The Diane and Guilford Glazer Institute
for Jewish Studies

Student Showcase

Summer 2012 Students

Matthew Drummond, Graduate School of Public Policy

Matthew is an alumni of Pepperdine's Seaver College and now a graduate student at the School of Public Policy. He worked on a daily English news broadcast with the Israel Broadcasting Authority, the Israeli government-sponsored television network that airs daily in Israel and in various outlets around the world. The program provides news stories and commentaries in English every evening, and remains the only English news program on IBA. Matthew is the second intern we have placed with IBA.

Reflections from Matthew:

"The feelings from visiting these places can't be described through a text. The memories from all of these sites and experiences will certainly remain in us throughout the trip and in the future. I have no doubt that the collective education that we have received first-hand thus far in Israel will be applied in our respective careers and through helping others understand the different cultures."

"Being in the holiest and most historic city in the entire world can be mindboggling for a student at any level, but the Glazer Institute did a wonderful job coordinating lectures for us on different topics after we had breakfast each morning. These lectures helped provide an academic background on the political and cultural issues that the State of Israel has faced in the past and is facing contemporarily. For example, a political professor from Hebrew University helped explain to us the top political issues that are being debated in the Knesset and throughout the country at the moment. This provided us a good overview of how some issues important to Israel are also important to Americans, but it also helped differentiate the two political systems. Though the United States and the State of Israel are close allies and we share many of the same democratic principles, we are also very different geopolitically, demographically and culturally. The professor did an excellent job describing the Arab-Israeli conflict and its different stages that the Israeli people have experienced throughout the conflict's history."

Isaac Hayman, School of Public Policy

Isaac is a graduate student in the School of Public Policy and interned at the Interdisciplinary Center in Herzliya, where he worked in the International Institute for Counter-Terrorism. During the summer, Isaac served as a research assistant, as well as assisting in the production of major events, lectures, and conferences sponsored by the Institute throughout the summer.

Reflections from Isaac:

"I am having the most incredible time. Life goes by sooo fast here. The people are amazing, the ocean water is perfect, and the opportunity for so much is at your fingertips. I am really enjoying the people I work with, and the adventures we go on... The sunsets continue to blow my mind, and I am beginning to get comfortable moving around the city. This is the best internship I could have ever asked for. I am learning so much in my research, and am excited to get the opportunity to publish for the University I am working for. Coming up this month, a day trip to a town near Gaza, Istanbul Turkey for 3 days, on a 200 dollar plane ticket roundtrip!, and a journey to the south in Eilat, and Petra, Jordan. Life is beautiful!!! Thank You Glazers! I owe you big time."

Peter Dorsch, School of Public Policy 

Peter is a graduate student at the School of Public Policy and interned for the Israel Football Association, planning next year's UEFA Under-21 Tournament. This will be the largest, most high-profile tournament to ever take place in Israel. He helped coordinate the logistics of this event, including making decisions on ticketing, signage, catering, and volunteers.

"If the point of sending me here was to fall in love with Israel and the Jewish people, then mission accomplished. This is truly remarkable land, and a truly remarkable people. I was also so fortunate to be here with a great group from Pepperdine... My internship was amazing. Certainly the language barrier made some things difficult, I accomplished many of the goals I set out. I made good contacts, I represented Pepperdine, myself, and my faith well. I worked on a project I was passionate about and received excellent feedback about it."

"We met with a man named Raz. Raz lived in the community that was closest to the wall. He talked about what it was like and how both sides of the conflict feel. He talked about being aware, but not living in fear. And that's what life is like here in Israel. You can hardly tell that some of Israel neighbors are openly hostile towards them. People live their lives, they laugh, and love and they go about their daily lives. They try not to think about being surrounded by neighbors who's views range from strained to overtly hostile. When it's your home, there isn't much else you can do."

Brooklin Nash, Seaver College

Brooklin is another Seaver undergraduate student and our third intern to work with the Peres Center for Peace. He worked directly with Yarden Leal in Development and External Relations. He had the opportunity to attend the Mini World Cup hosted by Shimon Peres with Henry Kissinger as the guest of honor, and spent the majority of his time working with their events, advancement, and external relations.

Reflections from Brooklin:

"While Tel Aviv may not be the only city of its kind, it nevertheless is unlike any city I have ever experienced. I had an inkling that this would be the case, and the last three days have done nothing but confirm the suspicion. The setting and feeling of Tel Aviv cannot be easily described. It's essentially a strange combination of East and West, new and old. It comes with the ritziness of a resort destination, the modernity of an up-and-coming business and technology center, and the locality of a Middle Eastern municipality. The streets are lined with both cafes and supermarkets. The beaches are filled with secular college students and three generations of an observant Jewish family. In the outdoor markets, booths with tourist knickknacks jostle for position next to hardware and butcher shops. The musty smell of a southern seaside city follows you everywhere... In the middle of this craziness, two blocks from the ocean and not 300 steps from the closest falafel shop, sits our home for the next two months. Three days ago, Isaac, Peter and I found ourselves in an air-conditioned and quiet haven in the less-than-temperate and not-so-quiet city of Tel Aviv. That first night we settled in, ventured out a few blocks into the area, sank our toes into the beach sand, and realized we'll be "livin' the high life", as they say, for the next two months... The last 56 hours have been quite the experience, and it's only been the first three days. I don't pretend to know anything after this short amount of time, but I'm looking forward to learning and experiencing all I can."

Lana Alicata, Seaver College

Lana is an undergraduate Seaver College student whose passions for intercultural communications and local food were put to good use while interning at Time Out Magazine in Tel Aviv. This summer she worked directly with the production of the magazine, writing and editing articles for each issue. In addition, she was given the opportunity to bring in ideas regarding future stories.

Reflections from Lana:

"Work consists of writing about upcoming events, local art/music/dance listings, and usually crafting and creating the entire food section for the magazine's next edition. Of course that is an all-inclusive list of what to do for the entire month, so in the span of a few hours I get only a slice of that done. Today I was determined to make it out to a local hot spot for hummus in Jaffa, Abu Hassan."

Amy Brinkerhoff, Seaver College

Amy is a recent graduate of Seaver College whose background is in international relations and art history. She worked as an intern for the Israel Museum in Jerusalem. During the summer, she helped digitize the museum's collection, focusing on artifacts dating to the Hellenistic period.

Reflections from Amy:

"I can't believe that I am leaving Israel on Thursday. I can't believe that this is my last Shabbat in Israel. I'm sad about leaving, but not devastated. I have a gut feeling that this is not going to be my last time in Israel. It just can't be! New Goal: Next time I come to Israel, I want to be able to communicate fluently in Hebrew, so I better start working on that right away because I plan on coming back to Israel ASAP. Jerusalem has become my home. I love the people, the sites, the food, and the art."

Rebecca Judd, Seaver College

Rebecca is an undergraduate student at Seaver College and our second intern at Beit Issie Shapiro, a non-profit organization focused on advocacy for and treatment of children with disabilities throughout Israel. During her internship she worked on developing external relations, advancement, and advocacy efforts within Israel and internationally.

Reflections from Rebecca:

"When I am not walking around the busy streets of Tel Aviv, buying groceries in the open air markets, or sitting with my toes in the sand, I am working at this wonderful organization called Beit Issie Shappiro. People with and without disabilities from all parts of the world come here to experience the love and treatment that is unique to this place. It is the innovation, passion, care, and joy of the staff and volunteers who transform thousands of lives of people with disabilities, their families, and their communities. I feel humbled to be in a working environment where people sacrifice much of their personal life in order to improve the lives of those who are often neglected by mainstream society."

"I absolutely adore Tel Avivians. Where else would I find somebody, who is barely even an acquaintance, greet me with an excited hello, genuinely care about my day, share his falafel, and send me off with a kiss? I don't even fully know his name! Anyways, there are many more exciting things that I could write about- like our recent adventures up North in Akko, Rosh Hanikra, sleeping overnight on a random beach, getting a flat tire in the middle of nowhere near the Lebanese border (on Shabbat!), descending into the massive Alma cave, and more...I do not want to downplay these previous experiences at all. They are thrilling and deserve more 'bloggage' than I could even put on paper! But personally, it is really small moments in day-to-day life that make me truly appreciate where I am living, enjoy what I am learning, and most importantly cherish who my neighbors are."

Joyce Chiu, School of Law

Joyce is a law student who gained fundamental experience during her internship at the law firm, Cohen Pearl Zedek. Throughout the summer, she worked with their international intellectual property law offices. In addition, she worked with a research program with her supervisor focusing her efforts on international precedents of internet provider regulation and privacy laws. Since she understands written Chinese (and speaks Mandarin conversationally), she focused her case study on China.

Reflections from Joyce:

"At Yed Vashem, the Holocaust wasn't just a series of events that happened more than 70 years ago. It wasn't just about the number of people who died. This was about the people and their lives, their struggles, their persecution, their stories. What the Jewish people faced during that time was unprecedented brokenness produced by humanity—our humanity. It wasn't just the Nazis who were responsible, it was also the responsibility of the millions who stood by and did nothing. Even now, I can't say that I would be noble enough to risk my life and my families' lives for just an opportunity, a possibility, a chance to save others."

Qian Tian, Graduate School of Education and Psychology

Quian is a graduate student in the School of Education and Psychology studying Teaching English as a Second Language. She spent the summer working at the China Alliance Institute, putting together a curriculum structure to teach Chinese to adults in Israel. The curriculum she designed then became the foundation for her own teaching later in the summer, as well as for other teachers in the Institute. She was please to take on the responsibilities, since composing one's own curriculum is a large honor for a GSEP student.

Reflections from Qian:

"The first week, I learned how to greet-"Shalom". This word is used as a greeting but actually means "peace." In Israel, people are eager for peace and happiness, so they use the greeting words "shalom" to express their best wish to other people. This is the obvious example to show the relationship between culture and language of a country."

Summer 2011 Students

Bobby Amiri, Graduate School of Business and Management

Bobby, a business student interested in entrepreneurship and marketing, worked for Biological Signal Processing, Inc., a start-up company that integrated both of Bobby's interests to provide projects geared specifically for him. BSP, Inc. is a rising bio-medical technological company that combines signal-processing, bio-medical engineering, and cardiology to develop a unique technology that offers monitoring and diagnosis for ischemic heart disease. Bobby headed the development of a business plan for the marketing of a new product. A vast amount of responsibility was given to Bobby in a variety of areas within the company, and his co-workers provided significant guidance, direction, and mentorship in his tasks. Bobby continued his study abroad in Brazil in the fall semester.

Reflections from Bobby:
"Some of the other interns and myself have agreed that while in Israel we have become engulfed in a vacuum of ignorance. This is not to say that we have not kept up with world news since we've been here, but rather we have been focusing on the aesthetic appeal of what can otherwise be described as a visceral coming of age experience. There have been plenty of newsworthy items in the press of late including protests in Jerusalem and Shimon Peres issuing a time sensitive plea for peace. Perhaps we have assimilated so much into Israeli culture that these items have appeared to be more "business as usual" than anything else."

Brittni Ping, Seaver College

Brittni combined her international studies education with international corporate experience and a passion for dance in an internship with the Suzanne Delal Dance Center, the largest and most prominent contemporary dance center in Israel. In working for the Center, Brittni helped coordinate an international dance festival that attracts dancers and choreographers from around the world every year. She headed efforts of marketing and communication with dance companies and studios around the world and helped prepare orientation and logistics for the event in Israel.

Reflections from Brittni:
"My job in coordinating this workshop deals largely with international dancers, companies, networks, etc. I spread the voice and rope in the dancers. The whole process is a wonderful and useful experience. That being said, I have had to overcome struggles that stem from the Israeli work culture. I've also had to lighten up a bit and examine the shortcomings of American work culture."

"I went for a run yesterday afternoon along the boardwalk towards Jaffa Port. The sun was setting, the temperature was pleasant, and the waves were tinted gold. And as I took it all in, I realized I was beginning to see Tel Aviv as home. I was a fellow-soul among natives, tourists, Arabs, Jews, rich and poor scattered along the boardwalk. We all enjoyed the same sunset and are all loved by the same awe-inspiring God."

Courtney Bryant, Seaver College

Courtney worked for the English program of the Israel Broadcasting Authority (IBA), the Israeli government-sponsored television network that airs daily in Israel and in various outlets around the world. The program provides news stories and commentaries in English every evening, and remains the only English news program on IBA. As an intern with IBA, Courtney was introduced to every major aspect of creating a daily news broadcast. Furthermore, she was, on occasion, asked to voice lead stories, create news packages, and attend on-site filming.

Reflections from Courtney:

"The conference took place over three days, two of which I had the privilege of attending. Over the course of the two days, the conference was host to political heavy hitters from all over the world. Shimon Peres, Avigdor Leiberman, Tzipi Livni, and Tony Blair were just a few of the incredible speakers who contributed their insights on the state of the Jewish nation. It was such a pleasure to spend time with these important and influential people, and get a better understanding of what concerns the Jewish community all over the world. One of the most riveting and powerful moments of the conference came when opposition leader Tzipi Livni got fired up when speaking about peace negotiations."

"I have always been a believer in connecting with your Jewish heritage as a Christian, and having an open dialogue really helped me to gain a better sense of what Judaism is all about. After the session, we had third meal together, during which we sang and shared stories about our spiritual experiences in Israel so far. It was such a wonderful time of fellowship, and although I was one of the only Christians in the room, I felt so at home."

Tom Bundy, School of Law

Gilead Sher's Law Office arguably hosts the most prestigious law firm in Israel and handles cases on subject matters ranging from international law to labor law, real estate, corporate law, and commercial law. Tom was given exposure to many different aspects of the firm, but focused on two high-profile political projects for the majority of his internship. Gilead Sher represents the family of Gilad Shalit, an Israeli soldier held captive by Hamas for over five years. Tom was given the responsibility to compile a comparative law analysis that discusses the merits of international or internal legal action to press for Shalit's release. In addition to compiling research and reports, Tom participated in various meetings with clients and policy-makers from around the world. After this analysis was complete, Tom spent much of the remainder of his time in Israel working with the Jerusalem Arbitration Center, an effort to settle contract disputes between Israel and Palestinian businesses and individuals.

Doug Tyson, School of Public Policy

NGO Monitor, a nonprofit think tank that monitors the work, funding, and partisanship of nongovernmental organizations, accepted two interns this summer. Doug was given the opportunity to research further into the Arab-Israeli conflict and the human rights issues therein. He, like Hillary, was also encouraged to attend lectures, events, and tours throughout the course of his internship.

Hillary Harpster, Seaver College

Both Hillary and Doug worked at NGO Monitor this year, and both were able to utilize their unique experiences and skill sets in their research projects. Hillary focused her research on water politics in Israel and on funding sources for various foundations in Germany. She was also given the opportunity to participate in many programs within NGO Monitor, including various lectures, tours, and activities around Jerusalem.

Reflections from Hillary: 
"It was an incredible experience that I will remember for the rest of my life. The trip was only made more wonderful because of our dynamic group...For me it was a once in a lifetime opportunity. Israel has provided me with many such opportunities."

Kaitlin Flynn, Seaver College

Kaitlin Flynn is interested in a career in social services or support of children. At Tichon Reshit, she was able to blend both of these passions with a full immersion into Israeli Jewish culture. Tichon Reshit is a religious boys' school in Tel Aviv. It caters to students from a variety of backgrounds, and focuses on creating a community of students and teachers. Kaitlin was fully integrated with this community, learning Hebrew with students and teaching them English. Working at the school also allowed Kaitlin to participate in other community events, including camps for children and local meetings.

Negeen Rivani, School of Law

Negeen worked directly for Richard Laster at his environmental law firm, assisting in his environmental legal work in Jerusalem. Negeen met with numerous high-ranking officials throughout Israel, and was able to work directly with Richard and others in an effort to rehabilitate the Kidron Valley. As this requires cooperation between Israelis and Palestinians near Jerusalem, this program provided Negeen with varied work experience and a unique opportunity to view legal and business relationships in Jerusalem.

Odinakachi Anyanwu, School of Public Policy

Odi was the second representative from the Glazer Institute to intern with the Peres Center for Peace in Jaffa. Jumpstarted by President Shimon Peres in 1996, the Peres Center for Peace works to build a foundation of peace and reconciliation through facilitating communication, capacity building, and infrastructure creation between Palestinians and Israelis. It coordinates workshops, youth activities, conferences, and educational symposiums geared towards both Palestinians and Israelis in addition to publishing research to expand awareness. Furthermore, the Peres Center and the Diane and Guilford Glazer Foundation have partnered to begin facilitating Israel-Palestinian business cooperation. Odi, whose academic pursuits focus on international economy and the economics of the developing world, was given the opportunity to work directly with this project.

Summer 2010 Students

Landon Derentz, School of Law

Landon joined one of the most respected environmental legal firms in Israel working to preserve environmentally fragile areas within Israel and facilitate environmentally-safe practices among Israeli companies. He garnered support for funding, changes in business practices, and cooperation in the business and technology communities. With Laster and Gould Law Offices, Landon worked specifically in the Kidron Valley, an area outside Jerusalem that straddles Israel proper and the West Bank territories. Prior to enrolling in Law School, Landon was a member of the United States Air Force and has since transitioned to working in legal departments of aerospace engineering companies.

Gina Mazzone, Graduate School of Education and Psychology

At the Bialik-Rogozin School, Gina worked one-on-one with children from diverse homes in Tel Aviv. The school is a showcase of diversity, welcoming children from various socio-economic backgrounds and ethnic homes. They integrate students from forty-eight countries to the Hebrew language, Israeli culture, and English. In her work at the Rogozin School, Gina expanded her experience in diverse classrooms and grew in her expertise of working with non-English speaking students. Applying for jobs after graduation, Gina found this position prepared her extremely well for a career teaching in diverse classrooms in Los Angeles.

Janet Valencia, School of Public Policy

Janet spent the summer working with external relations of the Peres Center for Peace, assisting them with various programs and activities. She also had the opportunity to participate in multiple programs the Center has led that facilitate relations between Palestinians and Israelis. Prior to her Glazer Institute internship and enrollment in the School of Public Policy, Janet had previously worked for the city government in Beit Jala in the West Bank. Her time in Israel expanded upon this experience and allowed her to witness efforts to build up the West Bank from within Israel.

Tzipora Goodfriend, School of Law

As the largest children's disability clinic in the country, Beit Issie Shapiro organization boasts one of the most highly advanced centers in the world. They work in advocacy, treatment, and support for children with disabilities and their families. They are also beginning to expand their advocacy efforts and treatment practices. Tzipora researched legal practices and implementation of disability laws in various states worldwide. Tzipora has family in Israel, and was able to reconnect with her family and simultaneously work for an outstanding Israeli legal organization.

Jeremy Grunert, School of Public Policy/ School of Law

Jeremy helped facilitate the expansion of NGO Monitor into international realms, researching and reporting on the funding of non-governmental organizations focusing on human rights violations. Jeremy is receiving a dual degree from the School of Law and the School of Public Policy, and continuing his work in international law focusing on the Middle East.

Miriam Keim, School of Public Policy

Miriam also worked at NGO Monitor, and provided instrumental research in Israeli and international funding for human rights organizations throughout the summer. She graduated from the School of Public Policy and has continued to pursue other options for a return to Israel.

Catherine Moore, School of Law

As the largest microfinance organization in Israel, the Koret Foundation (KIEDF) works with low-income individuals throughout Israel, including Bedouin and Orthodox communities. After finishing her undergraduate degree, Catherine worked in the nonprofit interest and gained an interest in pursuing work in microfinance. At the Koret Foundation, Catherine had the opportunity to research significantly on various topics in addition to participating in regular site visits and assisting in the administrative efforts of the organization.

Trevor Newman, School of Law

Trevor worked in Israel's largest environmental advocacy organization, Adam Teva V'Din, doing legal research to compare implementation practices of environmental management and then work with the legal team to propose plans for advocacy and publishing. With one year of experience in law school, he was able to actively participate in legal work, proceedings in the Israeli Knesset, advocacy, and site trips to programs and areas of environmental need.

Xiao (Agnes) Ye, Graduate School of Business and Management

Fring is a start-up technology company based in Tel Aviv that creates peer-to-peer communication through cell phones. Xiao has been instrumental in partnering with Chinese companies and facilitating the growth of the company throughout the summer. She sought to use her experience in Israel to bolster her marketing experience and advertising, and was able to do so by communicating with Chinese markets from Israel. As a Chinese citizen, she proved an invaluable asset to the company and was given extraordinary tasks as a first-year MBA student. Xiao was also able to spend some time with the Menachem Begin Heritage Center. This cultural museum also works extensively in the community, raising awareness among IDF soldiers, international students, and the local communities, hosting programs in the Knesset and government offices and introducing visitors to Jewish culture and Israeli society.