11/17/2015
Benji’s Onward Israeli Experience
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Hi, I’m Benji. I am an alumni of Orange High School in Pepper Pike. Before graduating from Emory University with a degree in Computer Science, I spent the summer as an Onward Israel Cleveland participant, interning at Tel Aviv’s finest algorithm-trading company, GreenHouse Technologies. Onward Israel is just one program funded through I-Connect, an initiative of the Jewish Federation of Cleveland which invites young adults ages 18-30 to pick their perfect Israel travel experience. Here’s what I experienced:
Although the company was small in staff, it was mighty in talent, devotion and manpower, rivaling only other large, high-tech labor forces. Each day, I walked down Rothschild en route work; I loved city living and fell in love with the city a little more, excited for the challenges and thought-provoking projects assigned to me.
As a programmer at GreenHouse, I was responsible for designing and developing the dashboard used to track the data and performance of clients’ hedge funds. I felt valued for what I could contribute, and I also recognized that my skills had grown in just one summer.
Through my internship, I have gained new skills that I would take with me when I returned home. It was a summer I’ll never forget; it was my first opportunity to live independently as a young professional, my relationship with Israel has never been stronger, and my friendships were unparalleled.
Next year, I’ll be attending Georgia Tech, where I will be studying Engineering. I will take everything I’ve learned and the relationships I’ve made while in Israel with me.
