From her involvement in Dickinson’s Jewish Life and faith communities to her political activism and involvement, is there anything that Yael Farber ’17 doesn’t do? During her four years here, this senior has truly shown what it means to engage with the Dickinson community. HC sat down with Yael to ask her about her involvement on campus, her time abroad in Prague and her plans for the future.
Name: Yael Farber
Class Year: 2017
Major(s): Religion & Judaic Studies
Minor: Women’s & Gender Studies
Hometown: Tarrytown, NY
HC: What activities are you involved in on campus?
YF: College Democrats (Vice President), Alpha Phi Omega Service Fraternity, Asbell Center for Jewish Life (student worker), Center for Service, Spirituality & Social Justice (CS3) (Religious Life Student Leader), J Street U, Hillel
HC: Can you tell us a bit about CS3 and how you got involved?
YF: I started working in CS3 my sophomore year and have worked as a Religious Life Student Leader ever since. I love getting to do interfaith work to both facilitate conversations about spirituality and support the various faith organizations on campus.
HC: What has been the most rewarding part of your Dickinson experience?
YF: Serving as Hillel president my sophomore year was an incredible honor and taught me more about myself than I thought possible. I was challenged in different ways and was able to learn how to support my peers in new ways as well.
HC: What do you feel that you gained most out of your study abroad experience?
YF: I think that learning about a culture and history entirely different from how I grew up gave me a different perspective coming back to the States. After studying abroad in the Czech Republic, I understood the vast impacts that communism had on Czech society and continues to have even 30 years after the fall of the communist regime.
HC: Do you have advice for students considering non-Dickinson abroad programs?
YF: If you think a non-Dickinson program is the right option for you, don’t shy away from it because the process seems challenging. Going on a non-Dickinson program gave me the opportunity to better engage with my area of study, and I’m forever thankful for my study abroad experience. The process to apply for a non-Dickinson program takes a bit of work, but it is worth it in the long run!
HC: What advice would you give your first-year self?
YF: I would tell my first-year self to remember that it’s okay to say no to things. Throughout my four years I’ve been really busy, and I didn’t always take the time to relax and hang out with friends in a way that I wish I had.
HC: What are your plans after graduation?
After graduation, I will be the Director of Youth Engagement and Informal Education at Community Synagogue in Rye, NY. Additionally, I will spend my summer at URJ Eisner Camp as the Director of Limud, one of the Jewish education programs.