Nicole Abromwich


Lena Krulevich - Moscow, Russia
Lena is interning in Mc Cann Erikson, an international advertising and PR agency, where she works with the creative department developing campaigns, creating TV-ads, writing slogans and doing everything “to sell you the best chocolate in the world”. She also works with the PR department where she takes part in organizing events such as press-conferences, festivals, etc. and writes PR-articles for newspapers, TV and internet-sites. Lena's article on a new Israeli ballet was printed in the Russian version of the Israel newspaper “Yediot Ahranot”. She also organized a press conference.

At home in Moscow, Lena worked in the PR department of a bank, as a journalist in a leading Russian newspaper, as a copywriter in the advertising agency, as an interpreter in the theatre and as a madricha and director of different youth projects in the Jewish Agency. She's also the author of the project “Onisraelside”.

This is her seventh time in Israel, and in the past she even let two groups to Israel as a a madricha. “I have a complicated relationship with Israel", Lena says, "I'm definitely “in love” with this country – with the atmosphere, with the Kotel, with the sea, but can't decide if I'm ready to “marry” it”".

Lauren Levine
Lauren Levin wanted a change in life after working in New York for years in sales and marketing, first at Google and then for Starwood hotels. Upon returning home from Birthright in 2007, Lauren realized that Israel was where she wanted to be. Lauren secured an internship at Starwood hotels in Israel where she was able to apply her experience in field to bring in more international tourism to Israel through the use of online marketing strategies. Lauren loves living in Israel, especially the warm families that have welcomed her in here with open arms. She is thinking about making aliyah after the program's completion.

Zsuzsanna Gervai
Zsuzsanna graduated in December 2006 from the University of Debrecen (in Hungary) with a degree in economy, but wanted to experience life in Israel and also work at a bank. Zsuzsi was placed as an intern at Payoneer Inc., an online bank where she currently works in account management. Zsuzi is learning useful skills and gaining work experience for future employment opportunities. She is able to learn the ins and outs of an international banking organization. Zsuzi has the luxury of working in English while still enjoying the experience of working in an Israeli office.

Zsuzsanna Gervai was born and raised in Hungary and participated in Birthright in 2004.

James Slavet
James Slavet works for Or Consulting, a private company that markets Israeli products and services worldwide. He is possibly interested in developing a career in business, and through his work at Or he has gained a better understanding of how to market a new product, and how to establish connections with distributors worldwide.

James is a graduate of the University of Massachussets at Amherst with a major in Political Science. A native of the Boston area, he was not involved in Jewish activities prior to coming on Birthright in January 2007, after which he became involved with Hillel.

Jake Berman
Most people do not even know what nanotechnology is. Jake Berman, a participant on Career Israel, not only understands what it is, he is involved in making ideas happen in his internship with the Russel Berrie Nanotechnology Institute at the Technion University in Haifa. Although he had never been to Israel before, Jake became motivated to become involved in the hi-tech arena in Israel after reading about the technological advances and ingenuity of Israeli scientists in his field. The projects that he is working on include efforts to split CO2 emitted by smokestacks , a toxic gas and major culprit of global warming, into its constituent parts of oxygen and CO, which although is still toxic, could be reused again as a combustible fuel source, effectively killing two birds with one stone.

Jake is currently a student at the University of Waterloo studying nanotechnology. Originally from Hornby Island, off the coast of Vancouver, he had never been to Israel before coming on Career Israel.

Megan Jacobs
I am interning at The Jerusalem Post, and thus far, it has been the most exciting work I have ever had. My first day, I was sent to a Christian Day of Prayer for Peace in Jerusalem and got to interview Shlomo Riskin, one of the chief rabbis of Jerusalem. I came back to the office, wrote my article, and saw my name in print the next day. Even though I didn't get home until 11pm, it was worth it for the awesome experience (and a press pass to add to my collection). Since then, I have written an article everyday that I have worked. My personal favorite was a feature sports article on a German-Iranian footballer who refused to play in Israel - JPost was the first to release the story online, so it was another night worth staying late for, and it was really cool to be calling Germany at 10pm, and trying to get in touch with the heads of the Israeli football association. Here is a link to that article: http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1191257257008&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

Megan Jacobs is from Bloomfield Hills, MI, and recently graduated from University of Michigan with degrees in English and French. Megan was not particularly involved with Hillel in college, though she grew up in a Conservative family, but went on Birthright in the summer of 2005 and fell in love with Israel. Her career plans are unclear at this point, although she is applying to graduate school in law and public health.

Nicole Abromwich
"Wait here a minute," the serious security guard cautioned me as I was about to make my way up a central staircase in the Knesset, the Israel Parliament, where I am interning as an assistant to Knesset Member Yoel Hasson of Kadima. I looked up at the handful of people gathered on the landing and quickly realized that Prime Minister Ehud Olmert was standing just in front of me. As far as first days at work go, this was a pretty exciting start.

I was lucky enough to begin my internship on the day of the opening of the Knesset's winter session and was privileged to hear President Shimon Peres, as well as other prominent politicians, address the Plenum.

On more of a day-to-day basis, my role as an assistant includes being responsible for Mr. Hasson's international correspondence in English as well as undertaking research and contributing to new Bills. There is a real buzz in the air here and I can't wait to get in on the action!

Nicole Abromowich is 24 years old and lives in Melbourne, Australia. She is a graduate of the Leibler Yavne College high-school and was a member and madricha in the Bnei Akiva youth movement. Nicole has participated in several Israel programs before Career Israel including Birthright, Hebrew University Mishpatim Program, Bnei Akiva Ozem Program, Pardes Summer Course, and volunteered at the Ramat Hadassah Youth Villiage. Nicole holds a degree in law from the University of Melbourne university, and is considering pursuing a career in law in Australia or possibly making Aliyah in the future.