Sarah Warshawsky will be participating in the MASA Career Israel program this spring. Currently Sarah works as the Director of Political Affairs for the Consulate General of Israel to Florida and Puerto Rico. Though Sarah grew up in a Jewish household, it was difficult to live the daily life of a Zionist growing up in a Texas community with a small Jewish population. Sarah had an awakening while attending college in Oklahoma where she was fortunate enough to participate in Middle Eastern political science courses taught by a guest Israeli professor. According to Sarah, “Israel has held a special place in my soul since I can remember. I have grown up all over this country and in unusual places for most Jews. Houston, Texas to Austin, Texas to school in Oklahoma, I know what it is like to not be of the majority. My solace was learning, studying and living Israel. I felt a sense of urgency, urgency to get up and move to Israel right away. I wanted to fight for Israel; I wanted to become a part of the majority.” Sarah hopes to use this experience of working and living in Israel to not only further her connection to the country on a personal level but also her future career as a U.S. politician or diplomat working to support Israel.

Read Sarah Warshawsky’s essay

Daniel Romero has had to overcome many adversities in his life.  Thus his application was especially inspiring to the members of the Helyn B, Reich Memorial Scholarship Fund committee.  A graduate of Berkeley Law of the University of California , Daniel will hold an intern position of Foreign Law Clerk with the Supreme Court of Israel while participating in the OU IFS Career Track of the Masa Career Israel Program next year.   Daniel believes that it was during an enlightening stay in Israel where his Zionism first came alive.  In his own words, it was on a trip to Sderot that “it became clear to me that this place, among many places, needed law and justice more than any place back home.  It also needs to be understood more than any other place in America.  For American Jews, this is especially the case and others in the Diaspora, as we are so necessarily tied to this place, and have a role to play in its development, through the ballot box and the foreign policy of our governments.  We have a share in its responsibility for justice and in furthering its development.”  Inspired by Theodor Herzl, Daniel hopes to make his year in Israel another step in realizing the Zionist vision for justice and peace both in Israel and for the Jewish people.

Read Daniel Romero’s essay

From left to right: Peter Adelman, Chelsea Kauffman, Natalie Silverlieb, Simon Stratford and Yoni Mann

This Spring the American Zionist Movement awarded Helyn B Reich Memorial Scholarships to five outstanding young people.  Three are participating in a post-college program called Career Israel, which places participants in internships related to their chosen field or interest.  The remaining two awardees will be attending Tel Aviv University. Learn a little about each of the awardees below; click on their name to read their application essay.

Peter Adelman’s first trip to Israel was in January 2006 with Birthright Israel as a student at the University of Wisconsin. Since then he has worked to become better informed on Jewish and Israeli issues and looks forward to being an even more effective advocate for Israel upon his return to the US.  A native of Des Moines, Adelman will be located in Tel Aviv for his Career Israel internship with a company that assists aspiring entrepreneurs.  Upon returning to the US in July, he will settle in Austin, Texas to study for his MBA at University of  Texas, where he plans to specialize in energy finance.

Chelsea Kauffman, a student at the University of Wisconsin, is spending a semester at Tel Aviv University. Chelsea dates her involvement with Israel advocacy back to her Birthright Israel trip.  After spending a “life-changing” summer in Israel, Chelsea returned to campus and joined the board of the Madison Israel Public Affairs Committee. She says she is “proud of what she has done” for Israel, and  writes that her journey as a pro-Israel activist has just begun.

Natalie Silverlieb is from New York City where she has led an eclectic existence from performing on Broadway to building her own practice as a certified health coach. Natalie will spend five months in Israel under the auspices of Career Israel, where she hopes to use her unique talents and experience to move a social action agenda.  Upon her return, Natalie hopes to work with Jewish community in support of human rights and causes for social justice.

Simon Stratford, hails from Buffalo Grove, Illinois and is attending Michigan State University.  He is spending his spring semester at Tel Aviv University. Simon’s first Israel trip was  on Birthright Israel through his Hillel, in the winter of 2010.  In Simon’s own words “The last day and a half of our trip was spent in Tel Aviv. From the minute I stepped off the bus and saw the breath-taking Tel Aviv skyline adjacent to the Mediterranean Sea, I fell in love with the vibrant culture and energy that surrounded Tel Aviv.  I knew from that point on that I wanted to study abroad at Tel Aviv University.”

Yoni Mann worked for the Jewish Agency for Israel prior to his Knesset internship with Career Israel.  He directed its Aliyah Campus Fellowships program. A native of California, Yoni says that he was born into Zionism.  He believes his internship will help hone his skills for a lifetime of work on behalf of Israel and the Jewish people — either in the United States, or perhaps, in Israel.

The Helyn B. Reich Memorial Scholarship Fund was established in 1995 in memory of Helyn B. Reich, wife of founding AZM President Seymour D. Reich. The initial gift in Helyn’s memory was given by Mrs. Sarah Fischer and her son Dr. Stuart Fischer.

Reich scholarships are awarded each fall and spring to a limited number of American students who choose to study at one of several designated Israeli universities or attend post-college long-term programs. The scholarship seeks to recognize candidates who have demonstrated academic excellence, pro-Israel activity in their personal lives and show a commitment to future involvement with the Jewish and Zionist community. Preference is given to candidates who decide to spend the full year in Israel.

Please note that we are no longer accepting applications for the Fall.

The SPRING 2012 deadline is January 6, 2012

For applications as well as information about scholarship eligibility please click on the corresponding link below:

• For University Study in Israel: Information about scholarships
• Download an application: Helyn B. Reich University Scholarship Application
• For Post-University Programs in Israel: Information about scholarships
• Download an application: Helyn B. Reich Post-University Scholarship Application

For questions that have not been answered by the information provided on this site, please call the AZM National Office at 212-318-6100.

Meet Past Recipients

• Meet the 2011 Spring Recipients
• Meet the 2009 Spring Recipients
• Meet the 2008 Fall Recipients | Updates from 2008 Recipients
• Meet the 2008 Spring Recipients
• Meet the 2007 Recipients | Updates from 2007 Recipients

Read a press release about the scholarship