Student Israelity

Jonah Kaufman-Cohen

Jonah is a senior studying history and SIS. He is originally from Oakland, California. Jonah is thrilled to bring his love of writing and lifelong fascination with all things Israel. As a new member of the team, Jonah is looking forward to contributing his skills and learning the ins and outs of the editing process.

Kayla Benjamin

An avid news follower and lover of international food, Kayla is an undergraduate student majoring in journalism and political science. Her lifelong involvement with the Jewish community led to her interest in learning about Israeli society, culture, and politics. She has a passion for copyediting to help others express ideas clearly and engagingly. 

Jacob Lewis

Jacob is a senior studying Political Science and Israel at American University. He loves to write, edit, cook, play guitar and violin, and do community service. He is an intern for J Street's Midwest region and teaches a Jewish cooking class at Washington Hebrew Congregation. Jacob is an avid follower and analyst of Israeli politics and elections.

Barbie Goldstein

Barbie is a sophomore at American University. She majors in international affairs in SIS and plans to double minor. She is very involved in the Jewish community as a Hillel intern and a teacher at the Washington Hebrew Congregation. Barbie loves to read, cook, and always has a latte in her hand!

Dr. Guy Ziv

Professor Guy Ziv mentors the blog's student team in management and teamwork as well as helps to brainstorm interesting topics about Israel to explore. In addition, he leads biweekly discussions about Israeli current events as part of programming by the Center for Israel Studies, which sponsors the Student Israelity blog. As an assistant professor in the School of International Service's U.S. Foreign Policy Program, Professor Ziv teaches a variety of undergraduate and graduate courses on U.S. foreign policy, the Middle East, and international negotiations.