Noam Brenner

he/him

Fellow, New York

Hi, I am a graduate of George Washington University, where I majored in political science and psychology. My interest in social justice began at Camp Tel Yehudah, where I learned about the importance of Jewish activism and leadership. After graduating, I served as a Pressman Social Action Coordinator for Bnai Keshet and a Project Manager for Vot-ER working on civic engagement and voting rights. Wanting to address the rising rates of food insecurity, I began volunteering as a researcher for Hunger Free America and as a Development Associate for helpNYC. I am passionate about Repair the World because I recognize how important building community is to improving social needs and social justice, and I am excited to further my interest in food justice.

Annie Cohen

she/her

Fellow, Detroit

My name is Annie and my pronouns are she/her/hers. I am a class of 2022 graduate from the College of Wooster with a degree in Psychology and a minor in music. I have had many experiences working with Jewish and interfaith groups, including as a participant in Wooster’s Interfaith Council and a Hillel Jewish Learning Fellow. I am passionate about service and community building and cannot wait to learn and grow as a fellow for Repair the World Detroit.

Jessie Copeland

she/her

Fellow, Brooklyn

Hello! My name is Jessie Copeland. I am a student of the world who loves to make connections among people and concepts alike. In college I had the opportunity to work with a cross-cultural, interdisciplinary, and intergenerational team of UVA students and professors alongside South African artist-activist intellectuals. Together we collaborated on ways of engaging with community-based knowledge without recreating harmful power relations typical between the global north and south. I got to wear many hats during this experience on both sides of the Atlantic, from STEAM educator for children and teaching assistant for college students, to assisting with production for a music festival and the curation of an art gallery exhibition. I am super excited for the fellowship because I believe that we can do incredible things when we come together with humility and care; this fellowship is a unique opportunity to directly participate in being part of this force towards building the more equitable, beautiful, and joyful world we hope to see.

Emma Duhamel

they/them

Fellow, Pittsburgh

My name is Emma Duhamel, and I use they/them pronouns. I recently graduated from the University of Cincinnati where I double majored in Philosophy and Social Justice, with a certificate in LGBTQ Studies. For the past four years, I’ve been teaching religious school at different synagogues throughout Cincinnati, serving as both a Hillel student board member and intern, and interning with the Jewish Federation of Cincinnati. I also served on the board of the UC chapter of Unite for Reproductive and Gender Equity, most recently as president. Repair the World allows me to continue to weave Judaism and social justice together. I plan to attend rabbinical school, and this fellowship will help me understand how I can incorporate social justice and direct service into my rabbinate.

Delayna Feuerzeig

she/her

Fellow, Miami

Hi, I’m Delayna! I am a recent graduate of UMass Amherst, where I majored in Social Thought and Political Economy, and minored in Sustainable Community Development. I am originally from Northern New Jersey and I have always had a passion for Judaism and being Jewish. During my time at UMass I helped lead a discussion group that focused on Jewish culture, history, and values. Over the past several years I have also worked in printing, and coordinated social media for an organization, PERIOD, which focused on getting free menstrual products in campus bathrooms. In addition to my work with Repair, I hope to document Jewish history as we live it through video and photography.

Lou Fusco

they/them

Fellow, Baltimore

Hi, my name is Lou Fusco!! I am a Philadelphia native and recent graduate of Goucher College. There, I was a Sociology & Anthropology major, with a concentration in Social Justice, and a double minor in Dance & Women, Gender, Sexuality Studies. I’ve also worked with Goucher Hillel for three years, with my latest position being co-president!! I’m very excited to be staying in the Baltimore area as a fellow and continue to work on social justice issues through community engagement.

Hazel Garrity

she/her

Fellow, Atlanta

My name is Hazel Garrity and I am new to repair and Atlanta! I am so excited to get to know everyone and the city better. My dog Canela and I are originally from a small town in Connecticut, but we’re loving the culture and community that has been so welcoming. I haven’t had a lot of experience integrating my religion with the service work I’ve done before, and I am so grateful to get the chance to do so. I’m looking forward to the next two years and love Repair!

Jane Keller

she/her

Fellow, Baltimore

Hi, my name is Jane! I have recently finished my Master’s degree in Political Science at Rutgers University. While in college I developed a passion for the impact of public policy on human rights. I minored in Social Justice, became an Associate and student researcher at the Eagleton Institute of Politics, and interned at Unchained at Last, a non-profit that works to end child marriage in the US, as well as Move for Hunger, an organization that organizes the real estate and moving industries to fight food waste. I then moved on to studying global policy as a graduate student in the hopes of one day working in the field of international human rights advocacy, but first I’m stopping in Baltimore to learn more about social justice at the grassroots level and develop my knowledge of and connection to my Jewish background.

Yael Benvenuto Ladin

she/her

Fellow, Boston

Yael is a graduate of Oberlin College, where she majored in Gender, Sexuality, and Feminist Studies with minors in Jewish Studies and Hispanic Studies. She has previously worked on issues of reproductive health, rights, and justice, including honors research on prison doula organizations, radical optimism, and community care. She’s passionate about the intersection of community sustainability work and Jewish values and ethics, and is excited to bring her previous experience with direct support work to the fellowship! Through the fellowship, she hopes to invest in, celebrate, and mobilize Jewish communities to work for justice.

Emily Levine

she/her

Fellow, Detroit

Hi I’m Emily, I use she/her pronouns. I’m a recent graduate from Bard college, where I studied economics and gender studies. My work with Young Judaea as both a summer camp counselor and year round advisor has cultivated my passion for social justice through a Jewish lens. During undergrad I studied abroad twice, in Berlin and Budapest. Through my experience abroad I became interested in the impact of grassroots organizations at both local and global levels. I’m excited to be a fellow for Repair the World Detroit, and combine my passions!

Melvin Lewis

he/him

Fellow, Detroit

Hi, I’m Melvin (he/him)! I just graduated from Williams College in northwestern Massachusetts, where I majored in religion and studied Spanish and Arabic. While in college, I loved serving on the board of my school’s Jewish Association and Queer Student Union, and enjoyed teaching Hebrew school to 4th and 5th graders. Interning at the Transgender Law Center and Vanderbilt University Medical Center’s Program for LGBTQ Health cemented my passion for justice work, which drew me to the fellowship. I’m excited to be in Detroit for the next two years!

David Ludwig

he/him

Fellow, Brooklyn

My name is David Ludwig. I was born and raised in Philadelphia, PA and attended NYU in the Global Liberal Studies program where I concentrated in politics, human rights and development. During and after undergrad I spent time in a variety of positions from canvassing to development work. In my spare time I’ve found love in cooking and learning about the vast networks that are responsible for what we find in the grocery store everyday. Repair offered the perfect opportunity to channel that passion into assisting the incredibly important street-level work being done around availability of and access to nutritious, fulfilling, and tasty meals in Brooklyn and beyond!

Cate Mandel

she/they

Fellow, Los Angeles

Hi, my name is Cate and I use she/they pronouns! I was born and raised in Oakland, California, and recently earned my degree in Sociology-Anthropology from Lewis & Clark College. At Lewis & Clark I found a profound love for the outdoor spaces of the Pacific Northwest and found joy in exploring the city of Portland. Over the last year I worked for Jews for Racial and Economic Justice, and spent this past summer as a backpacking guide at a Jewish summer camp in Yosemite. Through the fellowship I am excited to develop meaningful connections and support individuals in creating the spaces they envision for their own communities.

Emma Nissim

she/her

Fellow, Miami

I am in my final year as an undergraduate, majoring in political science at Florida International University’s School of Science and International Affairs. Since I was a Girl Scout in elementary school, I have been incredibly passionate about social justice and service. Since then, I have only strengthened my commitment to mutual aid and the greater community, most notably helping to form the current YDSA @ FIU chapter and serving as vice president and chair of the Mutual Aid Working Group and their mutual aid projects. I also campaigned for Bernie Sanders in 2020 and was a flagship member of Students for Bernie At FIU during the 2020 election cycle. From the Great Depression to the present day, my family has served their communities through Jewish service groups. This fellowship allows me to not only interact with and serve the community at large, but also to enhance my ties to the core ideals of Judaism, which have always guided my passion for connecting with others, and myself, through service work.

Max Reiver

he/they

Fellow, Pittsburgh

My name is Max Reiver, I use they/them and he/him pronouns, and I am a recent graduate from the University of Pittsburgh with majors in English Literature and Japanese, a minor in Gender, Sexuality, & Women’s Studies, and a certificate in Asian Studies. During my time at Pitt, I prioritized service as one of my top commitments outside of the classroom, through LGBTQ+ student organizing, volunteering at UPMC Presbyterian with Palliative Care, and working as a volunteer farmhand at Churchview Farm LLC. With Repair the World, I am excited to continue to work on service initiatives similar to those that I contributed to as an undergraduate student, while branching out into new areas, too. I am most looking forward to working with Jewish LGBTQ+ folks in the Pittsburgh area and resuming my service as a volunteer farmhand. I am really excited to grow from my experiences in this Fellowship and make a positive difference in the lives of our community members.

Q Rice

she/her

Fellow, Pittsburgh

I am a 2020 graduate of Chatham University, where I majored in Sustainability. Throughout my time there, I facilitated sustainability camps for high schoolers, learned about sustainable agriculture and aquaponics, and led ecological research projects that dealt with invasive plants and entomology. After I graduated, I spent my time through Serve the Moment, where I volunteered at a local food pantry, and community garden. I am most passionate about food access and environmental justice. I wanted to join Repair the World because of their focus in sustained volunteering, empowering individuals, and reflecting on the systemic issues within each city. I am so excited to collaborate with the community, and further my learning about Pittsburgh!

Jake Rider

he/him

Fellow, Miami

Hi, my name is Jake and I am a recent graduate of Eckerd College where I earned degrees in Anthropology & Environmental Studies with a minor in Political Science. During my time at Eckerd, my passion for understanding the intersection of culture and the environment developed through studying abroad in India and Nepal where I learned about Buddhism and the role it plays in environmental and social justice work. Taking this experience back home, I became very active in social justice work including volunteering with Student PIRG on their New Voters Project where I engaged with young college students to become registered voters and to get out the vote. I also spent time serving on my college’s Student Title IX Advisory Council where I worked on combating sexism, homophobia, and/or power-based violence to make my college campus a more just and equitable place for all. I’m very excited to be part of the Repair the World Fellow cohort because I recognize the importance they place on community and social justice work. I am excited to be part of this process creating social change and the possibility to expand my knowledge on environmental and social justice.

Jionna Rodgers

she/her

Fellow, Pittsburgh

My name is Jionna A. Rodgers (Gigi for short)

I believe that the pathway to a healthy planet starts at the hearts and minds of its inhabitants. From this place, we can absorb knowledge and exercise new wisdom when making choices about the way we engage with life and form our values.

As a Fellow, I aspire to fine tune my principals while inspiring others to make a change in the way we do capitalism.

As an eco entrepreneur, my focus is on planet, people, and profit, in that order. Through education and efficiency, I think that we can see improvements within existing systems by encouraging the masses to engage more responsibly with them through innovative alternatives. However, we must take baby steps and let them begin with me!

Palmer Rubin

they/them

Fellow, Atlanta

Palmer Rubin is a graduate of the Savannah College of Art and Design. They previously completed the Jeremiah Fellowship for Bend The Arc in 2020 and the Serve The Moment Fellowship in 2020-2021. They’re dedicated to finding equitable services for all people in Atlanta, prioritizing those most affected, and living by the Jewish value of “tikkun olam.”

Rachel Siegel

she/they

Fellow, Baltimore

Rachel has been deeply passionate about social justice and racial equality since she was in middle school, attending their first abortion rights rally in 8th grade. She was born and raised in sunny Miami, Florida and attended the University of Miami where she got a degree in Communication Sciences, double majoring in Communication studies with a focus in Public Advocacy and Political Science. Rachel worked with their university’s largest and oldest LGBTQ organization for their entire undergrad career, planning and orchestrating their largest events. She did everything from throwing beads on a float in Miami Beach Pride, to strutting down the runway at our annual Drag Show fundraiser. They also worked on Donna Shalala’s congressional campaign during the 2018 midterm election, helping to flip FL-27 blue for the first time in over 25 years. Rachel spent much of 2020 in the Serve the Moment program, learning about food insecurity within the Jewish Community in South Florida, inspiring them to join the Repair the World team!

Sam Trombly

he/him

Fellow, Boston

Hi, I’m Sam! I’m from Boulder, Colorado and I use he/him pronouns. I attended University of Colorado for my degree in Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology. During that time, I loved being a part of my Hillel, doing everything from planning programs to leading services, even hot yoga once. Throughout that time, I developed my passion for social justice and community activism, and decided to pursue that as a career. I’m excited to work as a fellow with Repair the World not only because of the opportunity to learn and professionally develop, but getting to work in service through a Jewish perspective.

Isabel Wilson

she/her

Fellow, Brooklyn

Hi! My name is Isabel Wilson. I’m 23 years old. Before starting as a Repair the World Fellow I was working as an Assistant Teacher at a nursery school and I completed two Service Corps with Repair the World in Harlem. I am from New York and I got involved with Repair hoping to help out in my community and form connections; I found this and more with Repair. For my first term in the fall of 2021, I was partnered with Harlem Grown an incredible Urban Farm and Community Garden. For my second term in the Spring of 2022, I continued with Harlem Grown and began serving with and learning from the folks at Emmaus House. Emmaus House works to help combat Mass Incarceration and support folks in transitioning back to life outside the carceral system. I am passionate about the Fellowship because I believe in the work Repair the World has been doing to build relationships and stand in solidarity with partner organizations in uplifting our communities.