Shirly Afrimi joins UConn Hillel as the new Jewish Agency for Israel Fellow. Shirly was born and raised in Givon Hahadasha (New Givon), a village north of Jerusalem. After serving in the IDF as a recruit training platoon commander, she earned a bachelor’s degree in political science, international relations, and communications from the Open University. Shirly then coordinated advertising and marketing at Yad Vashem in Jerusalem and interned as an assistant to the Ministry of Energy’s spokesperson. She was also a regular volunteer at Friday night dinners for Jerusalem’s unhoused population.

Shirly’s connection to the Jewish Agency goes back many years. Her grandfather, a Holocaust survivor, made Aliyah with Aliyat HaNo’ar, a child rescue organization of the Jewish Agency during WWII, and he often told stories about how the Agency helped children build connections to their religion and identity after the Holocaust. Shirly grew up in this atmosphere of passionate Zionism, and her deep and abiding love of Israel has always been a core value. She is excited to provide the UConn Hillel community with a broader view of Israel and Zionism and looks forward to building connections with students through Israel outreach, education, and travel to the Holy Land.