Prottaska Scholarship Fund
About the Scholarship
The Prottaska Fund was created in 2007 and originally focused on providing advanced educational training for single women with children living in Israel. We educated several young women with 1-3 children who were divorced and looking to better themselves. Most were trained as administrators for charitable groups or bookkeepers for small businesses.
Two years ago, we decided to use the fund for NCJW scholarships, giving preference to candidates whose narratives are articulate and moving and who demonstrate financial need vs focusing on solely GPA.
2021 Scholarship Recipient – Adrien Kaplan
Adrien Kaplan (they/them) grew up hearing stories about their great grandparents and found the importance of continuing Jewish tradition in their life, including through providing spaces for fellow LGBTQ+ Jewish individuals in their community, leading to their major in Gender, Feminist, and Sexuality Studies at Cornell College this fall. When you can’t find them in advocacy work, Adrien is probably reading Spider-Man comics, completing the Yiddish Duolingo course, listening to audio fiction podcast, or writing their own.
2020 Scholarship Recipient – Emma Parelman
My name is Emma Parelman, and I was truly honored when I found out that I received this scholarship specifically because judaism has been a huge part of my life. I live in Evergreen, Colorado a small town in the mountains just 40 minutes outside of Denver. I just graduated from Evergreen High School, part of the class of 2020. In my small Evergreen Community, I have spent the last four years of high school doing many activities. I have worked at a local coffee shop in town for the past three years. I will be attending the University of Denver in the fall where I hope to figure out what my interests are. I am very excited to meet new people and learn much more. In high school, I was very involved in theatre and on the improv team, but on my own time, writing and playing music has always been one of my true
passions. I am so honored to have received this scholarship and recognition and cannot wait to use it towards my next adventure at DU!