Year: 2015
Hometown: Clark, New Jersey
Major: Computer Science, Near Eastern and Judaic Studies
Minor: Classical Studies, Religious Studies
Her Campus: what activities are you involved in on campus?
Jake Altholz: A lot! Well, for starters, I’m on the ultimate Frisbee team and I am in AEPi. I’m also very active on Hillel. I served on Hillel board two years ago and now I’m kinda like the extra man. I’m a swing dance instructor. Every Tuesday night I teach swing. I’m also on the ballroom team. I’m in Jewish Fella A Capella. I am very involved in Jewish living issues on campus and pretty much everything Jewish there is. I also work four jobs: Flagel’s office, the mailroom, I’m an intern for Zipcar, and I work for Birthright. And I still don’t think that’s everything, but it’s pretty close!
HC: Wow! How do you keep track of all your activities and school?
JA: Ahh, I don’t! I try, you know, but I sacrifice sleep.
HC: And out of all your extracurricular activities, do you have a favorite?
JA: Hmm…I love all forms of dance. I really like teaching swing. That and I guess Hillel and AEPi.
HC: Any exciting winter break plans?
JA: I was hopefully going to Israel, but I’m probably going to be stuck home doing homework. Nothing too exciting. See friends, maybe go to Canada.
HC: Tell us about one of your favorite Brandeis memories.
JA: I really just love the people…I’m trying to think of one exact moment. Sophomore year was awesome. I lived in Rosie with eight awesome people. And also this year. I studied abroad last semester in Australia and three weeks into my semester I was hit by a truck. I was in a coma and I woke up in the hospital two days later. They took thirteen hours to surgically reconstruct my entire face. So I wasn’t able to do anything for like five to six weeks, even longer than that, I’m still recovering. But the support I got from Brandeis students was incredible. So coming back to campus and just seeing everyone for the first time since the accident was really incredible. The one thing about Brandeis is that it’s a very welcoming, warm environment and I love the people.
HC: What do you plan to do after you graduate from Brandeis?
JA: So I have tentative plans. I don’t know if any of them are going to happen, but I plan on serving in the Israeli army for two or three years upon graduation and then going to Rabbinical school in America. I don’t really know what I want to do, but I think I want to go to Rabbinical school.
HC: Looking back on your years at Brandeis, if there was one thing you could say to your freshman self, what would it be?
JA: Don’t get involved in so many clubs and try and focus on school. Granted I still haven’t listened to that. I still do way too much outside of actual academic work. But I have an incredible time doing it, so that’s all that matters.
Favorites:
Food: Sushi, specifically spicy tuna roll.
Movie: Remember the Titans. Not even a question. It’s the greatest movie of all time.
Color: Well I’m color blind, so I’ll go with rainbow.
Spot on Campus: Hillel lounge.
Sherman or Usdan: Sherman.