They applied wanting to write about what it’s like to be a Jewish teen in the U.S. today. They pitched stories about Holocaust education, peer-to-peer antisemitism programming and Jewish representation in theater, films and fiction. All 18 of the teens accepted into the JTA Teen Journalism Fellowship this spring wanted to be part of the narrative that showcases the diverse voices and perspective of young American Jews today.
From nine states and three time zones, these young people are bringing their reporter’s notebooks into school, synagogues, student newsrooms and family living rooms to bring our audience a closer look at the teen experience. You can read more about all 18 of them below.
Meet Our Spring 2024 JTA Teen Fellows
Aaron Blam (he/him) is a freshman at Reservoir High School in Fulton, Maryland. He is a member of the Jewish Student Union and the Math, Engineering, Science Achievement club, and enjoys running on the cross country team and playing in the marching band. Outside of school, he enjoys trying new recipes and spending time with his dog, Molly.
Liza Greenberg (she/her) is a junior at Bronx Science in New York City. She is managing editor for her school newspaper, The Science Survey. Alongside reporting and editing, Liza is passionate about securing student editorial freedom and increasing access to journalism programs for NYC youth.
Alinea Kirshenbaum (she/her) is a sophomore at Federal Way Public Academy, where she is Associated Student Body co-president. When she isn’t writing a song at midnight, you can find her writing the school’s next musical, baking, reading, or trying out a new HIIT routine.
Allegra Lief (she/her) is a junior at the Bronx High School of Science in New York City. She is passionate about journalistic writing, and serves as a a staff writer and copy chief for her school newspaper, The Science Survey. Among other things, she is vice president of her local BBYO chapter, and is also a Kol Koleinu fellow working to increase electoral access and political engagement amongst youth in her community.
Anya Geist (she/her) is a senior at South High Community School in Worcester, Massachusetts, where she is editor-in-chief of her school’s newspaper and literary magazine. Her debut novel, Born on the First of Two, was published in 2022. Outside of school, she enjoys reading, traveling, swimming, playing tennis, and hanging out with her dog, Freya.
Anya Heiden (she/her) is a junior at Deering High School in Portland, Maine. She loves music, travel, and meeting new people. Anya also adores language and is currently pursuing an independent study in Hebrew, hoping to achieve her seal of biliteracy by next year. When taking breaks from reading, writing, and playing violin or guitar, she spends as much time as she can in the pool with her swim team or at beautiful Maine beaches eating good food with friends.
Ava Loeb (she/her) is a sophomore at Riverdale Country School in the Bronx, New York. She loves writing for her school newspaper, learning psychology, eliminating the stigma around menstruation through the organization Days for Girls Internationaltion, and working with young kids in after-school programs. She is also currently creating a podcast with her friend called “Riverdale Revealed,” which uncovers the lives of her school faculty members. She enjoys watching romantic comedies, reading true crime novels, traveling, and playing tennis in her free time.
Avital Sojcher (she/her) is a junior at Yeshiva University High School for Girls in Queens, New York. She is passionate about journalism and writes for her school’s newspaper. Avital loves writing of all forms, whether that be poetry, journaling, or speeches for debate team and model congress. In her free time, Avital enjoys reading, rock music, and drawing.
Claire Elkin (she/her) is a junior at the Bronx High School of Science in New York City. She is a staff writer and copy-chief editor for her school newspaper, the Science Survey, and especially loves writing cultural commentary pieces. Aside from journalism, Claire loves learning about all different types of music and is passionate about spreading music to disadvantaged groups in her community.
Eva Levenson (she/her) is a sophomore at Berkeley High School in California. She is passionate about Ultimate Frisbee and plays on several teams. She is a member of Youth and Government and the school newspaper, The Jacket. Her favorite childhood book series are Percy Jackson, the Penderwicks and The Eragon series.
James Corman (he/him) is a freshman at Harvard-Westlake highschool in Los Angeles. He is a student ambassador blogger for his school, the founder and president of the Beautification Club, a member of the Science Olympiad team, and captain of the Varsity Diving Team. In his free time he enjoys writing, reading, composing music and tending to his plants.
Josephine Wettan (she/her) is a freshman at Burlingame High School in the California Bay Area. She is a staff reporter for her school newspaper and enjoys reporting for the Burlingame community. In her free time she enjoys spending time with her sisters and friends.
Kyle Gerstel (he/him) is a junior at Mercer Island High School. Kyle is the Producing Artistic Director of Penguin Productions, an intergenerational theatre organization dedicated to uniting youth leadership with adult mentorship. Outside of journalism and theatre, Kyle spends his time watching movies, leading his school’s No Place for Hate chapter, writing incomplete sentences, and
Lenny Metlitsky (he/him) is a junior at Stuyvesant High School in New York City. He is a managing board editor and a web editor for his school’s newspaper, The Stuyvesant Spectator. In his free time, he enjoys reading the news and writing articles, and he is also passionate for exploring computer science, data science, and web development.
Leo Nasatir (he/him) is a freshman at Plymouth Whitemarsh High School, located in the Philadelphia area. He is a writer at his school’s newspaper, The Town Crier, as well as a member of many other clubs, such as jazz band and Odyssey of the Mind team. Outside of school, he is highly active in local theater programs, and also enjoys playing the piano, reading and watching films.
Alexis Sarnoff (She/Her) is a sophomore at Francis W. Parker High School in Chicago, where she is a head of its’ Jewish Student Connection, a writer for her schools pop culture magazine, and a dedicated member of the varsity field hockey team. Outside of school, she enjoys travelling, hanging out with her friends and summertime!
Hannah Fineman (she/her) is a junior at the Schechter School of Long Island. She is a staff writer for her school newspaper, the co-president of her schools human rights club, and plays both varsity volleyball and varsity softball. In her free time Hannah is often spending time with friends and family or playing with her dog Brandy.
