Yulia Borik joined the Slifka team just three weeks ago, and even a brief conversation with her reveals our shared commitment to fostering vibrant Jewish life, and of course, an enthusiastic engagement with Israel.
Her journey has been shaped by a rich cultural background and a deep commitment to her heritage. Born in Uzbekistan, Yulia and her family made Aliyah when they moved to Bat Yam in 2002. This unique blend of cultures informed a profound sense of solidarity with Israel—a connection that became especially poignant during one of her most memorable moments as a flight attendant for El Al. During the October 7th attacks, Yulia was in New York, and operated one of the first flights back to Israel on October 8th. Despite sleepless hours, she felt the unparalleled unity and empathy that Israelis show each other in difficult times. “You never feel alone in those hard times,” she reflects. “We’re together in good times, but in hard times, we are even more united.”
Yulia’s Jewish journey has been a gradual and meaningful evolution. Coming from a secular family that celebrated holidays but did not observe Shabbat, she began exploring Judaism more deeply a few years ago. At Slifka, she appreciates our pluralistic approach, which allows her the freedom to explore Jewish practices across Reform, Conservative, and Orthodox traditions. “For me, Judaism here is about adding layers to the things I love and the traditions I want to carry forward, especially with my future family,” she says, underscoring the importance of individual expression within the Slifka community, where everyone has a voice.
Academically, Yulia holds a degree in Economics and Management from Ariel University she earned this past August. She completed internships in Business Development at BuiltUp Ventures and Resource Development and Operations at Greenpeace, with a focus on sustainability—all while balancing her role at El Al.
Since arriving in New Haven, Yulia has been captivated by Yale’s scenic campus and welcoming community, with its colorful fall foliage and inspiring landmarks like the Beinecke Library. She has hit the ground running, visiting various campus organizations and traveling twice to New York City to meet our Jewish Yale community, including Slifka’s Urim v’Tumim Fellows Society event and the Israel on Campus Coalition (ICC)’s exclusive talk with former Prime Minister of Israel Naftali Bennett and the leading universities in the U.S. Yulia is eager to educate students about Israel—an education that is especially critical today—and to participate in her own firsts: her first-ever challah bake and leading her first candle-making workshops.
Yulia’s primary goal is to create programs that not only connect students to Israel but also empower them to explore their own Jewish identities. Through these experiences, she hopes to inspire students in their cultural connection and deeper understanding of Jewish values.
We look forward to Yulia’s work on campus. We’ll report back with more of her experience next semester! Follow her Slifka journey on Instagram @yulia_at_yale.