Student Ambassadors, who are declared Judaic Studies majors or minors from any academic year, offer prospective students a personal point of contact for inquiries about the Judaic Studies program. Ambassadors warmly welcome new students into the department and provide valuable student insights into the Judaic Studies experience. Moreover, ambassadors participate in campus-wide fairs and actively contribute to creating student-centric events and activities each term.
The 2024-25 Student Ambassadors
Full Name: Ari Leflein (he/him/his)
Degrees: Judaic Studies & History Majors
Year in College: Senior, Class of 2025
Hometown: Ann Arbor, MI
Favorite Judaic Studies Class: Judaic 351 - “Anne Frank in Context”
Student Organizations: Michigan Journal of History
When I started at U of M, I planned to explore my interest in history by becoming a history major. However, exceptional cross-listed courses in the History and Judaic Studies Departments prompted me to pursue a double major in History and Judaic Studies. Since then, my experiences with the Judaic Studies Department, and in Judaic Studies courses, have been central to my college education; I have enjoyed taking a range of classes on intriguing topics—from Yiddish, to the “History of American Jews,” to “Anne Frank in Context”—and even working with Judaic Studies professors as a student researcher. My education in the Judaic Studies Department has enabled me to better understand my own identity and provided me with the unique opportunity to learn from professors who want to facilitate deeper understandings and who are eager to support students in their educational endeavors!
The nuanced subjects explored in Judaic Studies courses and the in-depth class discussions have made me more confident in my ability to ask novel, important questions and to write in a way that is productive and contributes to broader conversations. I am currently using these new skills to research and write an honors thesis on the Nuremberg Trials and their important precedent inthe field of international law—a topic that I have been exploring since high school and one which afforded me the opportunity to attend and speak at an event at The Peace Palace in The Hague. I also enjoy working at the Posen Library of Jewish Culture and Civilization and as an associate editor at the Michigan Journal of History. In my free time, I enjoy throwing pottery on the potter’s wheel and kayaking on Lake Michigan!
Full Name: Sophie Reed (she/her/hers)
Degrees: Judaic Studies & History Majors
Year in College: Senior, Class of 2025
Hometown: NYC & Grand Rapids, MI
Favorite Judaic Studies Class: Judaic 387: History of American Jews, Judaic 353: The Arab-Israeli Conflict
Student Organizations: UROP, Research Assistant
Hi everyone! I’m Sophie, and I’m a double major in Judaic Studies and History. I’m originally from NYC but have lived in Michigan for about 7 years now. I am very excited to be an ambassador for the Judaic Studies department and help incoming students recognize the amazing opportunities engagement with the Frankel Center provides. I also have a lot of research experience, having worked as a research assistant since my first semester of college – and I would be happy to grab a cup of coffee and discuss the amazing networking and research opportunities I have found and benefitted from while at Umich. Outside of research, I love to cook, listen to music, play the piano, do yoga, be with friends, and when possible, read on the beach.
This year I am writing a History Honors Thesis which deals with themes revolving around Jewish American women and body image. I was a BCN major (biopsych, cognition, and neuroscience) until I switched to a history major my junior year. My thesis reflects those years of study, and aims to meld psychological and neuropsychological data with historical analysis. If you are interested in doing your own research at Michigan, or have questions about what to do with multidisciplinary interests that may branch STEM and Humanities, I’m always happy to help where I can!
Full Name: Sara Taub (she/her/hers)
Degrees: Communication and Media Major, Minor in Judaic Studies
Year in College: Senior, Class of 2025
Hometown: Birmingham, MI
Favorite Judaic Studies Class: Judaic 389 - "Jewish Literature"
Student Organizations: University of Michigan Dance Team, WolvHERine, Guest on MiSHEgan Podcast
Coming into the University of Michigan, I was unsure of where my studies would take me. I took my first Judaic Studies class my sophomore year to fulfil an elective credit and have enrolled in numerous different courses ever since, including “Jewish Literature” (Judaic 389), “History of American Jews and Social Justice” (Judaic 440), and “Arab-Israeli Conflict” (Judaic 244). I have thoroughly enjoyed each and every class I have taken because the faculty go above and beyond to ensure that they connect with us students and that we are connecting to the course material!
As a Student Ambassador, I hope to bring more attention to the department and the classes that we offer, something I wish that I had known earlier in my time at Michigan. I plan on using my major in Communication and Media to bring together the department by planning engaging events throughout the school year. I am looking forward to spending my final year at Michigan serving the Judaic Studies department!
