For the past three years, graduating seniors at Magen David Yeshivah Celia Esses High School have been participating in a very exciting and rewarding Internship program. This program was designed and implemented by Associate Principal Sabrina Maleh, and is facilitated by a talented team of counselors and support staff.
Throughout the year students meet with advisors and complete an interest inventory to help identify the career path they would like to pursue. This year, 138 seniors were placed in internships with 96 employers in 40 different areas of career interest!
The program begins immediately after the Pesach recess. From Mondays through Thursdays for the next five weeks, students report to work in their chosen career fields. On Fridays they return to MDYHS for career seminars and advisory meetings. Every day they are required to complete and submit a journal entry recording their progress and range of experiences.
Positive reviews of our interns have been reported from employers and their business associates. Marc Shalom is working for Mr. Al Falack in on-line marketing. As part of his responsibilities, Marc was asked to interact with representatives from Walmart and Samsung at a buyers conference. After these meetings, the Chief Marketing Officer for Walmart USA remarked, Marc is a rock star. He blew away everyone at the conference today. Buyers were all talking about MDYs Internship Program. After meeting Marc, the Director of Marketing for Samsung North America expressed strong interest in bringing an internship program to her daughters school.
Shirley Harari is interning at a local school, helping developmentally disabled students with their occupational therapy, under the direction of Mrs. Mozelle Tobias. Mrs. Tobias has three interns under her supervision: a graduate student fulfilling a requirement for field work, a Macaulay Honors College senior and Shirley. She told us that Shirleys outshone the others in so many areas. We are so proud of her accomplishments.
David Gindi is interning at the office of Congressman Michael Grimm. During winter vacation, David interned at Mitt Romneys local office. During his time there, Mr. Romneys staff asked if anyone knew a great photographer they could call in for events that would be closed to the press. David immediately submitted the name of one of his classmates, Sarah Harari, who has earned a reputation as a talented photographer. Last week Sarah received a call from Mr. Romneys office and was invited to photograph a private event. What a wonderful, rare opportunityearned by the outstanding talent of our interns and their intense loyalty toward one another!
The Internship Program is not just about amazing stories. It is about personal and career growth. Steven Cohen expressed this idea in one of his journal entries: I am gaining an amazing amount of knowledge and experience at my internship. I am being asked to do real things for the company, which puts both responsibility and stress upon my shoulders.
Our students expressed their sincere gratitude to Mrs. Maleh and the Intern Team, Mr. Daniel Kamelhar, Mr. Daniel Zide, Mr. Yosef Benchaviv, Ms. Elana Soussan and Ms. Esther Shamah. Not only has the program changed our students lives. It will change the future, as our students use the lessons they have learned and the knowledge they have gained to impact our community and society at large in a positive and meaningful way.
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Rabbi Zucker is a principal at MDY.
