Keep your eye on these 
young people making a 
positive impact on the 
Jewish community.

COMPILED BY JN AND JCC STAFF

Jews in the D

W

e are proud to announce this 
year’
s Rising Stars: Teens 
Making a Difference! Judges 
chosen by the JCC selected these 18 
remarkable teens for their incredible 
achievements and for the positive impact 
they are making on others and in the com-
munity. 
Detroit Jewish News, the JCC of 
Metropolitan Detroit, Jfamily and the 
Youth Professionals Network, who part-
nered on the project, had planned to 
announce these Rising Stars in April, but 
— like so many other things in 2020 — our 
plans were derailed by the COVID-19 pan-
demic. 

“The JCC and our community of 
youth-serving organizations are pleased to 
once again partner with the Detroit Jewish 
News to recognize 18 outstanding teens mak-
ing a positive impact on our world,
” said the 
JCC’
s Director of Teen Engagement Katie 
Vieder.
“
A lot of the news we see related to teens 
can be really negative, focusing on the chal-
lenges and problems youth experience or 
cause. We are excited to place the focus on 
the positive and shine a light on the kindness, 
innovation and leadership we see in our 
teens. These youth are doing amazing things, 
and they deserve to have their voices heard 
and their accomplishments recognized.
”
The JN team is also excited to showcase 
these accomplished young people in our 
pages. “This might be the first time you 
hear these names,” said JN Associate Editor 
Jackie Headapohl, “but it definitely won’
t 
be the last. I’
m confident we’
ll be hearing 
more from them in the future as they con-
tinue on their paths of being shining lights 
in the Jewish community.”
Without further ado, please meet the 
Metro Detroit Jewish community’
s Rising 
Stars of 2020.

CARLY COHEN

Carly, 17, of West 
Bloomfield is a senior at 
Bloomfield Hills High 
School. She is a member 
of Temple Israel, YFTI 
and BBYO. She has been 
one of the Madrichim 
(teenage guides) at 
Temple Israel since ninth grade. Carly 
has been on her BBYO chapter’
s execu-
tive board for three years and participat-
ed in a BBYO Entrepreneurship program. 
She was selected to be on the Jewish 
Fund Teen Board, where she has been 
learning about philanthropy and engag-
ing in grant making in the Jewish com-
munity. Carly is also a member of the 
UMatter Board.
In the West Bloomfield community, 
Carly has participated in the American 
Cancer Society’
s Relay for Life by volun-
teering for several years and, since ninth 
grade, has been a teen coordinator for 
the event and recruits other teens to vol-
unteer at the event. 
At Bloomfield Hills High School, Carly 
is a member of Yearbook. She also serves 
on the board of the Key Club, a volun-
teer organization that raises money for 
charitable causes. Carly has participated 
in DECA for the past two years, a group 
that prepares students in marketing, 
finance, hospitality and management. 
Carly participated in a DECA state com-
petition in March. She is also a member 
of the Jewish Student Alliance and the 
National Honor Society.

JONAH COHEN

Jonah, 16, of Farmington 
Hills, is now a junior at 
the Interlochen Arts 
Academy. He had attend-
ed North Farmington 
High School up until his 
junior year and plans to 
return for his senior year. 
Jonah and his family are members of 
Temple Israel, where he is a member of 
YFTI. Jonah is an all-A student who 
maintains a rigorous schedule, partici-
pating in many clubs and the ski racing 

12 | OCTOBER 8 • 2020 

2020

on the cover

