Describe the biggest commitment you have ever made. How did you arrive at these career interests? How have you or how will you position yourself to pursue them?

The biggest commitment I have ever made began in high school when I applied to participate in SSS, an organization founded to empower and cultivate global leaders in communities divided by conflict. I was raised with a strong sense of identity and an emphasis on my Jewish heritage. As I grew up, my interests gravitated toward the history of the Jewish people, Israel, and, subsequently, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. My first trip to Israel as a young adult piqued my curiosity as I witnessed a heated argument between my Israeli peers and the Imam of a mosque we were visiting. For the first time, I realized that this conflict was much more than opposing territorial claims, but instead about enemies that had been left bitter and resentful after centuries of war. From this experience onward, every history paper, research project, and course elective was focused on this conflict as I became determined to figure out its roots in order to better understand how to untangle them.

At seventeen, I learned of SSS and became passionate about their mission. I was accepted to participate as a camper in their summer camp where Israeli, Palestinian, Jordanian, Egyptian, and American teenagers are brought together to help illustrate commonalities and build bridges of understanding. Being introduced to peers that lived this conflict everyday broadened and transformed my perspective. The program challenged us to question our long-standing beliefs, empathize with our “enemies,” and work together to create trust. My time at camp led to a deep commitment to the organization’s mission, as it nurtured a hope that peace was obtainable in a region of the world I previously thought was impossible to change.

As a result, I pursued political science and history to advance my academic understanding of the conflict and remain connected to the organization during college. After moving back to New York, I was excited to participate in SSS as an adult. However, I quickly realized that there was a hole in programming for young leadership and that the strong community SSS is so successful in building becomes largely dispersed after finishing college. I immediately started working to revive the defunct Alumni and Young Professionals Group (AYPG), aiming to invigorate and reunite this group. I used the organization’s 25th anniversary gala as a springboard to organize the first ever “After Party” so that members of the AYPG could participate. Since then, we have renewed our mission as a group and have organized various functions like dialogue sessions and networking events to rebuild our young alum community.

For the last decade, I have remained committed to the SSS's mission by enriching my understanding of Middle East conflict and working with the organization to advance peace in the region. I can now envision a way to combine my passion for peace building with my career aspirations through impact investing and consulting, and social entrepreneurship. I look forward to furthering this commitment through my professional pursuits.

Through SSS, I was introduced to RRR, a program that supports entrepreneurial ventures designed to advance social change and upend conflict. My outlook on business transformed after meeting social entrepreneurs like YYY,founder of “XXX Ventures.” YYY developed the first fund targeting investments in Palestinian technology companies and created internship opportunities for Palestinian youth at premier technology companies in Israel. Through his example, I saw how my financial skillset coupled with my passion for social impact could work in tandem in impact investing and in launching my own firm. I hope to join a global impact investment firm like Acumen, McKinsey’s social impact practice, or FSG, a boutique mission-driven consultancy, to gain exposure to the inner workings of international businesses and work closely with values-driven firms.

Eventually, I plan to lead or found a venture aimed at mitigating conflict in the Middle East with business-oriented solutions that correct for government and market failures. I will establish a company mission that equalizes the goals of both generating profit and influencing positive impact at its inception. When compared to governments and non-profits, the private sector has the unique ability to advance peace by integrating economies, creating trust through common goals amongst enemies, and centering the decision-making process around the community it serves. At Yale, I will be equipped with a multitude of resources to create a values-driven enterprise aimed at peace building and I look forward to being challenged by the diverse perspectives of my classmates to strengthen it.