Heidi Bloom
Heidi Bloom, originally from South Dakota, graduated from Lewis University in Chicago with a double degree in International Studies and English Literature. After a wonderful experience on Taglit-Birthright she discovered a great passion for Israel and wanted to spend more time here. Heidi is committed to working in humanitarian aid, and felt that there would be many opportunities for her in Israel in her field. On Career Israel, Heidi is working as the curriculum coordinator for the African Refugee Development Center. Her work involves spending time with refugees to assess their needs and implement helpful activities for both refugee children and adults at the center.

Marina Terements
Marina was born in Kharkov, Ukraine and moved to the US when she was 15-years-old. She attended Jewish day school in New York and then Brooklyn College where she studied Business and Psychology. She came on Birthright in her freshman year, and since then she has been to Israel 10 times, including as a staff member of birthright tours and March of the Living. In the US she worked in fashion marketing, been very involved in Hillel and has also been dancing since she was four years-old.
Marina is interested in both fashion marketing and event planning, so to accommodate her varied interests, Career Israel placed her in two internships. Her first placement was working for the Jewish Agency in coordinating the GA (UJC General Assembly). After the GA she began a fashion-marketing internship with respected Israeli designer Galit Levy. In her free time she began to do some dance gigs, including dancing for several Israeli music clips. There, through a connection with one of the producers, she was invited to audition for the Israeli version of “So You Think You Can Dance” (“Nolad Lirkod”). Marina wowed the judges at the audition, and was selected as one of 16 talented dancers to compete on the show.
When asked about her experience on Career Israel Marina commented, “When I worked with Hillel, people always presented Israel as a place where it was really hard to get along, and where you could make it only if you were willing to suffer. That has not been my experience here at all. I have had opportunities that I never would have had in the States, and I am really happy here.”
More good news- Marina and Alex are engaged, and Marina plans to make Aliyah after the program.


Ashleigh Miller
Ashleigh Miller, originally from Denver Colorado, studied business with an emphasis in accounting at Colorado University in Boulder. Ashleigh was involved in Greek Life and in her later college years became involved in the Jewish scene. Last winter Ashleigh went on Birthright with her sister, and like many people she fell in love with Israel. She realized that she didn't want to be an accountant, but did want to spend more time in Israel and found Career Israel through MASA.
Ashleigh is an intern at Merkaz Hamagshamim, the community center for English speakers in Jerusalem, where she is working on PR and marketing. She also meets with many Birthright groups and encourages the participants to come back to Israel.


Andrew Herman
Andrew Herman, grew up in Englewood, New Jersey and graduated from Cornell University in Ithaca, New York with a degree in History. He chose to study history because, “History repeats itself, and we must understand history in order to figure out the future.” During his college years Andrew was involved in Greek Life as a brother in Alpha Epsilon Pi, and regular at the library, and sees himself in law and politics in the years to come.
Andrew came on Career Israel because he has been considering making Aliyah for several years now and views this experience as a test run. Andrew interns at BP Council, a brand protection firm, doing back office work such as building a new website.


Courtney Broad
Courtney Broad is from West Orange, New Jersey. She did her undergraduate degree in ‘Hospitality Management with an emphasis on Entrepreneurship and Emerging Enterprises aka Triple E’ at Syracuse University, where she also worked at the Athletic Complex and was active in Gamma Phi Beta.
After a wonderful experience on Birthright, Courtney wanted to come back and spend more time in Israel. In Career Israel she was placed at the David Intercontinental Hotel in Tel Aviv. Her internship supervisors were so pleased with her that they have now hired her to work at the hotel for a year contract, so she will be staying in Israel after the program.


Alli Mondell
Alli is from from Balitmore, Maryland. She graduated from the University of Maryland with a degree in Sociology and Criminal Justice and was involved in many extracurricular activities: sorority life, tour guide, teacher’s assistant, and taught criminology 101 to academically at risk students. After graduating, she worked for Hillel on college campuses for two years before realizing that she really just wanted to be in Israel. Her job ended and, “it was as good a time as any to come.” She hopes that her future entails a job traveling the world- she is willing to consider almost anything. She is interning at the Jerusalem Foundation where she writes grant reports, donor reports and articles for websites and periodicals. Read her blog http://www.jewishtimes.com.

Talia Kurland
Talia Kurland is from Orinda, in the East Bay of California. She studied Human Development at the University of California, San Diego. Putting her minor in Middle East studies to use, Talia came to Career Israel where she is interning at “Kadima” a unique after-school center for kids at risk for behavioral and emotional problems in Yaffo. “Kadima” is open to Jewish Israelis, Arab Israelis, and Ethiopian immigrants, which makes the work there especially interesting and challenging. Talia plans to begin graduate school studying for a PsyD next year. Her sister, following in her footsteps, is studying abroad at TAU.

Becky Brothman
Becky Brothman, from Chicago, IL, graduated with a degree in English Literature and Creative Writing, and a minor in Anthropology. She aspires to take over the world one day- probably with her writing whether it is via standup comedy show writing or political speech. Since Becky likes success handed to her, she might work in conjunction with her brother who is an aspiring politician.
In Tel Aviv she interns for Boaz Mirad, working on promotion and PR of five bands. She also works for Omanoot, a website geared towards connecting Diaspora Young Adults to Israel.


Mickey Baden
Mickey Baden, from Cincinnati, Ohio, graduated with his Bachelor of Fine Arts in sculpture from the Art Academy of Cincinnati. He also spent years as a carpenter building houses, worked as the Assistant Camp Director at Camp Livingston, and as a wilderness instructor for Outward Bound Discovery. Mickey came to Israel to have another life experience, to learn about a new culture, and to learn about a new population of kids.
He interns with Etgarim, an organization dedicated to helping disabled people of all ages through outdoor physical activities such as bike riding and ropes courses. Sticking to his true passions, Mickey can’t see himself doing anything other than working with kids- probably in the realm of the outdoors, climbing and backpacking.
Garron Robinson
Garron Robinson hails most recently from San Diego. He graduated from CU Boulder with a degree in finance and real estate. Garron is quite the overachiever and served as captain of the football team, captain of the soccer team, and captain of the golf team. In his spare time he skied and snowboarded in the beautiful Rockies.
After school he worked in LA for a real estate acquisitions firm which he left in order to escape the sub-prime mortgage crisis. Garron interns at Etgarim working with participants with various disabilities and also in the office working on Public Relations and publicity. Eventually Garron will move back to San Diego and do something in business.