18 September 5 • 2019
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A

t 17, Berkley High School 
student Lauren Schostak, 
daughter of Mark and Lillian 
Schostak, is not your typical senior. 
Inspired by her family, Schostak makes 
her community presence known as a 
volunteer and young entrepreneur. 
At school, Schostak is involved with 
two organizations: Sources of Strength 
and Peer to Peer. 
“Sources of Strength is a national 
organization that extends into different 
schools across the U.S.,
” Schostak says. 
“It is an opportunity to provide a pos-
itive and safe environment in schools 
for students.
“Peer to Peer is a support group for 
students with disabilities,
” Schostak 
says. “If they don’
t have people to sit 
with at lunch, there are designated 
lunch days where we do activities with 
them, and it allows for all students 
involved to meet new people.
”
Outside of school, Schostak contin-
ues her outreach in the Metro Detroit 
community, serving as co-president 
of the Teen Volunteer Corps offered 
through Adat Shalom Synagogue in 
Farmington Hills.
On top of it all, Schostak owns her 
own business, Ba-Gals, with her friend 
Julie Krasnick.
“Every Sunday morning, we 
deliver bagels from New York Bagel 
in Ferndale to neighborhoods in 
Huntington Woods and Berkley,
” 
Schostak says. “We text our customers 
every Friday and get their orders so 
we can deliver their bagels on Sunday 
mornings throughout the school year.
”
Not only is Schostak involved in 
these four organizations, but she 
recently participated in the 2019 
Cohn-Haddow Center for Judaic 

Studies writing competition at Wayne 
State University.
Her essay, “
A Once Blinded Jewish 
Woman,
” won first place in the nonfic-
tion category. In it, she shares the iden-
tity struggle she endured from learning 
about the anti-Semitic remarks orga-
nizers for the Women’
s March were 
accused of making.
“I just really struggled to under-
stand that. The Women’
s March is a 
movement that promotes welcoming 
everyone regardless of their race, gen-
der identity, ethnicity or religion. All of 
the things I read were just very contra-
dictory to what they stood for, and it 
made me very upset.
”
Schostak considers herself an avid 
writer, but this was her first time sub-
mitting to a writing competition.
“I didn’
t have any expectations going 
into this, but I was very excited and 
happy that this piece, since it has a 
lot of emotion embedded into it and 
shows my identity, won because it gives 
others an opportunity to read and 
learn something from it.
” ■

FAVORITES:
Favorite Food: Sushi
Favorite Color: Orange
Favorite Movie: Wonder
Favorite TV show or Netflix series: 
Chicago Med or Grey’
s Anatomy
Biggest Fan/Supporter: My family
Somewhere you want to visit and 
why: Australia because everyone 
seems so friendly there and it looks 
like such a cool and different place 
to see.
Future Goals: I would like to pursue 
a pre-med track in college but it’
s not 
for sure yet!

CORRIE COLF STAFF WRITER

Young Jews 
Making 
Moves

Lauren Schostak 
engages in causes 
she believes in while 
running her own bagel 
delivery business.

jews d
in 
the

So much fun you’ll forget 
you’re earning service hours.

Volunteer opportunities for b’nai mitzvah 
students and teen leaders. 
 

Because We Care is a program of 

Jewish Family Service that offers fun and 

fulfilling volunteer opportunities for b’
nai 

mitzvah students. They can join us for one or 

more of our Monthly Mitzvot.

October 20 
Sukkot Family Festival 

 
The Shul

November 10 
Fall Fix Up
 
Different community sites 
 

December 8 
Hanukkah Helpers

 
Jewish Family Service

January 19 
The Great Challah Bake
 
Temple Israel

February 2 
Chicken Soup for the Soul
 
of Detroit
 
Adat Shalom Synagogue

March 8 
Soothing Sunday
 
Jewish Family Service

NEW THIS YEAR! We are offering high school 

juniors and seniors a fellowiship opportunity. 

Participants in the Jewish Values in Action Teen 

Leadership program will help plan this year’
s Because 

Care programs and gain leadership skills.
 Stipend will be provided.

For more information, to register, or apply for the 
fellowship, visit jfsdetroit.org/becausewecare or 

contact Erin Lederman at 248.880.3787 

or elederman@jfsdetroit.org.

