Shay grew up in a small town in the Jezreel Valley area called Migdal HaEmek, where she was involved in the “HaNoar HaOved VeHaLomed” youth movement and, when she was 14, went to Tamarack Summer Camp in Michigan!
She studied Biology at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. In her free time, Shay enjoys cooking, hiking, and nature. Shay is excited to get to know you, so get a coffee with her!
Raised in Columbus, Ohio, Max watched many games at the Shoe for his time as an undergrad at The Ohio State University, where he majored in History. He spent most summers growing up at a Jewish overnight sleepaway camp, especially in his home state at Camp Wise. There, he transitioned from working as a staff member at another summer camp (6 Points in Massachusetts) to a general counselor at Wise for two years. After this, he worked multiple summers as both a village supervisor (Unit Head), before eventually finishing in 2024 as supervisor of the entire outdoors and nature (Teva) program. He was very involved in his Jewish fraternity (Tau Epsilon Phi) on campus, and worked on both recruitment and social boards to further expand TEP’s reach at Ohio State. Max visited Israel most recently in 2022 and 2024 on Birthright and Birthright Volunteer programs. He enjoys collecting vintage clothing, hiking, house music, and driving around the Midwest on road trips. Get coffee with him! https://calendly.com/maxshaf or send him an email: shafran@umich.edu
Uri and Abby Lorkis along with their daughter Naama are arriving for their first year as JLIC Directors at the University of Michigan after a year as the Assistant Directors of JLIC at Bar Ilan University in Givat Shmuel where they have lived for the past few years.
Uri grew up 45 minutes from the University in Oak Park, Michigan, is a graduate of Farber Hebrew Day School/Yeshivat Akiva, and is excited to be returning home. Upon graduating high school, Uri studied at Yeshivot Orayta and Hakotel before drafting into the IDF where he served as a paratrooper. After the army, Uri spent two years in Yeshiva, and a third year learning in the Mizrachi Musmachim Semicha Program while studying Social Sciences at Bar Ilan University. Uri likes to play hockey, jam out on guitar and piano, and loves to pick up new skills and hobbies. Contact Uri: ulorkis@umich.edu
Uri and Abby Lorkis along with their daughter Naama are arriving for their first year as JLIC Directors at the University of Michigan after a year as the Assistant Directors of JLIC at Bar Ilan University in Givat Shmuel where they have lived for the past few years.
Abby grew up in Brooklyn, New York. After graduating from Central High School, Abby spent a year learning in Midreshet Harova. Inspired to move to Israel, Abby made Aliyah, and completed her Bachelors degree in Social Work at Bar Ilan University.Abby loves watercoloring, exploring new cuisines, and being out in nature. Contact Abby: alorkis@umich.edu
Denae is a Metro Detroit native and proud Jew of Color. She completed her undergrad at Eastern Michigan University in Secondary Education Social Studies with a concentration in History, and served as a student racial justice programmer for EMU and an intern for Hillel Campus Alliance of Michigan. She later earned her MA in Social Science with a concentration in History and Criminology. Prior to joining Michigan Hillel, Denae taught in Washtenaw County for seven years and served as an equity worker in school-wide policy and curriculum development. In her current role as the Manager of Community Service and Learning, she is thrilled to support students in their authentic engagement with Jewish tradition, values, and identity.
When not at Hillel, you can find Denae crocheting, searching for the best bagel spot in Royal Oak with her partner, Blake, or enjoying a yoga class. Contact Denae or set up a time to meet.
Danielle grew up in northern New Jersey, where she was involved in BBYO and HaZamir. She studied Psychology with minors in Jewish Studies and Hispanic Studies at McGill University in Montreal, Canada (talk to her about Canada!). She just finished her master’s degree in Forensic Psychology at George Washington University! Danielle has also worked as a barista for the past four years, so she is very excited to try all of the cafes in Ann Arbor! In her free time, Danielle enjoys cooking, baking, hiking, and reading. Her top artists on Spotify are Cavetown, Hippo Campus, the Oh Hellos, and Noah Kahan. Get coffee with her! Contact Danielle.
