Emily Kolodney: Alumna Interview

Emily Kolodney’s AJA journey is rooted in community, joyful Jewish learning, and the kind of confidence that comes from being truly seen and supported. A proud alumna, Emily reflects on her years at Austin Jewish Academy as a formative time that shaped her identity, her leadership, and her voice.

After graduating from LASA (Liberal Arts and Science Academy), Emily was elected by a council of her peers as the 75th Anita M. Perlman International N’siah (President) to  lead BBYO for one year. She took a gap year between graduating from high school and entering college to travel full-time and live out of her suitcase while leading a movement of  more than 80,000 teens across 60 countries! 

From there, Emily went to Muhlenberg College, where she graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Jewish and Religious Studies. 

Hear more from Emily below! 

What are you currently doing?

I am currently a second-year Genesis Fellow at BBYO Northern Region East: DC Council. I work directly with BBYO teens and chapters to strengthen our Jewish community in the greater DC area. This includes but is not limited to personally training and mentoring our teen leaders, recruiting new members to our chapters, building meaningful programming, growing relationships with volunteers, parents, partners, and stakeholders in our community, and facilitating the planning process, alongside teen leaders and colleagues, for our community and regional events, including overnight weekend conventions.

What accomplishment are you most proud of from the last 2-3 years?

I am most proud of my continual work with BBYO. I think that what we do is essential to establishing a strong and positive Jewish future. I value seeing the direct impact that we make on Jewish teenagers.

What are the 1-2 most important things you learned from your experience at AJA?

One important thing I learned from my experience at AJA was how to work effectively with others on a team. The group experiences I had, in classes working on group projects and on sports teams working to win, taught me about collaboration and moving toward accomplishing a shared goal.

What was your favorite assignment or learning experience at AJA, and why?

The most impactful learning experience I had at AJA was the speech elective. This class taught me how to speak publicly and how to write persuasive and impactful speeches. I use those public speaking skills in my job at least once a week.

What advice do you have for current AJA students about life after AJA?

I’d recommend that current AJA students enjoy their time at AJA while they can! Going to public school after AJA is a significant change. I’d hope that AJA students take the high academic standard that is set at AJA forward into their life afterward and use it to keep themselves motivated and disciplined for the rest of their academic career.