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SAID ABAHIG
Bahij resides in Washington, D.C where he is currently a triple major studying Arabic, Persian, and International Affairs. In his free time he enjoys traveling, hiking, and reading.
Samantha Abdoo
Samantha Abdoo is a freshman at the University of Cincinnati. She is studying English and Political Science with the intent of attending law school after she graduates. In her free time, Samantha works to improve Jewish life on campus by working with clubs like Bearcats for Israel. She joined the ITME fellowship in hopes of gaining new perspective on the Middle East and learning how to effectively communicate support for Israel and Zionism.
Raihaana Adira
Raihaana Adira is an undergraduate student at McGill University, majoring in International Development and Islamic Studies. As a Muslim and dedicated ally to the Jewish community, Raihaana was one of the students who filed the injunction against the pro-hate encampment at McGill backed by foreign adversaries. She actively stands against anti-Semitism, promotes peaceful coexistence, and advocates for creating safe and inclusive spaces on campus, drawing from her personal experiences.
Isaac Babus
Photographer and Advocate
JASON DIEBNER
I’m currently a senior in college looking to graduate with an economics degree. I have been to Israel 4 times since the war started, and I’m passionate about furthering my education. I’m from Houston, Texas, and I’m currently in school at the University of Texas at Austin
Miles IsaacS
Undergraduate at King’s College London, President of King’s Geopolitics Forum, Assistant at RUSI
ORI JOSELL
BEN MONROE
Benjamin Monroe, age 22, is from Baltimore, Maryland. After graduating from Beth Tfiloh Dahan Day School, Ben was selected to participate in the international Kivunim gap year program. Ben lived and studied in Israel, Morocco, Greece, and Berlin during that time. Ben is majoring in Arabic and Hebrew at The Ohio State University. During his summer breaks in college, Ben interns at the global headquarters of Cisoexecnet. The internship provided hands-on experience developing marketing campaigns, conducting market research, managing digital content, and CEO-to-CEO messaging. Following college graduation, scheduled for May 2025, Ben plans to live overseas in locations where he can fully use his foreign language expertise and hopes to pursue graduate school. When he is not working or studying, Ben enjoys cooking, basketball, music, rock climbing, and traveling.
ILAI RABINOWITZ
Miranda Ruzinsky
Sammy Shiff
I’m dedicated to spreading knowledge and understanding about Israel’s rich cultural heritage and contemporary significance. Currently pursuing a major in Elementary Education at Drexel University, I am deeply passionate about empowering young minds. Beyond academia, I actively engage with organizations such as SSI (Students Supporting Israel), Hillel, Chabad , Meor ILN (Israel Leadership Network), JNF (Jewish National Fund), and Pi Lambda Phi fraternity. Through these affiliations, I foster education, cultural exchange, and community building.
BROOKLYN TORY
Brooklyn is in her final year of undergraduate studies in psychology, cognitive science, and international development at McGill University, where her special interest has been ethnically adaptive trauma coping. She has been an advocate for BIPOC and LGBTQ+ equity issues in academic settings, as well as work to improve Title IX consent education in schools. Brooklyn’s leadership experience includes an array of vital roles in Model UN conferences in Montreal and the Bay Area, and in 2021 she founded and acted as President for a Bay Area community initiative to improve civil and political discourse among students. As part of her participation with ITME, Brooklyn hopes to foster thoughtful dialogue between students in Montreal, a city that has seen dramatic rise in antisemitism and racial-ethnic violence since 10/7.
TamaR Sarah Weiss
Aliya Zigman
Aliya Zigman is a senior at the University of Denver, studying psychology and philosophy. Passionate about trauma-informed care and somatic health, Aliya plans to make Aliyah to Israel after graduation to pursue a career as a therapist specializing in these areas. She is a StandWithUs Emerson Fellow and serves as the Director of Strategy and Education for the University of Denver’s chapter of Students Supporting Israel (SSI). From 2023 to 2024, Aliya spent a gap year in Israel, volunteering in Kibbutz Harduf. There, she taught English to Arab children in neighbouring villages and worked alongside individuals with mental disabilities. Aliya’s experiences have deepened her connection to Judaism, inspired her commitment to Israel, and shaped her vision for a career dedicated to helping others heal.
