Alumni Committee
Almost 300 incredible individuals have engaged with GPM in various local and international service learning and volunteer programs over the years. We are grateful to the following alumni have formed the Alumni Committee in support of our work.
Kaela Rothstein
Kaela graduated from Penn State University in Spring of 2020, where she majored in Communications Arts & Science and double minored in Digital Media Trends and Analytics and Global and International Studies. In Spring of 2019, she studied abroad on Semester at Sea where she had the opportunity to travel to 19 countries, enhancing her global perspective and emphasizing global comparative study. In Fall of 2019 she volunteered with Gabriel Project Mumbai with JDC Entwine and KAHAL. Kaela is excited to stay involved with GPM on their Alumni Committee. Kaela now works as a Development Associate at UJA-Federation of New York in their Manhattan Division, and is a JDC 2022 Community Rep. She has worked for multiple non-profits focusing on human rights, sustainability, and education, and is constantly looking for opportunities that can foster her love for creativity, travel, helping others, and changing the world.
Gabriel Davidson
After completing a BA in Philosophy from the College of Charleston with a minor in Jewish Studies, Gabe earned a MA in Elementary Education and Special Education. He joined GPM in 2014 and has spoken about his teaching experience with GPM in India. In college he joined a Jewish fraternity as well as an interfaith religious coalition. Currently he is studying Law in New York Law School and working as Special Education Paraeducator at Montgomery County Public Schools in Silver Springs. Gabe enjoys sports, hiking, cooking and traveling.
Shosh Balk
Shosh lives in New York City and has been teaching Talmud and Tanakh for 9 years, as well as teaching general subjects from time to time. She is also a bar and bat mitzvah teacher and has been performing as an acapella performer for many years. Shosh has a lot of experience as a camp counsellor and staff member on Israel programs, and loves connecting with people from different backgrounds. When she's not busy with work, Shosh loves dancing, running, hiking, biking, playing piano/guitar, and dreaming up exciting new projects.
Zoe Wolmark
Originally from Skokie, Illinois, Zoe moved to New York City to study Film at The New School, which she will complete in 2021. She also wokrs for a film production compaany producing short films and virtual galas for non-profits around the world. Zoe has volunteered in the past few years for several hospitals in America, serving on the board to raise money for the NICU and Cancer units, and in Israel serving as a volunteer physical aquatic therapist for children and adults with special needs. Additionally, Zoe founded hte Downtown NYC chapter of Challah for Hunger, which raises money and awareness for food insecurity across the globe. In her free time, she loves going to the theater, yoga, baking and spending time with friends and family.
Ari Marder
Ari fell in love with India and international development work while teaching with GPM in 2017 (he also gave a TEDx Talk on his experiences). That inspiration carried him to Ghana, where he oversaw social impact evaluation for Indego Africa. Ari was a finalist for the 2018 Leonard & Tobee Kaplan Award for International Development and Global Service, received the 2017 Steven Gladstein Memorial Award for Service to the Jewish People, and has been granted three President's Volunteer Service Awards from the U.S. Government.
Ari is now Vice President of Business Development at Formation Health and cofounder of the OpenAir Collective, a volunteer organization using research and policy to grow the carbon removal industry. He has spoken at conferences and events around the world and consults with businesses, investors and events on carbon removal.
Abby Newman
Abby graduated from the University of Florida with a Bachelors and Masters in elementary education and was greatly involved in youth group throughout high school and taught in various schools and Hebrew Schools throughout college and now. She enjoyed teaching the children at GPM in 2008. Abby currently teaches at a Jewish Day School in New York City. She enjoys baking, traveling, crafting, running and exploring new places.
Debra Feinberg
Debra Feinberg launched her career in education as a Teach For America corps member in Charlotte, North Carolina; however, it was during her 2014 stint with GPM that she found her vocation in addressing education inequity on a global scale. Today, Debra serves as the Deputy Director of TALMA: The Israel Program For Excellence in English, an Israeli education non-profit that brings quality English education to underserved communities in Israel. Debra has a Master of Arts in Teaching from UNC Charlotte, received the Warren Buffett & Fairholme Foundation’s Inspirational Teacher Award, and serves as a special advisor for Hebrew Public - a national movement of exceptional, diverse public charter schools that teach Modern Hebrew to children of all backgrounds and prepares them for success as global citizens.
Ethan Litvin
After his three-month experience with GPM Ethan spent three years as Director of Internships at the Cincinnati Hillel and Miami University. With a BA in Psychology from Randolph-Macon College, he spent the following two years completing his Masters in Non-Profit Management at Hebrew University while working at Metiv- Israel Psychotrauma Center Internship as a graduate intern. On return to the US Ethan worked at GatherDC as the Northern Virginia Community Manager. Ethan is still very involved in Hillel and Jewish life for YP's and loves to travel, hike, and see live music!
Rose Pollard
Rose volunteered with GPM in 2014, which inspired her career in global health and dedication to community-based programming. Rose holds an MSPH in Social and Behavioral Interventions from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. She now works at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine as Program Officer on an HIV prevention and treatment initiative in India.
Aliza Peyser Herbert
Aliza was drawn to GPM as an educator. She traveled to India with GPM in 2016 to teach in the Kalwa Slums. Aliza has a Masters in Special and General Education from Bank Street College of Education and has taught both special and general education for over a decade. She currently teaches in a New York City Public School dedicated to students who recently immigrated to the U.S. from all over the world. Aliza credits her experiences with GPM as inspiration for teaching in the international community. Aliza looks forward to promoting the mission of GPM and particularly the power of education.
Josh Greenspan
Josh is from Miami, Florida and currently works as a Business Consultant in Technology Risk at Ernst & Young. He has a BA in Business Administration/International Studies and a Masters in Information Systems and Operations Management from the University of Florida. He was in India with GPM in 2019. Josh was very involved in various committee positions whilst at college, and was the President of the Jewish Student Union. In his free time Josh enjoys playing guitar, running, tennis, reading, cooking and photography.
Ilana Peritt
Ilana is in her final year studying at Brandeis University. She currently resides in Waltham, Massachusetts and is majoring in Public Health with a minor in Theater Arts. She currently acts as the VP of Marketing for the Women's Network, an organization launching at Brandeis which seeks to cultivate the success and ambition of women across the country through professional development, networking and peer support. Ilana was taken by the work of GPM when she was in India in 2019. A good listener and avid learner, Ilana looks forward to using her skills to help promote the mission of GPM through collaborative teamwork and creative design.
Jackie Faerstain
Jackie is a Psychology major with the goal of becoming a Speech-Language Pathologist and is currently studying in Los Angeles, California. She is enthusiastic about educating others on women’s issues and is part of the Period Movement, a global, non-profit that strives to end the stigma around periods and end period poverty. Through her volunteer experience with GPM in 2020 she grew a passion for sustainability and community development. Jackie is excited to work with the Women’s Empowerment Initiatives through the COVID-19 pandemic.
Sarah Blumberg
Sarah volunteered with GPM in 2016 during her Masters' program in Global Policy Studies at UT Austin. She loves learning about different cultures and traditions. Previously, Sarah worked to empower refugee families re-settled in Texas. She also taught English for a semester in Thailand. Sarah currently works to expand access to higher-education opportunities for students in North Africa and the Middle East. She is eager to give back to the vulnerable communities that GPM serves.
Noam Grinfeld
Noam is a certified paramedic since 2012 after earning her license during my IDF service, where she served for 4 years in a combat battalion and as a medical officer. After a year of travelling the world she worked for the Jewish Agency for Israel at the Robert E. Loup JCC in Denver for a year. In 2019 Noam volunteered with GPM and is now completing a degree in Emergency Medicine at Ben Gurion University in Be'er Sheva while working as a paramedic at the Intel company.
Meiron Avidan
Meiron Avidan was born in South Africa and grew up in London. She studied Sociology and Social Policy for her undergraduate degree, and when she graduated she knew she wanted to work abroad to further her understanding of international development work and have the opportunity to immerse herself in a new culture. Meiron worked for GPM as a development intern from September 2019 until July 2020. Since September 2020, she has been studying for a masters in development studies, with the hope of starting a career in international development.
Sarit Swisa
Sarit Swisa is a clinical psychologist based in Cape Town, South Africa and is the co-chair of Limmud South Africa. Sarit loves travel, stories and adventures - she found her way to GPM in July 2019 and is excited to continue the connection.