The Zahava and Moshael Straus Center for Torah and Western Thought is proud to announce the incoming class of ten Straus Scholars who will form the seventh cohort of the Straus Scholars Program. Chosen from among Yeshiva University’s incoming class of undergraduate students in Stern College for Women and Yeshiva College, these exceptionally gifted undergraduate women and men demonstrated high academic achievement, leadership potential, and commitment to studying the great works of the Jewish and Western traditions.

Gavriel Buchwald grew up in Bergenfield, New Jersey. He attended The Frisch School where he captained the College Bowl Team and participated in Model Congress. Additionally, he was a Senior Big Sibling, helping freshmen acclimate to high school, and spent considerable time volunteering for Zoommates, zooming with special-needs children to provide entertainment during Covid-19. In recent summers, Gavriel was a lifeguard and counselor at Camp Moshava, Indian Orchard. He spent the last two years at Yeshivat Orayta where he engaged in serious Torah study. Throughout his second year in Israel, he participated in the Tikvah Overseas Student Institute, partaking in seminars regarding the intersection of Halacha and Public Policy. He is also a member of the Tikvah Collegiate Forum. In his free time, you can find Gavriel reading Wikipedia, plowing through an Early Modern European history book, or pursuing his Talmudic studies. As an incoming Straus Scholar, Gavriel is excited to major in history and continue his Jewish education at Yeshiva University.

Adina Feldman was born and raised in Teaneck, New Jersey, and attended Manhattan High School for Girls (MHS). While in high school, Feldman served as both literary and art editor for the school publication, and was a member of the Arista honors society and Principal’s List. During her time in high school, Feldman participated in StandWithUs’s Teen Leadership Council, as well as completed courses with Tikvah’s Online Academy. Feldman opened and managed a social media account dedicated to creating content debunking misconceptions and disseminating educational information about Zionism and the State of Israel, and her content has over fifty thousand views. After finishing high school, Feldman went on to study at Michlelet Mevaseret Yerushalayim (MMY) in Jerusalem. Upon the completion of her studies abroad, Feldman went on to a year of National Service (Sheirut Leumi) in Israel, living and working within the Ethiopian Absorption Center in Jerusalem where she worked to organize and execute targeted programming for children, teenagers, and families. Additionally, she served as the director of the neighborhood Beit Midrash program there for elementary school children and created weekly programming focused on bridging current Jewish themes and lessons with larger abstract concepts of Jewish and Israeli identity. Returning from Israel to Yeshiva University’s Stern College for Women, Feldman hopes to pursue a dual degree in psychology and marketing in conjunction with her studies at the Straus Center.

Sruli (Jason) Friedman was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York where he graduated from Yeshiva Torah Vodaath High School in 2022 before coming to YU the same year. In his year at YU, Friedman has served as a news editor for The Commentator, a fellow at YUPAC, and an active member of the Tikva Collegiate Forum, while also pursuing majors in Political Science and Philosophy and intense Gemara study in the Mazer Yeshiva Program. In the summer of 2023 Friedman is also participating in the Heritage Foundation’s online Summer Academy, while taking electives in economics and psychology. An avid reader interested in a plethora of subjects, Friedman hopes to continue to progress in his studies at the Straus Center during the remainder of his time in YU, and looks forward to pursuing law school and a fulfilling career in the future.

Rebecca Guzman was born and raised in Staten Island, New York. She attended Bruriah High School for Girls, where she served as Senior Co-captain of the Bruriah Debate Team, Junior Editor of the Bruriah Blaze, and Senior Editor of Bruriah's literary magazine. Throughout her senior year, Rebecca was a member of the Kaplun Foundation Teen Philanthropy Board, and before spending a semester at Aish Gesher for Women, she reported for The Jewish Press. Rebecca's writing has received recognition from the National Council of Teachers of English and The New York Times, amongst others. As an incoming Straus Scholar, Rebecca hopes to synthesize her passion for literature and her studies in creative writing with her love for Jewish history and philosophy, aiming to devote her life to telling Jewish stories. In her free time, Rebecca can be found listening to music, reading, writing in her journal, or baking.

Liev Markovich was born and raised in Englewood, New Jersey and attended Torah Academy of Bergen County (TABC).  At TABC, Liev was a captain of Mock Trial and a member of Model UN, Model Congress, and Soccer teams.  He was the founder and editor-in-chief of the opinion magazine Storm Currents, which covered topics ranging from politics to sports to social issues.  After graduating in 2021, Liev studied at Yeshivat Orayta for two years, where he took classes as part of the Tikvah Overseas Student Institute.  In his free time, Liev enjoys learning Torah, reading literature, meditating, and playing FIFA with friends. Liev’s major is currently undecided, and he is excited to explore his academic interests as a member of the Straus Scholars Program.

A fifth-generation Southerner, Matthew Minsk was born and raised in Atlanta, where he graduated from the Atlanta Jewish Academy (AJA). While in high school, he served as the Editor-in-Chief of the school’s student newspaper, led its Israel Advocacy Club, and captained its Model UN and basketball teams. Upon graduation, he was inducted into the AJA Hatmada Society for his “consistent commitment to Judaic Studies.” During past summers, he has interned for the Orthodox Union Center for Communal Research, the Institute for Family Studies, and assisted Jewish communal and political advocates; he also participated in the Tikvah Scholars Program. Matthew has spent the last two years at Yeshivat Kerem B’Yavneh (KBY) immersed in Torah study, an area in which he hopes to continue to learn and grow, alongside secular pursuits, at Yeshiva University.

Tziporah Pinczower was raised in Riverdale, NY where she was first enamored by the intricate philosophy of law. Apart from the theoretical aspect of law, Tziporah recognizes the importance of taking pragmatic action to advance vital causes, prompting her to participate in the Norpac’s annual Mission to Washington for many years. She attended Manhattan High School for Girls where she spearheaded her school's first Law Review Journal, served as editor of her school's Lexington Weekly blog, was elected Senior Class President, and authored a quarterly column dedicated to highlighting the philosophical implications behind both Jewish (Halacha) and secular law derived from discussion of the upcoming holiday. After high school, she conducted legal research at Agudath Israel and is currently attending Michlalah in Jerusalem. Tziporah is determined to put the knowledge and skill gained as a Straus scholar  to good use to pursue a career in law that will bring fulfillment to her life and joy to the lives of others.

Shana Schwartz grew up in Hillside, NJ, and attended Bruriah High School. While in Bruriah, Shana learned to think critically and analytically about various topics in Judaism and secular society, and was taught to infuse Torah into all her areas of study. She participated in the Torah bowl and debate teams, and coached middle school students for the Chidon HaTanach. She also studied engineering, and applied her skills towards constructing a website to safely display the renowned Bruriah Holocaust Museum during the COVID-19 pandemic. During her senior year, Shana won the Jerusalem Science Contest for her research in molecular biology and Halacha. In her free time, Shana enjoys painting and drawing, and works as a makeup artist and monogram designer. After her year in Michlalah, Shana plans to pursue her interests in medicine while studying Torah and the humanities with the Straus Center.

Ateret Tollinsky grew up in Teaneck, NJ. She attended Ma’ayanot Yeshiva High School, where she served as the president of both the STEAM Student Leadership Committee and the Student Ambassador Committee. At Ma’ayanot, Ateret participated in the Drama Society and Torah Bowl, and served as a staff writer for Ma’ayanei Torah, Ma’ayanot’s weekly parsha newsletter. Outside of school, Tollinsky volunteered for Friendship Circle and iShine, and took courses through Tikvah’s Online Academy, which focused on American Jewry in the Supreme Court and Jewish Bioethics. Additionally, Ateret took part in a two year immersive program, Write On For Israel, which focused on educating high school students on leadership, Israel advocacy and the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict. Upon graduation, she was awarded the Ed Stern Award for Excellence in History due to her rigorous study of history throughout high school. Tollinsky then studied at Michlelet Mevaseret Yerushalayim (MMY) in Jerusalem for a year. Over the course of her year at MMY, she served as the Yachad Summer Seminary Coordinator for Recruiting and participated in the Tikvah Overseas Institute. As a Straus Scholar at Yeshiva University, Tollinsky is pursuing a major in Biochemistry in conjunction with her Straus courses.

Tamara Yeshurun was born in Curaçao and moved to the United States at the age of four. Living in Miami, FL, she attended the high school Shaarei Bina Torah Academy for Girls, where she was a contributing editor of the student paper, founder and president of the Shabbat Zmirot Club, Chumash tutor for middle schoolers, and active participant in the musical productions as lead actress, vocal coach, and student director. With a particular interest in Jewish thought and contemporary society, Tamara is passionate about Jewish philosophy, social movements, Holocaust education, linguistics, and celebrating her Ashkenazi and Sephardi roots. Currently a member of the Collegiate Forum, Tamara’s involvement with the Tikvah Fund (Tikvah Online Academy, TOA Winter/Spring Invitational, Tikvah Scholars Program 2021 & 2022, and Tikvah Scholars Forum) introduced her to a world of great thinkers in politics, philosophy, and modern Zionism. After graduating, Tamara studied for one year at Michlelet Mevaseret Yerushalayim (MMY). During her year in Israel, Tamara participated in the Tikvah Overseas Program, regularly volunteered at Keren Or Institute for the Blind, and attended Mizrachi’s World Orthodox Israel Congress as a youth delegate, where she led a discussion group addressing the crisis of Hebrew illiteracy in Jewish Day schools. In her free time, you can catch Tamara journaling, reading, learning Spanish and Arabic, or singing songs from the golden age of Broadway.