Kol Koleinu 2019-2020 Fellows

Amelia Cogan is a rising junior from Brooklyn, NY. She is extremely passionate about social justice issues, especially reproductive rights, criminal justice reform, and immigration rights, and the way that Jewish values intersect with these topics. She attended Seeds Of Peace and is dedicated to learning about conflict transformation. In her free time, Amelia plays the guitar, reads poetry, volunteered on the Warren 2020 campaign, and writes in her journal.

Sophie Coker is a rising junior from upstate New York. She is a dedicated musician, playing trumpet, baritone, and piano. She plays trumpet in her school’s marching band, a local jazz ensemble, and several other musical groups. A member of her high school’s Mock Trial team and Environmental Club, Sophie is passionate about gun control, abortion rights, and immigration reform.

Along with co-fellows, Mia and Aliza, Sophie created a new website called Inclusion Delusion, where they analyze tv shows and movies based on metrics like body positivity, disability representation and non-stereotypical gender representation. Check out their articles at https://sophiejcoker.wixsite.com/inclusiondelusion.

Aliza Cotton is a rising junior from upstate NY. This was her second year in the Kol Koleinu fellowship. She enjoys being an officer for Guerilla Art Club, Students for Peace and Survival, and Genders and Sexualities Alliance at her school. She is a currently on the teen advisory board for the Jewish Youth Climate Movement. Aliza loves playing ultimate frisbee, and likes to read in her free time.

Along with co-fellows, Mia and Sophie, Aliza created a new website called Inclusion Delusion, where they analyze tv shows and movies based on metrics like racial diversity and LGBTQ+ representation.

Emily Feldman is from Michigan and is an incoming first year at the University of Michigan. She was the president of the Social Justice Club and the captain of the Varsity Volleyball Team at her high school. Emily is passionate about health, and loves to exercise and spend time with family as often as possible.

Emily created a presentation called The Importance of Language, which focuses on gender and pronouns. The aim of the presentation is to educate people at her small Jewish day school about how to use pronouns to refer to and address people who don’t identify as male or female. She plans to return to her school next year to give her presentation in person.

Danielle Gruber is a rising senior from Long Island. She is passionate about neuroscience and computer programming and currently works for the Laboratory for Computational Neurodiagnostics at Stony Brook University.

Danielle created Voting with a Feminist Lens, a workshop series for teens,  to educate first time voters on how to make their vote more meaningful. The workshops cover the importance of voting, barriers to voting, looking at political issues with a feminist lens, and selecting candidates that represent your values.

Caroline Kay is a rising senior from Philadelphia. She plays for her school tennis team,and is involved in the TEDx committee and Technology Student Association. Caroline loves math and in her free time she enjoys reading.

For her social change project, Caroline created a presentation to educate her school on the meaning of feminism in order to address the stigmas and misconceptions many people have about feminism. This upcoming school year she hopes to give her presentation in homerooms at her school. 

Maya Kendall is a rising senior from Brooklyn, NY. This was her third year in the Kol Koleinu (formerly Kol Isha) fellowship. She is on her school’s varsity soccer team and is a co-president of her synagogue’s youth group. In her free time, Maya enjoys spending time with her sisters and baking!

Along with co-fellow Hannah, she developed Let’s Talk Sex!, an inclusive sex education curriculum for freshman that enables students to explore sexual orientation and gender identity through guided group discussions. They developed the curriculum in response to heteronormativity of current sex education curriculum.

Adina Kurzban is a rising junior from Los Angeles, CA. She enjoys playing guitar, being a participant of the Model Congress team, and has been swimming on her club team for seven years. Adina is passionate about volunteering with special needs children at the Friendship Circle, and loves to learn about politics and the economy.

Along with co-fellows Ava and Allie, Adina is developing a video about body image called Your Body, Your Image. The video will contain stories from people of all genders about their body insecurities and their healing process toward self-love. Click here to learn how to  submit your own story.

Ava Lifton is a rising senior from Los Angeles, California. She is president of her high school and is the captain of her varsity high school soccer team. Ava loves to read and write. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with friends and playing soccer.

Along with co-fellows Adina and Allie, Ava is developing a short video about body insecurity and body positivity called Your Body, Your Image. The video will contain stories from people of all genders about their body image. Click here to learn more.

Eliana Lotenberg is a rising junior from Northern Virginia. She is active in social justice and gender initiatives in the Jewish community as the social action chair of her temple youth group and a participant and leader in Keshet LGBTQ+ Youth Shabbatonim. In her spare time, Eliana likes to play ultimate Frisbee on her school team and cuddle with her two pet rabbits.

For her social change project, Eliana explored the intersection between the environment and feminism as women are disproportionately affected by climate change. In an effort to prevent waste and greenhouse gas emissions, she hopes to institute a zero-waste oneg at her synagogue with a compost pick-up service.

Mia Medney is a rising senior from NYC. She is an active participant in Model UN, plays softball for her high school team and enjoys taekwondo with a foreseeable goal of becoming a black belt. Mia’s favorite subject is science and in her spare time enjoys biking and cherishes her in involvement in her temple youth group NFTY-NAR.

Along with co-fellows, Sophie and Aliza, Mia created a new website called Inclusion Delusion, where they analyze inclusivity in today’s pop culture. Check out their articles at https://sophiejcoker.wixsite.com/inclusiondelusion.

Meredith Rosenthal is a rising senior from North Jersey. She is a camper at URJ 6 Points Sci-Tech Academy and attends a magnet high school for computer science and business.  She plays Alto Saxophone in her high school marching band.  She is active in her synagogue, Student Leadership Council, and Relay for Life.

For her project, Meredith launched Stem-View, a podcast that features professional women in STEM and shares their work, challenges, and experiences. Click here  to listen.

Alexandra Tarkoff is a rising junior from the Bay Area. She plays lacrosse, tennis, and saxophone in the jazz band.  Allie has been an advocate for immigrants, having spent time in San Diego, volunteering at shelters that help asylum seekers. Last year, she completed a semester long research project on the border wall and has become a vocal advocate for immigrants. Allie is also active with her synagogue, participating regularly in the youth programs.

Along with co-fellows Adina and Ava, Allie is developing a video about body image called Your Body, Your Image. The video gives people an opportunity to share their stories regarding body image and in turn, spread the message of self-love. Click here to submit your own video.