The 2012 N.Y. 36 Under 36
Social change often bubbles up from below, far from the corridors of power. And particularly in the Jewish community, weighed down as it is with slow-moving institutions headed (generally) by men in their 60s, the burden of innovation falls on the young. For five years now, The Jewish Week has been highlighting some of the young people who are driving change in the community with their “36 Under 36” section. This time around, they’ve noticed that the 36ers are broadening the definition of Jewish community. They’re building bridges with other communities – be it an interfaith group of Muslims and Jews, a group of YU students who conduct science experiments for public school children in Washington Heights, or the NYU club that connects students with Israeli tech companies. And five years on, they’re seeing leadership pop up in new areas within the community: among Orthodox women, the Russian-speaking population, and young 20-somethings. There’s also a rekindling of interest and exposure in Jewish communities that otherwise would have been lost to us – including a young female scholar who has written a book about the Jews of Afghanistan. From artists and educators to philanthropists and social justice advocates, these young visionaries are challenging the Jewish community to expand the breadth and depth of its reach:
1. Sara Aharon
2. Boruch B. Bender
3. Jason Bieber
4. Miriam Brosseau
5. Miriam Droz
6. Yvette Arlene Edidin
7. Dov Emerson
8. Deborah Fishman
9. Jonathan Gerber
10. Emma Goldberg
11. Simon Goldberg
12. Josh Goldstein
13. Michael Greenberg
14. Mor Keshet
15. Dr. Yehuda Kurtzer
16. Simi Lampert
17. Bryan Lipsky
18. Elana Loeffler
19. Elie Lowenfeld
20. Rebecca Missel
21. Avram Isaac Mlotek
22. Jason Guberman-Pfeffer
23. Jaimie Mayer Phinney
24. Alicia Jo Rabins
25. Liana Rosenman
26. Shea Rubenstein
27. Slava Rubin
28. Symi Rom-Rymer
29. Yair Saperstein
30. Michelle Waldman Sarna
31. Roman Shmulenson
32. Judah Skoff
33. Erin Leib Smokler
34. Heather Stoltz
35. Rabbi Ari Weiss
36. Samuel Zerin
For more on this year’s young visionaries, see The Jewish Week‘s special section, 36 Under 36, The Next Wave.