JCC Association Selects Seventh Cohort of Merrin Teen Professional Fellows Program

JCC Association’s Merrin Center for Teen Services has selected 16 professionals working with teens in affiliated JCCs and camps in North America to participate in the acclaimed Merrin Teen Professional Fellows Program.  The program will feature five seminars held over 16 months, with the first gathering in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in February. Participants focus on developing their leadership skills, learning how to serve teens more effectively, planning their career paths in the JCC Movement, and deepening their sense of Jewish identity. One of the seminars is held in Israel.

The Merrin Teen Professional Fellows Program was started in 1999, with the support of Seth Merrin and Anne Heyman.  Their partnership with JCC Association initiated this exceptional program to give those working with teens the skills to better serve a critical sector of the Jewish community.  The program has enhanced the profile of those working with teens in their respective organizations and throughout the JCC Movement, enriched and deepened their Jewish identities, and built a stronger professional network of teen service providers across North America.  The Fellowship has provided this exceptional experience for 81 professionals over the last ten years, and in a recent evaluation of the program, has been seen as a tremendous asset to these young professionals working in the JCC Movement.

The participants for the seventh cohort of Merrin Fellows are: Edana Appel (Camp Livingston, OH), Dan Baer (Samson JCC of Milwaukee, WI), Phil Faibish (Prosserman JCC of Toronto, ON), Laura Fendrick (Marcus JCC of Atlanta, GA), Alena Gomulina (Marks JCH of Bensonhurst, NY), Kyle Gugerty (JCC of Greater Washington, Rockville, MD), Ben Horev (JCC of Greater Vancouver, BC), Marina Imberg (Shorefront YM-YWHA, NY), Matthew Korch (Stroum JCC of Mercer Island, WA), Paul Lurie (JCC of Greater Baltimore, MD), Rachel Rustin (Barshop JCC of San Antonio, TX), Mallory Saks (JCC of Central NJ), Jamie Skog (Loup JCC of Denver, CO), Josh Steinharter (JCC of San Francisco, CA), Terri Travers (Jewish Federation of Greater Harrisburg, PA) and Scott Zorn (Tucson JCC, AZ).

For more information about the Merrin Center for Teen Services or the Merrin Teen Professional Fellows Program, please contact Merrin Center Director Aaron Selkow at (212) 786-5144 or [email protected]