Alumni Ambassadors
Melanie Karzmer
Yahel Social Change Fellowship 2016-2017, Lod
Hometown: West Nyack, NY
Education: University of Vermont
“One of the things I love most about Yahel is their dedication to learning for participants of the programs. I loved our learning sessions, the seminars, and all of the opportunities we had to meet incredible people who are engaged in such important issues in Israel.”
Melanie is a Supports Coordinator for the Denver Afterschool Alliance. The DAA is a collaboration between Denver Public Schools and the Office of Children’s Affairs within the Mayor’s Office. Melanie helps support afterschool providers through coordination of professional development opportunities, data support, etc. Melanie is excited to introduce young professionals, Jewish communities and others in Colorado to Yahel’s work.
Leah Topper
Yahel Social Change Fellowship 2016-2017, Rishon LeZion
Hometown: Atlanta, GA
Education: Rice University
“One thing I loved most about Yahel was the community. Both within my Yahel family and the Ramat Eliyahu neighborhood, I felt an incredibly strong sense of community and support that was truly a unique part of my experience throughout the fellowship.”
Leah is a Food Justice Fellow at Repair the World Philadelphia. She helps to expand the capacity of local nonprofits to meet the needs of the Philadelphia community by engaging, recruiting and leading volunteers from both the Jewish Community and the neighborhood in which she lives. Leah brings her love of Yahel and its work to these communities and others in Philadelphia, as well as Houston, TX and the Atlanta, Georgia area.
Isaac Stockdale
Yahel Social Change Fellowship 2016-2017, Rishon LeZion
Hometown: Seattle, WA
Education: University of Washington
“What I loved most about Yahel was that it provided me an opportunity to contribute in a substantive way to the work that grassroots organizations are doing to improve their communities.”
Currently a law student at the University of Pittsburgh School of Law, Isaac brings Yahel to students, young professionals, community organizers and others in Pittsburgh. He also shares his experiences with communities in his hometown of Seattle, Washington and at his alma mater, University of Washington.
Benji Bernstein
Yahel Social Change Fellowship 2015-2016, Rishon LeZion
Hometown: NJ
Education: Brandeis University
“My greatest takeaway from Yahel was simply getting the chance to dedicate each day fully to giving back to others, and seeing all the good that can be accomplished with an informed and steadfast commitment to creating sustainable social change. My time on Yahel is the reason that I am on the career path I am today, and it was undoubtedly among the most formative experiences of my life.”
Benji is the Associate Director of Changing Our World, Inc, a consulting firm specializing in nonprofit management and corporate social engagement. At the firm, Benji has worked with a variety of nonprofit clients across sectors, assisting in development, operational, and programmatic strategy. A native of New Jersey and currently based in New York City, Benji is excited to connect young professionals, university students, and others in the area to Yahel.
Miriam Aniel
Yahel Social Change Fellowship 2015-2016, Rishon LeZion
Hometown:
Education: Columbia University; the Jewish Theological Seminary of America
“The opportunity to serve and learn through Yahel gave me the tools to better understand the world of social change and myself as a social change agent. What I learned on Yahel about community and relationship-building has proved relevant to my life and work again and again, making it one of my most important experiences to date .”
Miriam is currently based in Richmond, VA and works in several areas, including as a Hebrew educator and as a content writer and resource developer for different Yahel projects. She connects young professionals, students, Jewish communities and social action groups in D.C., the Richmond area, and New York City to Yahel’s work.