Profile of OTZMA Israel Teaching Corps 2010-2011 Participants

OTZMA is very excited to begin our second year of the Israel Teaching Corps Program this fall! This year, OTZMA's ITC program has 6 participants from 6 different communities across North America.

Please see below to learn more about this years group!

 

Arielle Waite (Southern New Jersey) Arielle is a graduate of the Denison University class of 2009. She double majored in History and Theatre, and while in college worked as both a Resident assistant and a Stage Manager. Through her sorority, Alpha Chi Omega, she volunteered at a local domestic violence shelter. She has interned at the North Shore Music Theatre’s summer educational camp and worked as a Stage manager for Theatre West Virginia’s educational summer program as well. Arielle travelled to Israel in 2006 on a birthright trip and has been looking forward to going back ever since.

 

 

Jason Winkler (New York, NY) After graduating from Arcadia University in 2010, Jason has decided to spend time abroad before going on to graduate school. Throughout his time at Arcadia University Jason was able help build houses in Tijuana, Mexico and New Orleans, Louisiana. Now Jason is looking to expend upon the community service work he did in the Philadelphia Public School System to help teach Israeli students English. Jason was a co-founder of the Arcadia University Men’s Lacrosse Club and was participant in his college Hillel.

 

 

Lauren Hyman (Atlanta, GA) Lauren is a recent graduate from Georgia College and State University in Milledgeville, GA. She majored in Special Education and obtained her teaching certification in Special Education for grade levels K-12. Ever since her Birthright trip in 2008, Lauren has been looking forward to returning to Israel with more purpose. She was active in intramural sports along with Hillel and Council for Exceptional Children in college. Lauren loves traveling, painting, hiking, and spending time with family and friends. She is very excited for the new adventures that come along with being an OTZMA participant!

 

Rachel Baum (MetroWest, NJ) Rachel is a recent graduate of the State University of New York at New Paltz in New Paltz, NY. She graduated with a degree in Childhood Education with a concentration in English and a minor in Creative Writing. Rachel attended Hebrew School through her junior year in high school and was involved in USY Hagalil as well. She has been to Israel three times including Birthright. Nowadays, she keeps busy playing sports, reading and writing poetry, and playing musical instruments, of which her favorite, are the drums. Rachel is very much looking forward to taking everything she learns from the OTZMA ITC experience and implementing it into her own classroom someday.

 

Sarah Adler (Howard CO, MD) After spending a month in Israel in early 2009 with Taglit Birthright Israel, Sarah knew that her next step, post-graduating New York University in the Fall of 2009, would be in that direction. Sarah has always felt connected to the Jewish community and culture, leading several Associated Teen Organizations in high school and working at the Baltimore Jewish Times. Beyond that, however, it is the opportunity to teach in a country very close to her heart that made OTZMA’s Israel Teaching Corp the very best place for Sarah in this year in Israel. Sarah is passionate about so many things but right now, above all, it is the many opportunities that await her in Israel.

 

Shauna Gamsey (Miami, Florida) Shauna graduated from the University of Florida in 2007 with a degree in anthropology. She loves traveling, cycling, cooking and writing (all simultaneously) and currently finds a lot of joy in hosting her own Shabbat dinner parties. Her travels have taken her abroad and across the US, where she worked as an Americorp intern at a national park in California. Following a Birthright trip in 2009, Shauna spent four months exploring the land and diverse culture of Israel. She is very excited to return with Otzma and work in the Negev.