Joshua Zommick, recent UCLA Graduate with a major in Material Science Engineering and Brawerman Fellowship* recipient, shares his appreciation for the Brawerman Fellowship and how it gave him the tools and opportunities to be a leader in the Jewish community, today and for the future.
The Brawerman Fellowship has given Jewish leaders like me so many opportunities and experiences. A Fellow within this organization must hold community service, leadership, and desire to gain knowledge at such a high standard. While ensuring success inside of the classrooms at a university, the expectations of a Brawerman Fellow have motivated me to actively participate in community outreach and service. I was fortunate enough to participate in the Onward Israel program in 2019 and spend a summer in Israel interning at an Engineering College while also participating in the community through gardening and cow feeding. Having the ability to spend an entire summer in Israel is one of the most meaningful experiences that the Fellowship has given me. On top of that, each meeting or activity at our retreats was incredible. My favorite was helping organize and pack backpacks full of school supplies to be donated to children in need. To conclude, my college experience would not be the same without this Fellowship, and I am and will forever be grateful for the opportunity and assistance that The Jewish Federation has provided.
*Through the Brawerman Fellowship, our Federation develops and sustains a talent pool of Jewish young leaders for our community in perpetuity. The Fellowship provides an annual $10,000 college scholarship — a total of $40,000 over four years — and participation in a larger program that builds leadership skills and further strengthens Fellows’ connection to Jewish life through retreats, a trip to Israel, and other overseas opportunities.
