Jewish studies celebrates student excellence
July 06, 2026 Written by Center for Global & Area Studies | Photos courtesy of Lynsie Lightman, Maeve Graham and the College of Education & Human Development
91原创 students and alumni preserve Jewish heritage through scholarship and community engagement
The 91原创 Jewish Studies Program celebrates a year of student achievement, highlighted by exceptional alumni and important contributions to historical preservation.
Two Jewish studies alumni, Lynsie Lightman and Ethan Berkman, received the Dr. Vivian Z. Klaff Memorial Award for Excellence in Jewish Studies upon their graduation in May 2025.
Berkman earned bachelor鈥檚 degrees in history and international relations and a minor in Jewish studies. He is currently attending The George Washington University Law School.
Lightman graduated cum laude in May 2025 with a B.A. in sociology and minors in Jewish studies and human development and family sciences. She is currently attending Widener University Delaware Law School.
Lightman gained invaluable skills from her Jewish studies minor, including critical thinking, cultural sensitivity and a profound understanding of historical contexts. Jewish studies offerings span philosophy, history, film and pop culture, but taking 鈥淛ewish Holocaust,鈥 an elective taught by Polly Zavadivker, was a life-changing decision.
鈥淐oming from a family of Holocaust survivors, it is essential to me that I keep my family鈥檚 legacy going, and with that comes learning all about their childhood,鈥 said Lightman.
鈥淭he Jewish Holocaust course not only allowed me to learn what my family and others went through, but it also allowed me to watch my great-grandmother鈥檚 testimony and truly understand how the Holocaust impacted her life. From there, I knew I wanted to keep learning about the good and the bad that came with Judaism.鈥
Yetta Chaiken Oral History Internship
Maeve Graham, a senior art conservation major, reflected on her time working for the Jewish Historical Society of Delaware during the summer of 2025 as the Yetta Chaiken Oral History intern. Graham interviewed Jewish community members Beverly Paltz, Joan Wachstein and Amy Wilburn.
She also transcribed several oral history recordings dating back to the mid-1970s. Most of the interviews were from first-generation Jewish-Americans who arrived from Eastern Europe during the early 20th century. As physical records continue to degrade over time, preserving the stories was a worthwhile endeavor, said Graham.
鈥淢y own family came over from Poland in the 1890s, and I wasn鈥檛 around to ask them about their stories,鈥 said Graham. 鈥淢y work listening to and transcribing the oral histories gave me a small glimpse into what the world was like for Eastern Europeans coming to the United States in the early 1900s.鈥
Tara Silberg receives CEHD's Alumni Trailblazer Award
Jewish studies alumna Tara Silberg, EHD20, was during the 2025 spring semester. She received CEHD鈥檚 Alumni Trailblazer Award in recognition of her work since graduating in 2020.
In the years since graduating, Silberg has worked for CEHD鈥檚 Center for Research in Education and Social Policy, the Jewish Federation of Delaware and ShadowLight, a Holocaust education nonprofit. She currently serves as the assistant regional director for New York and New Jersey at the Anti-Defamation League.
This article appears in the聽CGAS Bulletin newsletter.