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

