SEPTEMBER 1 • 2022 | 15

go for Jewish identity.
”
With a background in Jewish 
education, she says she was 
eager to help bolster opportuni-
ties for Jewish learning, growth 
and camaraderie. “Jewish iden-
tity is so important, and Jewish 
pride, and being able to speak in 
a safe environment; we felt that 
was important, too,
” she says.
“I know when I went to 
school there wasn’t a place to 
turn if there was any antisem-
itism. At least at school now 
there is a place to go; there is a 
way to find support and under-
standing. That’s a big thing to 
me.
”
Bradley Isakson, who attended 
high school in Hartland, Mich., 
before attending MSU 2012-
2016 and going on to graduate 
work at Johns Hopkins School 
of Advanced International 
Studies in Washington, D.C., 
got involved with Jewish student 
life on campus quickly when 
he arrived. He attended Hillel 
events, went to Shabbat dinners, 
took Hebrew classes and stud-
ied abroad in Israel, in addition 
to interning with the Jewish 
Studies program.
Coming from Hartland, 
where his family was one of 
just a few Jewish families in 
the area, he says he was glad 
to have a welcoming Jewish 
community at his fingertips at 
MSU. “What was nice about 
being at Michigan State and the 
Jewish life there — I was able to 
get involved in that way I didn’t 
really have a chance to growing 
up where I did.
”
Though he won’t be able to 
attend the 30th anniversary cel-
ebration, he says he’s happy to 
see the program continuing to 
expand. “I feel like the program 
has gotten bigger since the six, 
seven years that I was last there,
” 
he says. “I know it still provides 
that sense of openness, attentive-
ness and sensitivity to issues.
“
And I hope there’ll be a 60th 
anniversary I’ll be able to attend 
in 30 more years.
” 
Dr. Yael Aronoff

Dr. Amy Simon

Ellie Baden

Bradley Isakson

Dan Olsen

Michael and Elaine 
Serling

Peter McPherson

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