22 July 4 • 2019
jn
jews d
in
the
Q
: You’
ve recently returned to
Metro Detroit after spending
some time away. What brought
you back?
BS: There were a lot of things that
brought me back! I was in a place that
was beautiful, but it did not have the
community I needed in order to be my
best and most authentic self. I had also
given up social work in my move, so I
was excited to return and pick up where
I had left off.
Q: Where did life take you before
you returned home?
BS: I lived in Ann Arbor for five
years, so depending on who you ask
it could be Metro Detroit — or not! I
moved to Logan, Utah, which is a small
college town on the border of Utah and
Idaho. I lived there for nearly a year
before making my way back home.
Q: You’
re currently working as
a social worker for BBYO and JFS.
What’
s the best part of your job?
BS: This job is a beautiful melting pot
of my various passions. I love being able
to work with Jewish teens in our com-
munity (I was one of those, once!) in
the capacity of providing education and
support on mental health and wellness.
Getting to talk to these passionate and
super smart teens inspires me.
Q: What inspired you to get into
social work in the first place?
BS: I knew from a pretty young age
that I wanted to get into the mental
health profession, but I was thinking
more along the lines of psychologist
or psychiatrist. Psychiatry was quickly
ruled out because that requires medical
school, which requires math. When I
started looking into grad programs, I
loved that social work not only focused
on mental health, but on social justice
and creating societal change. I was excit-
ed to learn about community work and
management in addition to counseling,
so it felt like a perfect fit.
Q: You have some really great tat-
toos! Can you tell us about your favor-
ite one(s)?
BS: My entire left arm is my favorite!
I currently have four on that arm and
am working my way, slowly but sure-
ly, up to a full sleeve. I have a flower
motif with a “kvell” banner to honor
my mom and grandma, a Star Wars
Rebel Alliance symbol with the word
“Resist” underneath because of our cur-
rent administration and because I’
m a
massive nerd, a coffee mug with coffee
beans because coffee is life, and a beau-
tiful wrist cuff because why not?
Q: What’
s your ideal Saturday?
BS: It depends on my work week!
I’
m an omnivert, so if I did a lot of
engagement that week, an ideal Saturday
would be relaxing on my couch with
coffee and an amazing show to binge.
If not, I love exploring new food places
in Detroit. But if we’
re going super idyl-
lic — I would have
to say hanging out
with my boyfriend at
the Cincinnati Zoo
so we can see the
best creature on this
planet, Fiona the
Hippo.
Q: What’
s your
favorite place that
you’
ve traveled to
and what fictional
place would you
most like to go to
and why?
BS: The only place outside of North
America that I’
ve traveled is Israel. But
I love going there and feel so lucky that
I’
ve been there as many times as I have,
so it’
s easily my favorite place. As far as
fictional place — probably Hogwarts,
but post-war with Voldemort because,
again, massive nerd.
Q: If you could bring one thing from
Utah to Detroit, what would it be?
BS: I’
d bring the mountains! It was so
incredible to be able to look out in any
direction and be surrounded by moun-
tains — that’
s something I definitely
miss.
Q: Best pics/stories about your cats?
BS: My favorite story about my cats is
when my black cat, Ezrah, was around
1 year old, I got him a sibling named
Quinn. When she was brought home,
she was a tiny little white kitten with
two different colored eyes. I was worried
how Ezrah and she would get along
because he’
s large and needy. When they
met, he immediately fell in love with her
and took on the role of cat-mom. He
would clean her and
snuggle her, and it
was easily the cutest
and sweetest time in
their lives.
Q: Who are three
people you would
love to invite to
your Shabbat dinner
table, contemporary
or historical?
BS: These types of
questions overwhelm
me, but after seri-
ous determination
and intense thought, I would love to
invite Amy Poehler, Tina Fey and Maya
Rudolph. Can you imagine?
Q: What do you look for in your
Jewish community?
BS: I love having a large community
that is close-knit as well as inclusive. I
love that the Detroit Jewish community
is focused on providing all types of ser-
vices, including a focus on teen mental
health and LGBTQ inclusion work. ■
Each month, the Well highlights someone who recently moved
back to Metro Detroit after adventures away.
They agreed to share these profiles with the JN.
WELLcome
Home,
Barrie Siegel!
MARISA MEYERSON SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS
COURTESY OF THE WELL