AGE: 17
FAMILY:
Parents Margaret & Mikhail;
sister Jacqueline (15)
HOBBIES:
Hanging out with friends,
movies, reading & Taekwondo
FAVORITE MOVIE:
"Pay It Forward"
FAVORITE ACTRESS:
Jennifer Aniston
FAVORITE FOODS:
"My mom's mango
quesadillas & Cheetos

Julia Susuni didn't like being Jewish. She didn't like the holidays. She felt left out. "I didn't understand the whole Jewish thing or why people hate Jews. I didn't understand anything about it," said the petit senior at Cherry Hill High School East, recalling a time when being Jewish had little to do with her life.

Now, things are completely different. Julia's life is filled with Jewish activity. She is president of MKSY, the senior youth group at Cong. M'kor Shalom, a member of M'kor's board of trustees, and a student at M'kor's Hebrew High School. She also sat on the committee that helped select the synagogue's new assistant rabbi. Julia is a teacher's assistant in M'kor Shalom's Madrikhim program serving students who need additional instruction in religious school. Julia will also be co-chairing the teen effort at Federation's Super Sunday phon-a-thon on January 31.

"I'm in love with it," said Julia of her Jewish life. She said that things really started to turn around for her Jewishly when she began Hebrew school at age 12, only one year prior to her bat mitzvah.

Hebrew school helped Julia figure out her Jewish life. "I feel I can be who I really am. I have a lot more in common with those kids," said Julia, who feels part of the life at M'kor Shalom. She said that her Jewish identify makes her proud.

Julia doesn't limit her activities to synagogue. She is active at East, where she is involved in the executive part of student government. She is East's alternate representative to the Cherry Hill Board of Education. She is involved in East In Action, the school's community service club. She also finds time for fun with her friends and playing Powderpuff Football at East.

Asked why she does so much volunteer work, Julia said that it makes her feel good to help out. As an example, she related a story from her work with the FOP Club at East. The FOP Club, which Julia serves as the current president, works with the Cherry Hill Fraternal Order of Police to hold an annual holiday party for over 1,000 mentally and physically disabled children.

One year, Julia dressed up as Winnie-the-Pooh at the party. "One little kid tapped me on the back and held up his hand for a high five. He had a big smile on his face. That's why I do this." .