Prior to this fellowship, Kavi was an educator serving youth in foster care. Before that, they worked offering formal mediation, conflict resolution, and community facilitation. They also spent time working at Exalt Youth, a non-profit aiming to help court-involved youth avoid future contact with the justice system.

They graduated from Reed College in 2020 with B.A. in Comparative Literature, concentrated in Media Studies.

Collaborating with partner organizations serving the JoC community, Hannah Senesh Community Day School will hold a week-long multicultural Jewish camp that centers Jews of Color for children currently in Kindergarten through 2nd grade during the February 2023 school break. Camp will provide ethnically and racially diverse Jews with an opportunity to see themselves as an integral part of the Jewish people and experience a Jewish program in which diverse voices, stories, and experiences are celebrated. Senesh imagines expanding this work to year round family programming and to include more grades each year. 

Project leader: Jamie Maxner (she/her)

Moorish Jewish Confluences is an emerging project that seeks to use education and events to engage with and advocate for Jews of Color communities. Additionally, Moorish Jewish Confluences hopes to uplift and shine light on the ways that Jews of Color have historically and presently contributed to wider Jewish and non-Jewish communities. 

Project leader: Chama Mechtaly (she/her)

Kamochah supports Black Orthodox Jews and engages with the broader Orthodox community, including through their New York chapter. They aim to normalize the presence and experiences of Black Orthodox Jews in all sectors of Jewish communal life, including, camps, schools, and shuls. Additionally, Kamochah hopes to serve as an accessible entry point into Orthodox Jewish life for Black Jews across denominations.

Project leaders: Maayan Zik; Rabbi Isaiah Rothstein

The Workshop was created as a premier Jewish and Arts fellowship to ensure the best experience possible for JoC participants, collaborating with four Jewish institutions and creating infrastructure for JoC artists. Through the Incubator, The Workshop will focus on JOCISM Artists’ Residency which is a professional arts fellowship centering the work of JOCISM artists & culture-makers.

Project leader: Kendell Pinkney