NYC Gazette

Adina Feldman (SCW '26), a Straus Scholar majoring in Psychology, has been actively engaged in various extracurricular and professional activities throughout the 2023-2024 school year. This summer, she will intern in Jerusalem with therapist Micki Lavin Pell at Kav L’Noar, a mental health clinic supporting Israelis affected by the events of October 7th. Feldman reflects on her internship experiences during the fall and spring semesters.

"I interned for the Honorable Mitchell Silk, the immediate former United States Assistant Secretary of the Treasury for International Markets," Feldman shared. In addition to his political accomplishments, Mr. Silk is a Nodvorna Chassid and has been working with Artscroll to publish the first English translation of the Berditchever Rebbe’s Kedushas Levi as part of his broader project, Chassidic Classics.

During her internship's initial months, Feldman edited, reviewed, and produced promotional material, worked on marketing campaigns, and pursued sponsorship opportunities. She also drafted content for Jewish podcasts and radio shows and wider outlets like Fox News.

"In the aftermath of October 7th, Mr. Silk was determined to produce material that would resonate with people seeking Chassidic inspiration," said Feldman. She collaborated with him to publish a shorter version of Kedushas Levi featuring practical wisdom applicable to everyday life on themes such as grief, love, war, anxiety, and bravery.

Feldman emphasized that her work with Mr. Silk offered significant professional and personal growth opportunities, particularly in writing skills. "I see my work with Mr. Silk - especially efforts to engage Americans of all backgrounds with Chassidic thought and ethics - as perfectly aligning with the Straus Center’s ethos of bridging Torah and Western thought."

In addition to her work with Mr. Silk, Feldman spent the spring semester interning at the Tikvah Fund on marketing Zionism and Anti-Zionism: A History of Two Opposing Ideas. The film series is co-produced by Tikvah and Levana Studios and serves as Tikvah Beren Fellow Zoe Tara Zeigherman's capstone project.

While still in its editing stages, Feldman developed a marketing campaign for the film’s release and connected it with other online pro-Israel voices using contacts from past digital Israel advocacy experiences. She also wrote several grant applications for potential supporters and assisted in website design.

The series premiered at Hillel UCLA in December 2023. Feldman contributed by writing promotional pieces, creating trailers, and producing social media content.

"This internship helped me refine my marketing and analytical skills," she noted. Her experiences were formative for her studies at the Straus Center and understanding Jewish activism and public policy realms. "At Tikvah, I learned to optimize pro-Israel messaging impact," she concluded.

Both internships provided crucial practical and intellectual skills that Feldman plans to carry forward into future endeavors as a young Jewish leader.

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