My Journey Toward A Fuller Life 

For boys growing up in the Chabad Hasidic community of Crown Heights, Jewish education was paramount. As such, my formative education was focused on studying the Bible, the laws that the scholars in the Talmud derived from biblical sources, and Jewish philosophy and ethics. My curiosity early on extended beyond religious texts. I always imagined myself eventually acquiring a formal secular education, and pursuing a career as a mental health professional.

As a teenager, I noticed a lot of my friends struggling with untreated mental health issues. Coupled with my own experiences with anxiety and depression, this sparked my interest in psychology and the study of human resilience. By my mid-teens, I decided that after completing my Jewish education, I would pursue a degree in psychology.

My undergraduate studies at CUNY Brooklyn College solidified my deep interest in providing exceptional mental health services. I actively sought and was fortunate to secure clinical and research internships and experiences that enriched my understanding of psychiatric illnesses and how they are currently being studied and treated. Together with one of my favorite professors, I also developed and completed an undergraduate thesis project evaluating aspects of music perception.

After graduating from Brooklyn college with university and departmental honors, I worked for two years as a research specialist with the CARRS lab at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center - Western Psychiatric Hospital. In this role, I helped investigate relationships between circadian rhythms and the development of substance use.

I have since shifted my focus to earning an MSW in social work and supporting the Toronto community through education and various religious services. My goal is to earn a master’s degree in social work and leverage my experience and knowledge to transform the lives of individuals experiencing mental illness.