Talia Horan-Block

Describe your job responsibilities:

I am the Associate Director of Camp Young Judaea Sprout Lake, a co-ed, Jewish overnight camp in New York’s Hudson Valley. We also have two day camps, one in Brooklyn, New York and one in Westchester County, New York. My primary responsibilities are to hire 100 staff each summer, and to recruit about 80 new families for each summer.

What is the most rewarding part of your work?

100% the most rewarding part of my work is seeing how camp changes the lives of the campers
and the staff members. My favorite day of camp is the last day, when parents are reunited with their children and the campers are showing them around camp, introducing them to their counselors, showing them their favorite parts of camp and the memories they created there.

Tell us about studying at the Frankel Center:

I had a great experience at the Frankel Center. I thought the professors were fantastic; the content of the classes was interesting and engaging. I found myself really enjoying the medieval Jewish history classes I took.  

How did your education prepare you for your current job?

I use my critical thinking, analytical and writing skills every day in my job. My time at U-M and at the Frankel Center definitely helped me develop and perfect these skills. The most important way the Frankel Center prepared me was teaching me how to write.

What advice would you give to students who are considering studying Judaic Studies?

I participated in Young Judaea Year Course, a gap year program in Israel before I came to U-M.  I received several credits for the program that counted towards my Jewish studies minor.  I added it as almost an afterthought, but probably enjoyed the faculty and classmates far more than my major. I
enjoyed the Jewish history classes the most. I learned content I never would have had it not been for those classes. I also felt very connected to the faculty in the program because it felt small.