Gabrielle Engerman '20 | Global Traveler

Gabrielle Engerman, an accounting major and Jewish Studies and Spanish double-minor, previously traveled to Israel on Birthright and had such a positive experience that she wanted to return as soon as possible. Engerman was accepted into Onward Israel, a program where college students intern for eight weeks in the industry of their choice, explore the country on the weekend, and participate in educational programming and seminars. This experience resulted in Engerman being awarded the Lumer Fellowship. Engerman's Onward Israel experience helped deepen her global perspective and connection to Holocaust studies.

While Engerman entertained various undergraduate paths, including acting, she knew she wanted to be in Los Angeles and was inspired to learn more about Jewish Studies after taking Dr. Holli Levitsky's course "Literature of Exile and Terror." Having also taken the theological studies course "Introduction to the Hebrew Bible," Engerman found that adding the minor would round out both her studies and the exploration of her Jewish identity.

"It was cool to learn about my own Jewish history since I didn't study it when I was younger, and I really liked exploring the cultural side of things. I loved the small class sizes and engaged learning because they gave me more opportunities and individual attention."

While the schedule for the Jewish Studies program trip to Israel did not match up with Engerman's schedule, she knew she wanted to visit for a longer period of time after her 10-day Birthright experience. So, when the opportunity for an 8-week program became available, she knew she had to go for it. 

"My mom's entire family is in Israel, so I had been there when I was younger, but I fell in love with everything there when I was on Birthright and I was determined to go back for a longer period of time." 

Engerman interned for a real estate investment firm during her summer there and explored everything Israel had to offer—nature, farms, desert, beaches, old city, new city, and everything sacred and secular. While very similar to Los Angeles (minus the stress of needing a car), she felt she could make the most of her time working there.

While Engerman cites her accounting major as a driving factor in her career goals, her double-minor in Jewish Studies and Spanish were her passions. She reflected on the courses she had taken with Jewish Studies and how they deepened her appreciation for her heritage. Projects that challenged her to speak to primary sources about their experiences helped her connect to the experiences of her grandfather, a survivor who fled from Poland to Israel and fought in the Israeli War of Independence, and her grandmother who, though Israeli, was born in Egypt and also fled to Israel.

Throughout her undergraduate career, Engerman continued traveling. She studied abroad in Spain and took her own personal trip to Poland. But her love for Israel remained, so much so that she decided to move there permanently after graduation. While COVID-19 restrictions delayed her dreams, she finally relocated to Tel Aviv and has settled there. She has obtained Israeli citizenship and is studying to become fluent in Hebrew while working as a risk advisory analyst at Deloitte. 

Engerman's advice for Jewish Studies minors: "I chose classes that I loved and enjoyed them so much that it didn't feel like a chore to take them. Don't settle for classes you don't love." She shares that if you care about the subject matter, you'll be inspired to keep learning; get involved, go to events, and be passionate about what you do. Engerman says that if the pandemic has taught her anything, it's to not put off the things you want to do. You never know if you're going to be denied the opportunity later."