NYC Gazette

This summer, the Impact Office at the Yeshiva University Straus Center for Torah and Western Thought will support several Straus Scholars and other top YU students as they pursue professional advancement opportunities in politics, policy, journalism, academia, and Jewish advocacy.

In Jerusalem, Rikki Zagelbaum (SCW ‘26) will work at the Jerusalem Post as a writing intern. “I hope to make cover stories that matter by paying due respect to those who may have previously gone unnoticed. Through my work, I also aim to combat anti-Israel and antisemitic disinformation in the media,” Zagelbaum shared.

In New York City, Straus Scholars Tamara Yeshurun (SCW ‘26) and Fayga Tziporah Pinczower (SCW ‘26) will participate in the Tikvah Fund’s Beren Summer Fellowship. They will take high-level seminars in classical philosophy, American history, and Jewish thought, followed by an independent project or internship focusing on a specific area of Jewish public policy or communal life. Yeshurun’s project will focus on Hebrew-language curricula development, while Pinczower will intern at the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty in Washington, DC.

Also in Washington is Zachary Winters (SSSB ‘25), a finance and political science major who will serve as a policy analyst for Chairman Ben Cardin (D-MD) on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. “In a post-October 7th world, it is clear that we need American leaders and politicians to be strong advocates and supporters of Israel," Winters explained. "I want to continue to make connections with Senators and other members of Congress that play important roles in elevating the importance of support for Israel and combat the resurgence of antisemitism.” He hopes his time on Capitol Hill will give him “an opportunity to make a Kiddush Hashem and elevate the image of Yeshiva University.”

Several Straus Scholars will spend the summer working for legislators and leading think tanks in Washington. Jason (Sruli) Friedman (YC ‘26) will intern in Congressman Mike Lawler's (R-NY) office through the Fund for American Studies (TFAS) summer program. Ezra Seplowitz (YC ‘25) will attend a week-long seminar at the American Enterprise Institute’s Summer Honors Program with Dr. Yuval Levin titled "Freedom, Progress, and Tradition in the United States." Aharon Soloveichik (YC ‘25) will participate in another AEI seminar titled “The Future of American Politics” with AEI scholar Matthew Continetti.

Yaakov Willner (YC '25), president of YU's Alexander Hamilton Society chapter, received the Alexander Hamilton Society’s Hamilton National Fellowship grant. He will intern at Hudson Institute’s Center for Peace and Security in the Middle East under Dr. Michael Doran's direction. “I hope that the internship will open doors for me to enter the field of foreign policy," Willner said.

In addition to these roles in public service, several Straus Scholars are pursuing private sector opportunities. Jenny Rapp (SCW '25) will intern at political polling firm JL Partners while Yakov Sundel (YC '24) joins OnMessage Inc., a political strategy firm.

These internships are supported by the Straus Impact Office with funding from the Paul E. Singer Foundation. The Impact Office aims to further impact alumni, current scholars, and other students involved in politics, policy, and journalism across both undergraduate campuses of Yeshiva University.

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