Staff
Editors-in-Chief
Sarit Bendavid – Sarit is from Teaneck, NJ and attended the Frisch School, where her interest in Jewish Thought was first cultivated. She spent a year in Migdal Oz and is currently in her second year at Stern. She is majoring in History and is thoroughly enjoying having the time to explore the world of academia, although she has no clear idea of where this will take her in her professional life. Her hobbies include playing the flute, learning about Biblical Archaeology, and making creative paninis in a sandwich-maker.
Shaul Seidler-Feller – Shaul is a senior at YC majoring in Jewish Studies. A Managing Editor last year for Kol Hamevaser, he is now one of the Editors-in-Chief for this year’s paper. He grew up in sunny Southern California, attended YULA for high school, spent a year in Israel learning at Gush, and is now slowly winding his way through college. He has a keen interest in Jewish History, particularly Modern Jewish History, as well as in foreign languages, like German, Yiddish, and Arabic, and hopes to continue on to study for semikhah at RIETS and for an MA at BRGS.
Associate Editors
Ilana Gadish – Ilana, also known just as Gadish, is a Junior at Stern College for Women. She is doing a double-major in Biology and Jewish Studies. Not pre-med, Ilana hopes to take her double-major and create a career that fuses the two fields. Ilana was born and raised in Miami, Florida and is an alumna of Midreshet Lindenbaum. She loves a good steak and thoroughly enjoys exploring the universe’s many wonders and surprises.
Shlomo Zuckier – Shlomo is currently a fourth-year senior, meaning it is his fourth year as a senior. Hailing from Teaneck, he is majoring in Philosophy and Jewish Studies, minoring in Math, and is in the BA/MA program with Revel. Shlomo spent somewhere between three and four years in Gush (apparently, he likes it there), depending on when you are reading this bio. He is trying to take as long as possible to finish college, which will probably happen after next year.
Staff Writers
Abraham Jacob Berkovitz – AJ, a junior at YC, is a Jewish Studies Major with a concentration in Bible who thoroughly believes that the academic study of Jewish religion is avodat Hashem and talmud Torah. Not surprisingly, AJ spent some time in Rambam Mesivta and Gush learning the academic method along with Brisker Lomdus. He now dismisses the latter as intellectually titillating eisegesis (but still enjoys the company of his Brisker-slavish friends). AJ grew up Haredi but has since taken a more progressive banner.
Chaya Citrin – Chaya is a senior at Stern and is double-majoring in Jewish Studies and Political Science. She is currently very interested in the parashanut of Ibn Ezra and Rashbam. After dropping out of Hanna Sacks Bais Yaakov High School and attending Stern for a year as an early admissions freshman, she attended Michlalah and then returned to Stern. Grateful for affirmative action and for the fact that few Stern students want to write for Kol Hamevaser, Chaya is excited to join the Kol Hamevaser Staff during her last semester on campus.
Jake Friedman – Jake, now in his second year at YC, is a product of Skokie Yeshiva and two years at KBY. With dreams of medical school dancing in his head, Jake frets over GPA and summer internships. His major is currently undeclared, though, at one time or another, he has declared for Biology, Chemistry, English, Philosophy, and an Art minor. Jake lives on Muss 5 with a fish of dubious life expectancy, a flourishing houseplant, and his roommate.
Nicole Grubner – Nicole is a senior at SCW majoring in English Literature. She attended high school in her hometown of Vancouver and subsequently spent a year-and-a-half learning at Tiferet in Ramat Beit Shemesh, Israel. While in Israel, Nicole discovered her passion for Chasidut, and was introduced to the Carlebach movement. As such, she is now an ardent follower of said movement and enjoys playing Rav Shlomo melodies on her guitar. In addition to being a staff writer for Kol Hamevaser, Nicole is the Resident Advisor in the 35th Street dorms as well as an NCSY advisor for both the Northwest Region and NCSY summer programs.
Nathaniel Jaret – Nathaniel, a YU sophomore, hails from Brookline, Mass. He attended Maimonides School for most of his schooling, lived in Quarnei Shomron in the West Bank in 2nd grade, and attended Yeshivat Netiv Aryeh for a year and a half. He is now trying to figure out whether he likes Economics more than English. He enjoys a capella, hiking, photography, and grappling with the great questions of the ages. He wishes to continue doing so living in the Galil. He used to be a boy scout.
Ori Kanefsky – Born in Teaneck, moving soon thereafter to Riverdale, and finally settling in Los Angeles, Ori has inhabited both coasts of this country. Although this migration brought much improved weather and a more “chilled-out” way of life, it also has created a most unfortunate mode of speech: a hybrid of sorts that leads his LA friends to make fun of his “New York accent” and his New York friends to make fun of his “weird LA accent.” With respect to his academic career to date, Ori attended YULA for high school, studied in Gush, and is now a junior at Yeshiva College majoring in English. On a more personal note, as of June 28, 2009, Ori is blessed to be married to Rena (formerly Greenfield) Kanefsky.
Alex Luxenberg – Alex is from Manhattan, New York. He attended Ramaz High School and spent his year in Israel studying at Yeshivat HaKotel. He is a rising junior at Yeshiva University, where he studies in the Mazer Yeshiva Program in the morning and majors in English in the afternoon. He enjoys writing thought-provoking articles on various topics of Jewish academia as a Staff Writer for Kol Hamevaser. Alex is also the founding Co-President of the Amit Future Leadership Board.
Alex Ozar - Alex was born and raised in the good city of St. Louis, MO, attended KBY for 2 years, and is now a Philosophy major in YU. Alex enjoys learning and general intellectual development, playing guitar, listening to music, and various forms of concentrated silliness.
Yossi Steinberger – Yossi lives in Monsey. Currently a 4th year student at YC, Yossi learned in KBY for two years, after graduating Yeshiva Zichron Yaakov. And he is a dexterous Chemistry major.
Jonathan Ziring – Ziring is from the forgotten borough – Staten Island. However, the majority of the last few years he has spent in Rambam Mesivta and Gush. He is majoring in Philosophy and something else (everyone in YU has to be undecided about something).
Copy Editor
Benjamin Abramowitz – Benjy is happy to bring a sense of diversity to YU’s student body as a proud native of far-off Florida. A Writing Center tutor and two-year member of the Honors Student Board, he’s majoring in philosophy and English because why not. Undisputed ruler of the library’s fifth floor, Benjy struggles to discern the meaning of “copy editor.”
Layout Editor
Menachem Spira – An Atlanta native, Menachem is currently in his second year at Yeshiva College. Prior to YU, he attended Yeshivat Kerem B’Yavneh for the requisite two years. After surviving year 1, Menachem is still set on pre-med but has yet to choose a major. For now, he is content with YU and pre-med’s plentiful requirements.
