The Jean & Samuel Frankel Center for Judaic Studies is celebrating the Class of 2020, consisting of eighteen minors, eight majors, and two graduate certificate students. These students graduated with a wide range of scholarly focuses in addition to Judaic studies, including political science, cellular and molecular biology, sociology, women’s studies, and theatre design and production. Several graduates will be continuing their education in, law, medicine, psychology, and social work, while others have
already secured employment.

Will Hearn won the Outstanding Undergraduate Student Award, given to a graduating student who has achieved a grade point average of at least 3.8 in Judaic studies courses and been nominated by a
faculty member for having made stand out academic achievements. Hearn has accepted a full-tuition scholarship at Yale University’s School of Divinity and will be enrolling in the Master of Divinity program with a Certificate in Educational Leadership and Ministry.

Marie Pattipati received the Outstanding Yiddish Student Award, which is awarded to a student whose classwork and commitment to Yiddish stands out. Yiddish lecturer Elena Luchina nominated Pattipati based off her efforts and creativity shown in class and especially her final project, a children's book on autism.

This year’s Marshall Weinberg prize, given annually to an outstanding graduate student who is engaged in writing a dissertation, was awarded to Sam Shuman. Shuman’s dissertation project, Cut Out the Middleman: Brokering Belonging in the Diamond Industry, was acclaimed for both its originality and significant contribution to Jewish studies. Frankel Center Director Jeff Veidlinger commented, “Sam’s work engages a broader scholarship on long-distance economic networks, global
legal pluralism, enclave economies, and the role of religious faith in public life and economic decision-making.” 

Shira Schwartz graduated with a PhD in Comparative Literature and Graduate Certificate in Judaic studies. Schwartz will be the Phyllis Backer Professor of Jewish Studies in the Department of Religion at Syracuse University. Schwartz stated that the Frankel Center offered her resources and mentors that allowed her to “explore new areas of research, connect ideas across different fields and audiences, and create new frameworks for teaching and learning.”

Graduates with degrees in Judaic studies are moving on to an array of diverse career paths, benefiting from the education they received at the Frankel Center.

Katherine Podolak dual majored in Judaic studies and sociology and will be a Springboard Innovation Fellow at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Hillel. “The Frankel Center gave me the space to
explore Judaism in a way I had never experienced before. I truly found the passion for my future career as a Jewish professional because of the Judaic Studies Program,” said Podolak.

Judaic Studies minor Noah Momblanco, who majored in mechanical engineering, will be joining Narens Associates in Farmington Hills as a Sales Engineer and Technical Liaison. He commented, “My
coursework for Judaic Studies provides me the context necessary to become an engineer committed to sustainable social development.”

Another Judaic studies minor, Maya Tinoco, has accepted an offer to join Macy’s Executive Development Program in Merchandising in New York City. Tinoco remarked that her experience at the Frankel Center provided her with the opportunity to learn more about her Jewish heritage.

Dual major in Judaic Studies and Cellular and Molecular Biology, Elizabeth Weisberg plans to enroll in medical school. She noted that she valued the close-knit aspect of the center, “It felt like I had found
my home on this campus.”

Anjelica Lyman majored in both English and women’s studies and minored in Judaic studies. She remarked, “The classes were diverse and I was able to widen my knowledge of the Jewish community because of this. As a Jewish woman, the fact that I was provided such enriching courses about this aspect of my identity, as well as the intersectionality Judaism has with other identities, is endlessly important to me and I am so thankful for this opportunity.” Lyman will be enrolling in the Library and Information Science master’s degree program at Wayne State University.

To celebrate the graduates, the Frankel Center published a video of faculty congratulating the students and presenting the Judaic Studies Class of 2020, including remarks from Director Jeff Veidlinger, Associate Director Maya Barzilai, Outstanding Undergraduate Award winner Will Hearn and Marshall Weinberg Prize recipient Sam Shuman. The video is available on the Frankel Center’s website (https://lsa.umich.edu/content/michigan-lsa/judaic/en/2020-graduation.html).

The 2020 graduates join a distinguished group of Frankel Center alumni. We wish them the best of luck!

 

Class of 2020

Graduate Certificate

Michail Kitsos

Shira Schwartz

 

Major

Jonathan Grey

Samantha Grosinger

Alex Harris

Will Hearn

Rachel Kahan

Jessica Matz

Katherine Podolak

Elizabeth Weisberg

 

Minor

Serge Albarian

Felix Auboeck

Ezra Brown

Madeline Daugherty

Janavi Goldblum

Orly Katz

William Katzman

Rachel Levy

Rebecca Lubow

Anjelica Lyman

Rebecca Mendel

Noah Momblanco

Juan (Romeo) Perez

Yael Plotnick

Natalie Rochman

Alison Rosen

Maya Tinoco

Samantha Weiser