Ellanora Lerner: Zines have always been radical because of how accessible they are to their audience. I think they are also radically accessible to their creators. Creating this zine, and more generally creating art in a similar style, has been radically freeing for me. It has helped me begin to feel more confident in creating work that is not perfect nor groundbreaking but is a reflection of what I need to say. On my pages I focused on the question, “What does it mean to say goodbye?” This was asked in conjunction with the end of this Fellowship, but it is a central part of my life as someone who graduated high school in the midst of the Coronavirus pandemic. Making my zine pages taught me that saying goodbye is often a deeply communal process and creating art, sharing feelings, and forming memories of that transition are all meaningful parts.

What does saying goodbye to RVF mean to you?

Sasha Azizi Rosenfeld: Saying goodbye to RVF was very bittersweet for me. I never considered myself to be a writer and RVF really changed my perception of writing. I have learned so much from the program and have met amazing people. I am so grateful to this program. The end of RVF is sweet because although I'm sad about it ending, I'm so proud of myself and my peers for completing something so meaningful. I have met so many amazing people that I am planning to keep in touch with so it doesn't even fully feel like a final goodbye.

Ilana Drake: Saying goodbye to RVF means saying goodbye to one of the best experiences I have had in my life. While the other Fellows and I did not get to stand together in a circle in person on Shabbat for our final retreat, I have made great friendships and connections that can withstand the distance. The whole year has felt like a blur, and only now, I realize that this is truly goodbye. I wish that I had been able to say goodbye in person, but the virtual retreat helped solidify the community.

Maddy Pollack: I'm naturally reserved and stopped regularly going to Sunday school by the time I entered high school, so I've never really had a steady group of Jewish friends before RVF. I am immensely inspired by the girls and women I met, and saying goodbye to them definitely comes with a sense of regret; feeling like I didn't make the most of my time, didn't try to get as close to everyone as I could have, and feel like I might never find a group of girls like this again. These negative feelings are fortunately balanced out by feelings gratitude and pride to have been a Fellow. This balance of emotions is one that I often feel when things end, and are very similar to what I felt graduating from high school this year. It often feels like I didn't do "enough" even though I have no definition for what is "enough."

Ellanora Lerner: RVF has been an incredible experience, beyond what I could even imagine. While I immensely enjoyed my time in this Fellowship, its completion doesn’t feel like an ending, but a beginning. I am leaving with connections to a group of smart, kind, and interesting women and the opportunity to meet many more through the alumnae network. I am leaving with a portfolio of work I am incredibly proud of and with much improved writing and editing skills. Most importantly, I am leaving with the knowledge of people, communities, and organizations doing work that is meaningful to me, to my identities, and to my community, and I have that world to look forward to.

What does being a Jewish feminist mean to you after participating in the Rising Voices Fellowship program?

Ellie Klibaner-Schiff: My Judaism and my feminism have always coexisted within me, but it was not until RVF that they merged together to strengthen my identity. I now recognize how integral my Judaism is to my feminism, and how, vice versa, my feminism is integral to my Judaism.

Lila Goldstein: Being a Jewish feminist means, to me, seeking out other empowering communities in the future, and looking for support like this Fellowship has offered. Being a Jewish feminist is different from just being a Jew or just being a feminist, and I can have more confidence in my beliefs knowing the meaning of that identity. 

Lilah Peck: It means strength, kindness, and wisdom. I have seen all these things from the JWA staff (Betsy, Sarah, and Mikki) and my fellow Fellows. What an incredible experience. Thank you.