Issue link: https://viewer.e-digitaledition.com/i/867410
72 August 31 • 2017 jn for college students by college students Aug. 31, 2017/ 9 Elul 5777 U niversity of Michigan juniors from Metro Detroit share highlights of their summer internships in Israel. Claire Yerman, West Bloomfield This summer, I moved across the Atlantic to help develop the ocean wave energy indus- try. By August, living in Israel had unexpect- edly become the most instrumental part of my journey. I worked in Tel Aviv at Eco Wave Power Ltd. as a business development and strategy intern. I spent weekdays meeting with inves- tors, developing multimillion-dollar proj- ects and strategizing global expansion. On weekends, I immersed myself in culture and experiences, including spending time with an Israeli camper I met at Tamarack Camps many years ago and staying at the home of a teacher I had at Hillel Day School. The full immersion — including public transportation, work culture and terror attacks — forced me to consistently chal- lenge myself. Built from a strong foundation- al Jewish identity, my experiences further engaged my appreciation for the Jewish state and promoted my own growth and learning in ways I could have never imagined. Abbey Blender, Bloomfield Hills This summer, I was lucky enough to spend two months in Israel, a place I am fortunate to call my second home. It has always been a dream of mine to spend a summer in Israel and, with the help of Onward Israel, I was able to make that dream a reality. I spent my summer as a marketing intern at the Heschel Center for Sustainability in Tel Aviv, an organization that focuses on pro- moting environmentally friendly practices in Israeli society. Through working and living in the suburbs of Tel Aviv, I was able to fully immerse myself in the Israeli culture, which I had not been able to previously experience on guided tours through the country. Autumn Jacob, West Bloomfield I spent the summer in Tel Aviv interning for an artificial intelligence company called Neura. Though I have been to Israel many times, this experience of living and working in Tel Aviv offered me a completely different perspective. As a user experience intern, I was chal- lenged to create simple solutions to reveal the complex features AI has to offer the world. I was so fortunate to be surrounded by all the crazy, talented minds within the Neura family. But beyond my experience working, I was constantly learning the cul- ture of Tel Aviv : crowded bus rides, matkot on the beach, hummus at every meal. I truly miss it all. Looking back at my summer, I left with way more than mud from the Dead Sea or Israeli popping chocolate. I left with the wisdom of Tel Aviv's culture and incredible relationships that I will forever hold on to. @ I spent this summer working as an orientation leader at the University of Michigan-Dearborn. Orientation is designed to help new students succeed academi- cally, adjust to collegiate life and meet new friends. Whenever I took a group past the Student Government Office on the second floor of our University Center, I smiled. I was glad because I had an excellent spiel: I told the students that sometime in their collegiate career, they will be bothered by something on campus. Be it parking issues, concerns with leadership or lack of a certain resource — there will always be something. Moreover, if they don't have an issue at some point, they will actually miss out. I always explained that Student Government works to address those issues, and that is why I was proud to be a part of it. I first joined Student Government halfway through my second semester at UM-Dearborn after having many friends pestering me to do so. A few months later, I was elected to the role of senator, which I have been all summer. I love having the opportunity to represent my school and the people in it as a student senator. In addition, as vice president of Hillel of Metro Detroit's Jewish Student Organization at UM-Dearborn since October 2016, I have been allowed to represent Jewish students and their concerns, and meet other student leaders from many different campus organiza- tions. Over the past few months, the leadership of Student Government has worked toward adjusting its meet- ing times to better convenience students who observe Shabbat, and now we will be working with a new meeting time this fall because of it. I want to help make UM-Dearborn a destination for all students, regardless of religion, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation or anything else that makes an indi- vidual an individual. Student Government gives me the opportunity to be a part of something greater than myself to achieve that goal, and I can't wait to get to work in September. @ Jordan Wohl of Danvers, Mass., is a sophomore at University of Michigan-Dearborn is the vice president of the UM-Dearborn Jewish Student Organization and a senator of the Student Government. Jordan Wohl Summer In Israel U-M interns in Tel Aviv gain more than work experience. Claire Yerman Abbey Blender Autumn Jacob Taking Action UM-D student senator touts the importance of involvement. Jordan Wohl } jewish@edu writer "Student Government gives me the opportunity to be a part of something greater than myself …" — Jordan Wohl