Position: Student; Columnist for Haaretz Newspaper in Israel

Field: Religion

Thesis Title: “Everybody Talks about Peace: Politics and Identity in Israeli Hip Hop”

Graduated: 2005

I studied in the History Department at Harvard from 2002-2005, with a joint concentration in Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations. The courses that I took in the History Department, whether they were tutorials, lectures, or graduate seminars, exposed me to a wide variety of topics, many of which were outside of my particular field of interest, but more importantly, truly taught me how to analyze history. My individual studies and thesis focused on Israel, and upon graduating from Harvard, I moved to Israel, where I have lived since. Since moving here, I have worked as a history teacher and as a journalist, and I am currently studying to be a rabbi in addition to publishing a bi-weekly column in the Haaretz daily newspaper's online edition.

My studies at Harvard have influenced the way that I think about every aspect of what I do, both in my professional life and in my education. As I am studying to be a Jewish spiritual leader, I always think about Judaism in terms of its historical development, as well as the impact that any future decisions Jewish leaders make will have on the Jewish community and on the wider society. Even as my life has taken me on a different path, there is no doubt that I remain an historian as a result of my experience in the History Department.