Baltimore Roots, D.C. Wings

Esther attended Krieger Schechter Day School from fourth to eighth grade and then switched to public school for high school. But her Jewish education didn’t stop when she started ninth grade at Towson High School.  Esther continued her learning through the Glazer High School Program (formerly known as Netivon) at Chizuk Amuno.

Esther’s favorite part of growing up in Baltimore? Feeling like she was part of a family outside of her immediate one. “I feel like it’s a cliche, but I mean the community; it really is unbeatable,” Esther says. “I feel like any need, there was someone who knew somebody… It was carpooling to bar and bat mitzvahs.”

“I have a big Jewish family, but it goes beyond just your immediate family,” she continues. “It gives you a sense of being part of something.”

After high school, Esther didn’t stray too far from Baltimore. She landed at American University in Washington, D.C. where she earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology, in December 2021.

Post Grad Life in Israel

Following her college graduation, Esther spent a year in Israel through Masa Israel as a Teaching Fellow. During this time abroad, she taught English to Israelis. Unlike her previous trips to Israel, this experience was her longest and most transformative visit to the country.

The best part of the year was getting to know Israel in a way that she wouldn’t have been able to otherwise. While living in Haifa, Esther was fully immersed in Israeli culture, her Hebrew improved and she even learned how to navigate their public transportation system.

She credits this program with sparking her love for travel, particularly, Jewish-themed travel experiences.

Esther previously traveled to Cuba in 2016 with her family, but the experience was much different. With more travel restrictions in place during that time, her trip was shorter and offered fewer opportunities to explore the country. In fact, she didn’t know a Jewish community existed in Cuba until her most recent visit last March.

“It’s great,” Esther says, “Wherever you are in life, there’s something for you to do with The Associated.”

In her Free Time

Whether she’s heading to the gym or going for a walk around Fort McHenry, you’ll catch Esther spending her weekends out of the house. She loves being able to walk around a neighborhood and stop into a shop along the way. You might also catch her spending time with friends at Ceremony Coffee Roasters.

In the rare moments that she’s home on the weekends, you might catch her reading, often more than one book at a time, alternating between serious and lighthearted topics. She’s currently reading I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman. And for something a little more fun, she’s reading a crowd favorite, Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros.

She also enjoys listening to podcasts, whether it is The Daily for news or Decoder Ring, which dissects cultural mysteries.

Her Favorite Jewish Food?

Kugel. Her mom and grandmother hold a family recipe for a savory noodle kugel that’s extra crispy on top.