for college students by college students
August 20, 2015 / 5 Elul 5775
Special Summer
JOIN program provides opportunities
and experiences you cannot get elsewhere.
Marisa Meyerson } jewish@edu writer
T
he Jeanette and Oscar Cook Jewish Occupational Intern (JOIN)
Program is an eight-week student internship in a Jewish com-
munal service agency organized by JVS. Each week, students
spend four days working at their placement agency, then gather togeth-
er on Fridays and travel to each agency for a seminar, where students
learn about the structure of each organization and its role in the Jewish
community.
Essentially, JOIN is an immersive crash course in the Detroit Jewish
community.
After more than 40 years and nearly 400 interns, the program has
produced top executives at several Metro Detroit organizations as well
as lay leaders and volunteers throughout the community. While this
year's JOIN interns are still college students, the program created a
newfound sense of professionalism among them, as well as a stronger
connection with Detroit's community.
JOIN Pioneers
One of JOIN's biggest takeaways is the ability
to self-advocate in the workplace. JOIN student
Rebecca Soverinsky of West Bloomfield took this
lesson to heart as she helped to create her own
internship as the first JOIN student to be placed
at the University of Michigan Hillel. As a U-M
communications major, Soverinsky had insight
into the social media scene on campus and was
able to use her skills and interests to strengthen
Soverinsky
Michigan Hillel's online presence.
"I totally got to pioneer my internship so that
it catered to my personal strengths and career interests," Soverinsky said.
Functioning in Ann Arbor was a new development for the JOIN pro-
gram, but also provided another interesting perspective.
"Not only did I still see how all of the agencies in Metro Detroit area
Special Summer on page 54
Tedi Dorman works with a
client at the Brown Center.
Sam Silverstein juggles with fire at his recent backyard talent show.
MSU student uses his funny bone
to fight cancer.
Erin Ben-Moche } jewish@edu writer
F
or most college students, their main
goals are to have fun and work hard
to earn their degree to have a suc-
cessful future. Sam Silverstein is not
the average college student.
Silverstein, 18, of Huntington Woods is a
sophomore at Michigan State University. He
has been volunteering for good causes since he
was a child. For example, he's volunteered at
Congregation Shaarey Zedek for its Super Bowl
Sunday program and helped out with his con-
gregation's sisterhood alongside his mom.
Although Silverstein is an advertising major
at MSU, he also happens to be a standup come-
dian. This evolved after a high school talent
show when he used his juggling skills and sharp
sense of humor.
"I was the class clown in school and loved
making people laugh," the comedian said. "I
never thought about standup until the talent
show. I fell in love."
After recognizing his new talent, he wanted
to polish his standup routine. Silverstein started
performing at open mic nights at Mark Ridley's
Comedy Club in Royal Oak, the Ann Arbor
Comedy Showcase and Joey's Comedy Club in
Livonia. He enjoyed the practice, but wanted
to do something more with his talent. He and
friend Jeremy Paczcos decided to create their
own comedy show and perform in front of col-
lege students all over Michigan.
Silverstein wanted to give people a good rea-
son to come see an 18-year-old do standup for
an hour. He decided to give all proceeds to the
C.S. Mott Children's Hospital in Ann Arbor
— specifically to Mott Child and Family Life
Services. He discovered this program during
a field trip to Mott when he was a student at
Berkley High School.
Mott Child and Family Life Services helps
Caring Comedian on page 52
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