the 2021 emerging scholars awardees
Maharat is thrilled to announce the Third Cohort of Emerging Scholars Awardees. This award celebrates young women who are high school seniors and who excel in leadership, spirituality and Torah learning. The award acknowledges these young women for their accomplishments and dedication to the Jewish community, while supporting their continued growth. Dozens of applications were received from across the United States, representing the diversity and dedication of today’s young women.
An independent selection committee reviewed each application and ultimately selected these impressive leaders. One committee member remarked, “The selection of young women who applied for the award this year was of an extraordinary caliber. Coming to a decision on three awardees was incredibly challenging but also truly inspiring as we look to the future of Jewish leadership.”
Mazal tov to these remarkable awardees who engage in deep Jewish learning, show leadership in tefillah, camp, social justice and political environments, and support their peers and family members in meaningful ways.
Tiferet Grossman, SAR High School, Bronx, NY
Rivka Krause, Ma'ayanot Yeshiva High School, Teaneck, NJ
Cara Lopatin, Farber Hebrew Day School, Huntington Woods, MI
Awardees will receive a $2,500 stipend towards university or gap year education. They will connect with other prominent Jewish leaders and Torah scholars, including Maharat faculty, alumnae and students. Additionally, they will be announced at Maharat’s Ninth Annual Semikha Ceremony, being held virtually on June 15 at 4:00pm EST, an inspiring celebration of women’s leadership which is open to the public.
“The future of the Jewish community is bright!” said Rabba Sara Hurwitz, President & Co-Founder of Maharat, “We read applications from young women who are invested in shaping a Jewish future that is dynamic, committed to Torah values, and striving towards greater equity. We are thrilled to honor three stellar young women who will surely impact the Jewish community and beyond.”
Tiferet (Tifi) Grossman is a senior at SAR High School in Riverdale, NY. Her varied interests keep her busy: she captains her school’s Model UN team, serves as an Editor-in-Chief of the newspaper, heads the Girls Who Code club, and plays on the varsity women’s volleyball team. She is passionate about expanding women’s participation in religious life and leads her school’s Women’s Tefillah. She finds meaning in layning and leading tefillah and inspiring and instructing others to do the same. Tifi has spent her summers coding at Kode With Klossy, immersing herself in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict with Kids4Peace, and entertaining eight year old boys as their camp counselor. In her spare time, Tifi enjoys cooking, scrolling through TikTok, attempting to complete crossword puzzles, and exploring New York City. Next year, she will be attending the Hevruta gap year program, followed by Barnard College.
Rivka Krause is a senior at Ma’ayanot Yeshiva High School in Teaneck, NJ. She believes it is important to foster inclusive spaces within the Jewish community that are accepting of everyone, with our beautiful differences. Rivka is passionate about the environment and fostering a greener world. She believes that conservation and respecting the world around us is an inherently Jewish value. She hopes to start her own garden this summer. Rivka recently competed in the Brandeis Moot Beit Din competition, where her team came in first place. Rivka is a voracious reader who loves the experience of being immersed in new worlds through reading. When she isn’t reading or learning, Rivka is practicing krav maga and debating the complexities of American history. She is incredibly excited to be spending the next year in Israel (for the first time!) at Amudim.
Cara Lopatin is the recipient of the Ian Kagedan z”l Emerging Scholar Award. She is a senior at Farber Hebrew Day School in Detroit, MI. Born in Chicago, Cara attended Chicago Jewish Day School until she and her family moved to Riverdale in 2013. In New York, Cara was a youth group leader at the Hebrew Institute of Riverdale and a Megillah and Torah reader and Chazanit at Tefillat Esther, Shachar, Kehillah, and The Atria. In 2018, she moved with her family to Huntington Woods, Michigan where her family helped establish a Modern Orthodox synagogue whose mission is to provide a welcoming and inclusive environment. As the daughter of the rabbi, Cara is an active member of the synagogue as a children’s programming facilitator, Gabait, community-builder, and all-around volunteer. Additionally, Cara is a Bronfman fellow, co-chair of Bnei Akiva Detroit, Jewish Fund Teen Board member, Honeycomb Youth Ambassador, and Moot Beit Din team member. As a two-time cancer survivor, Cara also speaks publicly on behalf of Chai Lifeline. Cara looks forward to learning in Israel next year at Amudim to explore topics, questions, texts, and skills she has not yet had the chance to delve into.