Meet the Fellows

2021-2022

The OU-JLIC Fellowship for Campus Professionals is a year-long training program for couples interested in working with North American college students. The fellowship is available for couples living in both Israel and America. The program consists of two components: group meetings once per month and hands-on work with college students. The program offers an annual stipend and all related expenses paid. Fellows will be prioritized for future OU-JLIC positions.

headshot of Daniel & Marjorie Albert
Daniel & Marjorie Albert
Daniel & Marjorie Albert
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Daniel grew up in Plainview, NY. He went to HANC High School and then continued his love of learning in Yeshivat Lev HaTorah in Ramat Beit Shemesh for 1 year. Afterwards, he studied in Queens College where he graduated cum laude with a BS in Design. Daniel was very involved in both Hillel and JLIC at Queens College holding multiple leadership roles. He was also part of the Nachshon Project as an undergraduate and graduate fellow. Daniel also holds an MS in Digital Marketing and Media from YU and is currently in his last year in RIETS (YU smicha).

Marjorie Albert was born and raised in São Paulo, Brazil and moved to NY in 2013 to attend college. She graduated from Yeshiva University in 2017 with a BS in Business Management, and from Azrieli in 2019 with an MS in Jewish Education. She currently works at YU as the Associate Director of Student Life, as well as the Mechinah Program Coordinator. She is also pursuing a MSW from Wurzweiler.

headshot of Ari & Noa Bar Shain
Ari & Noa Bar Shain
Ari & Noa Bar Shain
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Ari grew up in Cleveland, OH and attended Fuchs Mizrachi School. After graduating high school, he started Hesder at Yeshivat Har Etzion and made Aliyah. He served as a combat officer in Givati for 3.5 years and trained cadets in Officers’ Course at the end of his service. When he finished his time in the army, he returned to Yeshiva where, for the last two years, has simultaneously been learning, serving as the Head Madrich for the Overseas program, and working on a degree in education from Herzog College. In his summers he has been involved in Camp Stone, NCSY, and Mach Hach Ba’aretz, and loves nothing more than engaging with Jewish young adults. His hobbies include playing basketball, hiking, running, working out, eating ice cream, and schmoozing.

Noa spent her first 8 years in Los Angeles, before making Aliyah with her family to Nof Ayalon. She attended Ulpanat Shalavim for high school, and then served for two years as Director of the Neve Daniel Bnei Akiva Chapter. Afterwards, she studied at Migdal Oz and then attended Bar Ilan, majoring in Psychology and Educational Counseling. Noa has been involved in Bnei Akiva Israel since elementary school, and is very passionate about working with Jewish youth and young adults. After meeting Ari during her second year of college, and getting married during the Covid pandemic, Noa and Ari moved to the Yeshivat Har Etzion campus in Alon Shvut. Noa now works as a medical coordinator at a facility for adults with special needs. In her spare time, Noa likes exploring Israel, hiking, experimenting with new recipes, reading, and hanging out with family and friends.

headshot of Uriyah & Shima Dvir
Uriyah & Shima Dvir
Uriyah & Shima Dvir
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Shima and Uriya Dvir live in Jerusalem, Israel with their cute baby boy Imri. Uriya is a Talmud and Torah teacher in a high school, and Shima is a pilates instructor and dance teacher, currently waiting to start her MA in psychology. Uriya and Shima love traveling, reading a good book, and meeting new people.

headshot of Yehoshua & Sophie Felberg
Yehoshua & Sophie Felberg
Yehoshua & Sophie Felberg
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Sophie and Yehoshua are both from London but had to come to Jerusalem to meet each other!

Sophie grew up in the heart of the Jewish community in Hendon and attended Hasmonean High School before going on to further study in art and design. She then went on to study at leading Israel seminaries including Neve Yerushalayim, She’arim and Midreshet Rachel vChaya. Sophie is also a trained patisserie chef and spent her time in London as a leading member of Jewish outreach groups including Aish, TAL, Chazak and JLE. Today, Sophie is the office manager at Midreshet Torat Chesed (MTC) where she also delivers informal education through chavruta and chabura learning.

Yehoshua attended Oxford and Princeton Universities where he studied Theology and Oriental Languages. He then spent a number of years in yeshivot in Israel and kollel in England and received semicha from Rabbi Chaim Brovender and Rabbi Dovid Fink. Yehoshua also teaches at MTC and works as a lawyer in the Tel Aviv offices of an international law firm. He is studying for further semicha with the world Mizrahi Musmachim program.

Sophie and Yehoshua made Aliyah in 2016 and live in the beautiful new city of Harish with their two wonderful children. There, they organize regular learning and social events for the English speaking community.  Sophie and Yehoshua are very excited to be part of the JLIC fellowship and look forward to connecting with leading Jewish educators around the world.

headshot of Reuven & Aviva Isaacs
Reuven & Aviva Isaacs
Reuven & Aviva Isaacs
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Reuven (29) and Aviva (27) Isaacs were born and raised in Chicago.

After graduating from Fasman Yeshiva High School, Reuven went to learn in Yeshivat Shaalvim. He made aliyah upon beginning his second year, and joined the Yeshiva’s Hesder program, through which he served as a sharpshooter in the Paratrooper’s 890 Battalion. Reuven returned to Shaalvim after the army, where he has been learning for Rabbanut Semicha in the Yeshiva’s Kollel, as well as teaching in the American program. Reuven is also completing a degree in psychology from the Open University.

Aviva attended Hannah Sacks Beis Yaakov in Chicago for high school, after which she spent a year and half learning in MMY. Aviva returned to Chicago and completed a BA in health sciences and Judaic studies. After graduating, she worked in an IVF lab before making aliyah in the summer of 2017. She currently works as an embryologist in Assuta Rishon’s IVF lab, and is completing a masters degree in genetics and fertility at Hebrew University.

Reuven and Aviva got married in 2017, and currently live on Yeshivat Shaalvim’s campus with their two daughters Avigayil (3) and Yocheved (1).

headshot of Elie & Gabi Lerea
Elie & Gabi Lerea
Elie & Gabi Lerea
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Eliezer Lerea, or Elie, is currently a rabbinical student getting Semikhah through the Chief Rabbinate of Israel. Elie grew up in Riverdale, NY where he attended SAR Academy and High School. After graduating high school, Elie spent the year learning at Yeshivat Ma’aleh Gilboa, deepening his love of Torah study and spirituality. He subsequently spent four years attending The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art, where he received a BS in electrical engineering and a math minor. Post college, Elie returned to Israel where he has been ever since. For the past four years he has been studying at Ma’aleh Gilboa, both completing Rabbanut exams as well as teaching Talmud and Jewish thought. After meeting Gabi, the couple got married and moved to Jerusalem. Elie now spends his time at Yeshivat Siach Yitzchak in Efrat, where he plans to both finish his Semikhah exams and deepen his study of Chassidut and Jewish philosophy. In his spare time, Elie enjoys shooting hoops, playing the piano, and playing strategy board games. 

Gabi Agus was born and raised in Manhattan, where she attended Ramaz and KJ. She continued her education at Midreshet Harova, especially enjoying their spiritual slant and Zionistic fervor. Afterwards, she studied at Princeton University, majoring in Sociology and minoring in Judaic studies. She made Aliyah three months after graduating, began Ulpan, and then dove into law school at Hebrew University. She is currently in her third year, hoping to work in the children’s advocacy/family law field. For fun, Gabi loves to read, travel, knit, and play board games… that makes two!  

 Gabi and Elie met in December of 2020 through a mutual cousin/friend. They enjoyed their matching hot apple ciders on their first date and the rest is history. They got married in August 2021 in New Jersey and currently live in Jerusalem. 

headshot of Shmuel & Miriam Rosenthal
Shmuel & Miriam Rosenthal
Shmuel & Miriam Rosenthal
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Shmuel Rosenthal grew up in Plainview, New York. After graduating from RAMBAM Mesivta (‘14), he spent two years studying at Yeshivat Torat Shraga. In the following years he attended Yeshiva University Sy Syms School of Business, where he majored in Strategy and Entrepreneurship. For the latter two of his four years at Yeshiva University, Shmuel was a Resident Advisor and Head Resident Advisor, being very involved in campus and student life. Shmuel is currently in R.I.E.T.S Semicha program with a focus on Klay Kodesh and Mental Health counseling. Shmuel and Miriam currently are blessed to live in Yerushalayim, where Shmuel studies at the Gruss Kollel.

Miriam Rosenthal, formerly Radinsky, is from West Hempstead, New York. She attended Yeshiva University High School for Girls (aka Central, ’17) and then spent a year studying at Sha’alvim for Women in Israel. Afterwards, Miriam graduated from Stern College with a major in Biology. Miriam is currently studying at the Matan Scholars Program which specializes in advanced women’s Halacha and Tanach learning. In her free time, Miriam enjoys listening to Ten Minute Hallacha shiurim on YU Torah, exploring Yerushalayim, baking yummy desserts for Shabbos, and hanging out with family and friends.

headshot of Netzach & Hannah Sapir
Netzach & Hannah Sapir
Netzach & Hannah Sapir
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Hannah and Netzach Sapir live in Otniel, Israel with their three inquisitive children: Betzalel, Arava and Chaviv. 

 Hannah grew up in Oakland, CA, where she developed an abiding love of foggy weather. After high school she spent a year studying at midreshet Nishmat in Jerusalem, fell in love with learning Torah, and has been learning daily ever since. Shortly after her time at Nishmat she made aliya and received her undergraduate degree in Mathematics from Hebrew University. Hannah works as a high school math teacher and enjoys baking sourdough bread, solving puzzles, and helping people. 

Netzach grew up in Berkeley, CA. After high school he made aliyah, and spent four years learning in the Otniel hesder yeshiva and serving in the IDF in a combat reconnaissance unit. He received a BA in Middle East and Islamic Studies from Shalem College in Jerusalem, then returned to Otniel to teach and study Torah. Netzach currently works as the local Youth Director, teaches in the Talmud Torah, and is getting his teaching certificate at Herzog College. When he’s not learning Torah, Netzach enjoys hosting Shabbat meals, playing guitar and mandolin, listening to Bob Dylan, and thinking about learning Torah. He misses working in the garden during shemita, but consoles himself with ill-attempted home-carpentry projects and raising a small flock of hens.  

Click here for Past Fellows