2026-2027 Rising Voices Fellows

Alexis Brown is a junior at the Emery/Weiner School in Houston, Texas. She is on the varsity cheerleading team, involved in musical and technical theatre, and participates in the Jewish Life Committee, Israel Club, and Moot Beit Din team at her school. Outside of school, she is a counselor with Bnei Akiva Houston and a member of the Houston Holocaust Museum’s Engines of Change program. Alexis enjoys reading, playing guitar and Mah Jongg, and planning her next trip to NYC to see the Outsiders musical.  

Annie Lockman is a senior at West Windsor-Plainsboro High School South in New Jersey. She is a part of the Engineering club and is helping to program a video game. She's passionate about the arts and enjoys dancing and singing. She's an avid dancer and spends many hours at her ballet studio along with being a part of All-State and Regional choir. In her free time she likes to crochet and listen to Broadway musicals.

Ariel Gilden is a junior at Jewish Community High School of the Bay (JCHS) in San Francisco, where she serves on the Student Advisory Board and as an Admissions Ambassador. As a literary intern at Wendy Sherman Associates, she edits and analyzes manuscripts. Ariel participates in Model UN, Speech and Debate, theater tech, and NCSY. She also enjoys coaching for a Special Olympics swim team and teaching Sunday school. Her passions include social justice, literature, and finding her Jewish feminist people. In every SF Pride Parade, you can find Ariel in the Rhythm & Motion dance contingent with one of her moms.

Dalia Fermaglich is a junior at East Lansing High School in East Lansing, Michigan. She runs all year long, participating in cross country, winter running club, track, and summer training— often at Habonim Dror Camp Tavor, where she has gained a greater appreciation and passion for Judaism, feminism, and social justice. During the school year, she serves as a copy editor for her school newspaper, participates in her local BBYO chapter, and is a madricha at her synagogue. In her free time, she loves hanging out with friends, singing along to showtunes, or watching sitcoms with her family.

Dena Kelman is an incoming senior at Grover Cleveland Charter High School in Los Angeles, California, where she participates in the Humanities Magnet program. She is a member of the Varsity Dance Team. Dena loves her role as a leader in her Jewish community where she has progressed through almost every board position to President in her BBYO chapter, has enjoyed two years as Hartman teen fellow, and graduated from the LA Lainer Jewish Education Fellowship. Dena spends her summers at Camp Ramah in California and is excited to travel with Ramah Seminar this summer.

Johanna Hillman is from Portsmouth, New Hampshire, and is a junior at Phillips Exeter Academy in Exeter, New Hampshire. She is a Staff Writer for her school newspaper and a co-head of her school’s Jewish student group. When she’s not studying or writing articles, she can be found reading or singing. She’s also in the process of learning Hebrew. She loves to visit new cities and go skiing.

Liza Scott is a senior at Needham High School in Needham, Massachusetts. She is the editor-in-chief of her school's newspaper, is involved in field hockey and theater, and studies Hebrew and Jewish text alongside many of her peers. Beyond her extracurricular activities, Liza can be found spending time with her friends (likely with a Dunkin' refresher in hand), watching F1 races and baseball games, or attempting to broaden her taste in movies, though Ratatouille has always remained number one.

Maya Seligman (any/all) is a senior in the IB program at Richard Montgomery High School in Rockville, Maryland. Maya is passionate about social justice as a Democracy Summer Fellow, supporter of Standing Together, Davis Center for Social Justice steering committee member, and Keshet Shabbaton co-chair. Maya loves theatre, and can be found preforming onstage, assistant music-directing her peers, designing costumes for an upcoming show, or helping backstage with the younger performers. When they're not crocheting or collaging, Maya loves reading sci-fi, growing her zine collection, and snuggling with their dog Berkeley. 

Penny Judd is a junior at Gann Academy in Waltham, Massachusetts. She is very interested in entrepreneurship, theater, and is on her school's soccer team. She is the president of her school's DECA club, a business competition club, where she teaches other students about the business world. Additionally, she is a member of her school's theater program as both an actor in the musical and a technician on the sound team. When not at school, she enjoys reading fiction and creative writing. 

Ruby Henik is a junior at the Heschel School in New York, NY. She is the Editor in Chief of the literary arts magazine, Epitome, and belongs to the fashion club, school newspaper, and science magazine as a member. She is very passionate about women’s and LGBTQ+ rights. During the summer of 2026, she will be a Leader in Training at her summer camp, Berkshire Hills. She enjoys writing, reading, drawing, video games, crafts, thrifting, her cats, figure skating, and taking long walks at night. As a fashionista, she loves attending fashion shows and collecting shoes she can’t walk in.

Ruth Feinstein is a junior from Benjamin Franklin High School in New Orleans. She is the production manager and head stage manager for her school's theater department. She is also the vice president of her school's Speech & Debate team, the President of the Civic Engagement Club, the Vice President of her school's Orchestra as well as concert master, and a founding member of her school's newspaper. She is passionate about history and politics and serves on the National Gilder Lehrman Student Advisory Committee. She is also an intern in the office of a City Council member in New Orleans. 

Shoshana Shapiro is a junior at Bard High School Early College Manhattan in New York City, where she is a co-leader in the school’s debate club and an active participant in the literature magazines. When not at school, she can likely be found thrifting, listening to music, reading, or preparing for a debate. Shoshana is an avid learner of social justice and very excited for the fellowship.

Simone Pessah is a sophomore at Immaculate Heart High School in Los Angeles, California where she is vice president of the sophomore class. As a student at a Catholic school, Simone is always open to learning about other theologies and sharing about her own. She is the chair and founder of the Activism Club and competes on the debate team. Simone is involved in her local Jewish community, she is on the board of her congregation’s BBYO chapter and works as a Madrichim (teacher’s assistant) on Saturdays. She was raised in Hollywood in a creative family and enjoys going to concerts, playing tennis, studying piano, and travelling around the world.

Sonia Wexler is a senior at Concord Academy in Concord, Massachusetts. She spent a semester at the School for Ethics and Global Leadership in Washington, D.C., and serves as co-head of the Jewish Student Organization and Concord Academy Students in Action. She is also an Opinions Editor of the school's student-run newspaper and a member of the girls’ varsity field hockey, alpine ski, and lacrosse teams. She loves spending time with family and friends, cooking, reading, and photography.

Stav Weiss is a senior at West Valley High School in Fairbanks, Alaska, where she is a member of her school's Climate Defense League. In addition, she is a part of Alaska Youth for Environmental Action, where she campaigned for reproductive rights, public school funding and climate action. She just finished an exchange year studying abroad in Argentina, and speaks Spanish, Hebrew and English. The daughter of an Israeli immigrant, Stav is passionate about Jewish and Israeli food and culture. In her free time she enjoys spending time in nature with her family and friends, camping or canoeing.

Talia Joffe is a senior at Gann Academy in Waltham, Massachusetts. She is a Co-Editor in Chief of her school's newspaper, a member of the Mock Trial team, and the captain of the varsity co-ed ultimate frisbee team. She is also a member of the Hartman Teen Fellowship, and volunteers at Gateways, a Jewish program for students with disabilities. In her free time, Talia enjoys hanging out with her friends, crafting, and playing with her two cats, Lentil and Chickpea.

Zephaniah Concoff (he/she) is a student at Santa Rosa Junior College in Santa Rosa, California. During senior year of high school, Zephaniah was a Peer Educator at the West County Teen Clinic, where she discovered a passion for sex education and community work. He is now a Reproductive Freedom Advocate with Planned Parenthood NorCal, and plans on continuing his work in reproductive activism and education beyond college. She is deeply interested in Judaism and Jewish education and worked for two years at Congregation Shomrei Torah's religious school. In his free time, he likes reading and writing speculative fiction and studying philosophy.

Zoey Riggs is a junior at Eagle Rock High School. She is a leader in her school’s Jewish Student Union and her synagogue’s Youth Board, where she spends her Sundays. Outside of her involvement with Judaism, Zoey focuses on her academics, track, babysitting, and her friends. In her free time, she especially loves to read and shop.

2025-2026 Rising Voices Fellows
2024-2025 Rising Voices Fellows
2023-2024 Rising Voices Fellows
2022-2023 Rising Voices Fellows
2021-2022 Rising Voices Fellows
2020-2021 Rising Voices Fellows
2019-2020 Rising Voices Fellows
2018-2019 Rising Voices Fellows
2017-2018 Rising Voices Fellows
2016-2017 Rising Voices Fellows
2015-2016 Rising Voices Fellows
2014-2015 Rising Voices Fellows
2013-2014 Rising Voices Fellows