I feel incredibly honored to have served as a writer, editor-in-chief and contributing editor emeritus for Ohr Chadash over the past three years. I have written a wide variety of stories for the Jewish Light, from a personal narrative about my experience as a Jewish teenager in a church to a feature on Missouri State Rep. Stacey Newman to an in-depth look at how the 2016 presidential election affected St. Louis teens. I hope that my stories have made you think, question and feel. 

In the fall, I will be attending the University of Pennsylvania where I plan to study political communications. I hope to pursue journalism as a career after college, and I feel that my time on staff for the Jewish Light has equipped me with the skills necessary to be successful in this ever-changing field. I cannot wait to keep sharing stories with the world.

I would like to thank Mike Sherwin and Ellen Futterman for giving me the opportunity to write for a professional newspaper as a high schooler. I would also like to give a huge thank you to Caroline Goldenberg for being an incredible adviser and for always pushing me to be the best journalist and person I can be. Thank you to the other writers and editors of Ohr Chadash for making my experience so memorable. And finally, thank you to the Light’s readership for supporting journalism and allowing me to write for you. I have enjoyed every minute of it.

— Anya Tullman, Ladue Horton Watkins High School

Journalism: The idea seemed so distant yet so familiar. I joined the Ohr Chadash team two years ago because my best friend and the previous editor-in-chief, Greg Svirnovskiy, convinced me that I would enjoy it.

I was completely unaware of how right he was. Greg, being the eloquent writer that he is, always helped me put my whims into words, whether it be composing a toast for my mother’s birthday or working on homework. I always wondered where Greg honed these skills. 

After spending two years on the Jewish Light staff, the second as co-editor-in-chief, I know what made him great. It’s pushed me, too.

When I walked into the newsroom during my first day as a member of the staff at Ohr Chadash, I’d never heard the terms “layout” or “lede,” I didn’t know how to format quotes and I’d never held a formal interview. Today, and over the course of the past year at the helm of this staff, I’ve been privileged to teach other students those same lessons that Greg pushed me through at the beginning of my journey. And I’ve grown more interested in my faith, learning lessons and engaging with leaders of the St. Louis Jewish community. 

This year I was the co-head of the Jewish Student Union at MICDS and next year I plan on being an active member at the Hillel of Indiana University at Bloomington where I’ll study business and write for the paper, always interested in the news, always asking questions.              

— Ethan Beyzer, MICDS