20 | APRIL 29 • 2021 

of the group is on what Judaism and fem-
inism teach about various topics and their 
intersection. They have had sessions on 
topics such as feminist Torah, the Jewish 
diaspora, sex education, self-care and many 
“repair the world” topics. Currently, the 
group is doing a drive for HAVEN’s (shelter 
for women and children who are victims 
of domestic violence) education program, 
collecting books and materials.
In 2020, Lily became interested in the 
Jewish Women’s Archives (JWA). She 
applied for a “Rising Voices” fellowship 
and received a position. She writes for their 
blog. She is also on the editorial board of 
jGirls Magazine.

TALI RUBENSTEIN

Tali Rubenstein, 16, 
of West Bloomfield is 
a junior at Groves 
High School. During 
the past few years, 
she has found 
important ways to 
incorporate her 
Jewish learning with 
her interest in social 
justice.
Tali was part of the Shalom Hartman 
Institute’s Emerging Jewish Thought 
Leaders Fellowship during summer 2020. 
This online opportunity allowed her to 
study with world-renowned scholars who 
combine Jewish ideas with current events, 
such as the pandemic and the upheaval and 
protests following the murder of George 
Floyd. 
Conversations about racism in the U.S. 
and unequal treatment of Israeli Arabs in 
Israel motivated her to continue to examine 
societal structures and what changes might 
be needed.
Because of the pandemic, Tali worked 
with her parents to arrange a semester 

in Israel, where she participated in the 
Alexander Muss High School in Israel 
(AMHSI) program in Hod HaSharon. This 
program allowed her to continue her high 
school program while also learning about 
(and traveling through) Israel. 
These programs gave Tali the opportuni-
ty to learn and engage in conversation with 
Jewish teens from throughout the country. 
As a Jew of Color, Tali brings a unique per-
spective to these conversations. Her firm 
footing in the Jewish community (coming 
both from family and her education) com-
bined with a perspective which is starting 
to recognize the presence and unique con-
tributions of Jews of Color, gives Tali the 
opportunity to both share her perspective 
and help our community take the next steps 
in this conversation.

LAINIE RUBIN

Lainie Rubin, 17, of 
West Bloomfield is a 
senior at Bloomfield 
Hills High School 
and is committed to 
mental health advo-
cacy.
As a young teenag-
er, Lainie lived with 
severe anxiety about 
school. Seeing a therapist helped Lainie 
understand her anxiety and together they 
co-created a plan that now sees her living 
her life … and thriving … instead of her life 
“living” her.
Lainie soon became involved with 
UMatter and began incorporating mental 
health topics into her schoolwork. She even 
spoke up at a school board meeting in fall 
2019, asking the board how it might help 
students manage their mental health. 
Prior to COVID, Lainie visited a juvenile 
detention center, mental health section of 
a county jail, and a crisis service agency to 

explore how an absence of mental health 
support early in life may impact decisions 
some of them make later. This newfound 
understanding gives her perspective and 
inspires her career aspiration to become a 
forensic psychologist.
With in-person volunteering options 
eliminated, she turned to her passion for 
baking, selling treats in the community, 
donating the proceeds to organizations 
funding COVID treatment. 
Since September, she has represented her 
high school on the National Equity Project, 
an education reform organization specializ-
ing in leadership development and leading 
a charge for greater equity at schools across 
the country. 
Also in September, she was invited to 
join the programming committee for Camp 
Tamarack. And, most recently, she was 
selected for a seat on the Jewish Teen Board, 
charged with offering ideas for greater teen 
involvement in activities supported by the 
JCC and Federation. 
In the fall, Lainie will be studying at 
the University of Wisconsin where plans 
to study forensic psychology, focusing on 
mental health within the justice system. 

JOSHUA SCHREIBER

Joshua Schreiber, 17, 
of Farmington Hills 
is a senior at North 
Farmington High 
School and has been 
heavily involved in 
Jewish affiliates 
throughout his youth 
as a six-year 
Tamarack attendee, 
Hillel Day School alum and Temple Israel 
member. He shifted his focus in high school 
to become involved with Jewish nonprofits, 
Israel education and community engage-
ment. 
Joshua has been elected, appointed and 
served in numerous positions within the 
Jewish community of Metropolitan Detroit, 
including a leadership facilitator for the 
Jewish Fund Teen Board, assisting in pro-
viding a total of $100,000 in philanthropy to 
local and statewide charities over two years, 
a president at Friendship Circle, co-presi-
dent of North Farmington’s Jewish Student 
Union, and as vice president and head of 

“I WANT TO BE THE ONE TO LEAD THE WAY 
IN HELPING MAKE A DIFFERENCE AND WORK 

WITH OTHERS WHO HAVE THAT SAME VISION.”

— AVIEL SIEGEL

RISING STARS

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