G
rowing up in the “small but mighty
Jewish community of Tallahassee,
FL,” first-year rabbinical student Daniel
Reiser says, “my being one of the only
Jewish kids in my grade gave me a sense
of pride.” Some of his most formative
Jewish experiences were at the URJ’s
Camp Coleman where, from the age of
eight on, he “liked the fact that all my
friends were Jewish.”
After getting his B.A. in English at
the University of Florida, Reiser
moved to Atlanta, where he worked
at the Hillel at Emory University and
eventually became Senior Program
Director. He staffed four Israel pro-
grams, including Birthright, NFTY
in Israel, and the JAFI Summer
Shlichim Seminar, while also getting
training in Israel engagement at
Jewish summer camps as a Fellow
with the Legacy Heritage Fund and
the Avi Chai Foundation.
In addition to his classes in Jerusalem,
Reiser is part of the Encounter Leadership
Seminar, a cohort of emerging Jewish
leaders who meet weekly to discuss the
Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The group is
just as much about personal growth and
reflection as it is about issues related to
the conflict.
“
By deeply examining myself, I’ve
become better able to identify my core
values related to the Israeli-Palestinian
conflict and open myself up to my multi-
ple, complex, and often conflicting
feelings. The more I learn, the more
complex the situation becomes. And
the more I reflect, the more I’m able
to accept that complexity and shape
my decisions out of a deep love for the
State of Israel and the Jewish people.”
23
t
Rabbinical student Amanda Graizel (front row, center) and
classmates in the Year-In-Israel Program engage with Israeli
soldiers through the “Parallel Lives” program.
p
Rabbinical student Daniel Reiser and a friend explore
Israel’s desert landscape.
Daniel Reiser
Year-In-Israel Student/Jerusalem
