2019 Award recipients pose for a picture with the faculty members of the Department of Jewish Studies.

Department of Jewish Studies Chair, Professor Jeffrey Shandler, welcomed students, faculty and staff to the awards program.

Professor Nancy Sinkoff, Academic Director of the Allen and Joan Bildner Center for the Study of Jewish Life, invites Talia Schabes, class of 2019, to speak about her undergraduate journey at Rutgers.

Karen Small, Bildner Center Managing Director

Talia Schabes, Class of 2019

Talia Schabes is a senior double-majoring in Jewish Studies and Nutritional Sciences. This summer, she will be making Aliyah and moving to Israel, where she will begin working in a nutritional biochemistry laboratory prior to continuing her studies. Throughout the duration of her time at Rutgers, Talia has involved herself in Jewish life on campus, especially at Hillel, in addition to pursuing environmental and ethical efforts with the help of Rutgers Veg Society, the compost club and the Cook Organic Garden Club.

Vincent Beiler, M.A. in Jewish Studies, Class of 2019

Vincent Beiler's primary interest is in Hebrew Bible manuscripts. He spent the past two years studying the exquisite and lavishly illustrated medieval Sephardi Bible, otherwise known as MS. Kennicott. Vincent plans to continue his education at Cambridge in September 2019, where he looks forward to reading, studying, and holding many more Hebrew Bible manuscripts.

Danielle Willard-Kyle is a PhD candidate in the History Department at Rutgers University.

Emily Binstein receives the Betty and Julius Gillman Memorial Student Award from Ms. Orna Goldman, Hebrew Instructor.

Emily is the Student Education Chair for MEOR Rutgers Jewish Experience. She helps to coordinate the speakers and topics for weekly inspirational classes about Judaism and how it relates to the lives of college students. This summer Emily will be taking classes on J-Internship.

Major: Supply Chain Management

Minor: Modern Hebrew Language

Christine Jensen receives the Betty and Julius Gillman Memorial Student Award from Professor Paola Tartakoff.

Christine became interested in Jewish Studies after taking classes as a Religion major. Her future plans include writing a senior thesis that will bring together her interests in both departments.

Major: Religion

Minor: Jewish Studies & History

Amanda Leifer receives the Norma U. and David M. Levitt Student Award and the Herbert and Jacqueline Klein Fund for Study in Israel from Professor Paola Tartakoff.

Amanda will be traveling to Israel this July and August to study the relationship between communal living and agriculture in relation to the cultural landscape. Her research topic is “Kibbutz Life; Agriculture and Communal Living in Israel”. She hopes to develop agricultural skills to bring back to the Rutgers Cook Organic Garden.

Major: Landscape Architecture

Minor: Plant Science

Brianna Newman receives the Reitman Family Student Award from Professor Michal Raucher.

Brianna will be attending the YIVO Institute for Jewish Research in New York, participating in the Uriel Weinreich Program in Yiddish Language, Literature and Culture. She hopes to use her Yiddish language skills to research documents written by 19^th century Ashkenazi Jews.

Major: Jewish Studies and Political Science

Yael Rabin receives the Leonard and Adele Blumberg Student Award from Professor Michal Raucher.

Yael spent a gap year studying Judaic studies in Israel before coming to Rutgers to continue her studies in public health and Jewish studies. She would like to work in the public health field in order to improve the health status of communities. Yael has been accepted to the JDC Entwine summer program in Mumbai, India.  She will work with the Gabriel Project Mumbai which engages with the local Jewish community and encourages community building and leadership development.

Major: Public Health

Minor: Jewish Studies and Sociology

Talia Schabes receives the Rudolph and Mary Solomon Klein Student Award from Professor Azzan Yadin-Israel.

Talia is graduating this month. After graduation she will be moving to Israel and will be combining her two areas of study with a technician position in a nutritional biochemistry lab at Hadassah Hospital in Jerusalem. Talia hopes to pursue a Master’s degree after her year in the lab.

Major: Nutritional Sciences and Jewish Studies

Annabell Sinoff receives the Gertrude & Jacob Henoch Memorial Student Award and the Ruth Feller Rosenberg Memorial Student Award from Professor Azzan Yadin-Israel.

Annabelle “Nonnie” took a gap year in Israel before coming to Rutgers in 2017. After graduation, she would like to combine English, Jewish studies and business and work as an editor at a Jewish publishing company, ideally Koren Publishers.

Major: English

Minor: Jewish Studies and Business Administration

Professor Azzan Yadin-Israel speaking with class of 2019 graduate Talia Schabes.

Professor Michal Raucher and Professor Azzan Yadin-Israel enjoying the reception.

Speaker and PhD candidate, Danielle Willard-Kyle, talks with Professor Nancy Sinkoff. 

Executive Vice Dean of School of Arts and Sciences, Jim Masschaele, talks with guests and faculty at the reception.

Sarah Portilla, Rutgers Jewish Film Festival Coordinator, and Professor Paola Tartakoff chat after the awards program.

Hebrew Instructor, Ms. Orna Goldman, talks with Professor Charles Haberl, an affiliated faculty member of the Department of Jewish Studies.