A Message from the National Mazkira

Hi fellow Judaeans! My name is Hallie Liberman, and I am honored and excited to serve as the National Mazkira of Young Judaea for the 2026-2027 term!

Young Judaea has been part of my life for as long as I can remember. Growing up, I heard the stories my dad and my brother Max brought home from CYJ Texas to TY to Year Course, and I always knew that legacy was waiting for me too. My dad served on Regional and National Mazkirut, and he and my brother both went through CYJ Texas, TY, and Year Course, which has inspired me to attend Year Course after the conclusion of this year. This past summer, I worked as a CIT at CYJ Texas and attended YJ Gesher in Israel.

I know what it feels like to be without a community, and I know how incredible it feels when someone pulls you in and makes you feel welcome. That need for community is why I restarted YJ West: to bring in people who did not know YJ and turn them into Judaeans whose love for Israel and Young Judaea inspires others.

For the past two years, I served as West Mazkira, building Young Judaea West from a nonexistent region into a flourishing one and restoring the West to the thriving force it once was. I recruited a full Mazkirut, established consistent programming, and helped turn our region into a real community, going from zero year-round events to a full calendar of Shabbat dinners, pool parties, and real conversations around antisemitism and Israel. I turned teens who had never heard of Young Judaea into regional Maz members and year-round convention participants, and that is the ruach I will bring across all of YJ as National Mazkira.

This year, I will run our weekly national teen board meetings, coordinate all five regions, and help plan our conventions and programming for thousands of teens across the country. I will be there to help when needed, continue to advocate for the movement, and oversee cross-regional connections throughout the country, both within our organization and with our movement’s partners.

My leadership experience extends beyond Young Judaea. I am also a Kenneth Leventhal Intern with StandWithUs, where I help develop and deliver antisemitism education to Jewish teens nationwide. I serve as director of my school’s a cappella group, where I lead rehearsals, help prepare the group for performances, and mentor fellow members. These roles have shaped how I think about leadership, which in turn has strengthened my foundation for this movement that I love.

This year, I will prioritize building cross-region connections so that no one feels like they are doing YJ alone just because of geography. When regions feel connected, YJ grows. We have our National Convention coming up, expanded programming across all five regions and va’ads, and programming surrounding this year’s National Initiative: women’s rights.

My goal is for every teen to want to be involved, to show up because it feels real, inclusive, and fun. I care about Young Judaea and the core values of Zionism, Jewish identity, pluralism, tikkun olam, and peer leadership that hold this movement together. I carry this responsibility knowing it will make a difference within our community and beyond.

Hallie Liberman
National Mazkira, Young Judaea