JULY 29 • 2021 | 11

she has been thinking about how 
to provide youth with career 
mentorship.
“I’m a real believer in the youth 
voice,
” she explains, “and being able 
to navigate your own destiny.
” 
She says youth can pave the 
way to a successful career path 
through learning practical skills 
and understanding how the world 
evolves as it pertains to current 
affairs. “There are a lot of barriers 
to career entry for a lot of people,
” 
Nederlander continues. “We’re 
helping with that through skill 
development, introductions and 
networking.
”

REAL-LIFE SUCCESS
Nederlander and L!FE Leaders’ 
community partners have seen their 
efforts in helping Detroit youth 
pay off. Now, youth volunteers 
have created a dedicated youth 
summit council to take on and 
address issues related to the larger 
conference.

Two participants, Nederlander 
explains, decided to focus on 
improving financial literacy. The 
youth started a nonprofit called 
Discover SELF Impact to offer a 
series of workshops on financial 
independence. “
As a result of the 
work they did, they were included 
in this year’s Skillman Foundation’s 
20 Black Detroiters Making 
History,
” Nederlander says.
It’s just one example of many, 
she explains, that highlight the 
importance of providing Detroit 
youth with the right skill-building 
programs and doors to career 
growth.
“We have several students 
moving into the real world with 
exciting opportunities,
” Nederlander 
says. “Understanding what’s going 
on around you can help you 
understand the opportunity in front 
of you and how to make things 
happen for yourself.
” 

Amy Nederlander, co-founder and president, L!FE Leaders Inc. 
and Rico Razo, deputy director, Bridging Neighborhoods, City 
of Detroit, at the Mike Ilitch School of Business, Wayne State 
University in 2019.

T

wo 2021 high school 
grads were awarded 
scholarships June 16 
to enable their gap year stud-
ies in Israel. Zoe Golan of 
Farmington Hills High School 
and Cara Lopatin of the Farber 
Hebrew Academy were the 
recipients of these competitive 
awards.
Zoe will use the Jay 
Yoskowitz Israel scholarship 
for the Gal-il year program in 
Upper Galilee. In her applica-
tion, Zoe wrote that this year in 
Israel will enhance her “excel-
lent relationship to both Jewish 
education as well as the Jewish 
community as I have come to 
know at Adat Shalom.”
The daughter of Yifat and 
Shaham Golan, Israelis from 

the Galilee, Zoe has a famil-
iarity with Israel. Through 
her gap year, she expects to 
deepen her connection to 
Israel.
The Jay Yoskowitz Israel 
Scholarship Fund was estab-
lished in 2006 by Rabbi 
Herbert Yoskowitz, rabbi 
emeritus of Adat Shalom to 
honor the memory of his broth-
er Jay Yoskowitz, who served 
as senior vice president of the 
American Technion Society, 
executive director of the United 
Israel Appeal and executive 
director of the Council of 
Jewish Federations. The schol-
arship is awarded annually to 
a member of Adat Shalom for 
study in Israel.
Cara Lopatin received 

the Harry and Sarah Laker 
Memorial Scholarship to study 
at Amudim in Jerusalem. Cara 
looks forward “to learn Torah 
lishmah (for its own sake), 
explore Jewish topics both old 
and new to me” and to deepen 
her strong connection to Israel 
and to Jewish studies. She is the 
daughter of Rachel and Rabbi 
Asher Lopatin.
The Harry and Sarah Laker 
Memorial Award was estab-

lished at Congregation Beth 
Achim (merged with Adat 
Shalom Synagogue in 1998). 
Harry Laker was president of 
Congregation Beth Achim.
Both scholarships are 
administered by Adat Shalom 
Synagogue and awarded annu-
ally on a competitive basis. 

Herbert Yoskowitz is rabbi emeritus at 

Adat Shalom Synagogue.

Rabbi Aaron Bergman, Joan Chernoff-Epstein (president of Adat Shalom 
Synagogue), Rabbi Emeritus Herbert Yoskowitz and Hazzan Daniel Gross 
offered their personal congratulations as they presented Zoe Golan and 
Cara Lopatin summer scholarships.

Two students awarded scholarships 
for gap year programs in Israel. 
On to Israel

RABBI HERBERT YOSKOWITZ
SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS

