Esti (Brilliant) Klugman '17

Esti is the co-president of Nshei in her community, Houston, Texas. Seeing a lack of a consistent women's programming during and after Covid, she voluntarily stepped up with another woman in the community to take over the Nshei program. Although relatively new to the community (just over 2 years), Esti saw a lack in the community and immediately went into action to fill the void. She continues to work diligently, thinking of ideas, creating and hosting events, and using the Nshei as a springboard to help the community in a behind-the-scenes way. Recently, Esti heard of someone in need of kosher food at a Texas hospital far away from any Jewish community and immediately mobilized an army of local women to prepare weeks’ worth of homemade kosher food to send over. This is the power of the Nshei as they spread the light to their community and any Jew passing through Texas.

“The ruchniyas and Hebrew classes at WITS/Maalot, especially Eshes Chayil with Mrs Rosenbaum, really provided me with such a solid foundation, cementing my seminary experience even deeper. In addition to being able to get my degree, the energy around the school gave me so much. I made a lot of friends, it felt like home. What WITS/Maalot does for the community, providing a seminary-level education in addition to keeping girls, if they chose, out of secular colleges, makes a profound impact on the students and, in turn, in our communities across the country.”