South Jersey native at the epicenter of diplomacy
SYNAGOGUE: Temple Beth Sholom
HOBBIES: Ice hockey and traveling
FAVORITE AUTHOR: Thomas Friedman
Jason Turetsky arrived at the Consulate General of Israel’s office in New York in September just as unfolding events at the United Nations would make those first weeks unforgettable. “Quaddafi and Ahmadinejad were here while we prepared for Netanyahu’s visit,” said Turetsky. “Hearing Obama speak was a great experience.”
Turetsky, a Medford native and Lenape High School graduate, was afforded the opportunity to be at the center of international diplomacy through his selection as a Legacy Heritage Fellow, a prestigious and highly selective one-year program that places fellows in North American, Israeli, and European government agencies and cuttingedge policy organizations that develop future leaders who can impact public policy and politics in the Middle East.
“The timing was very lucky,” said Turetsky, who worked with Mirit Cohen, the spokesperson of the Permanent Mission of Israel to the United Nations.
“My father is originally from Israel, and I grew up around Hebrew and Israeli culture on his side of the family,” he explained. “My family instilled a love and respect for Jewish culture in me, and from an early age, I knew I wanted to learn Hebrew. From my home, Temple Beth Sholom Hebrew School, and Midrashah, I developed not just a personal interest in Jewish culture and tradition but also an intellectual interest in it.”
Studying at Princeton University’s Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs, Turetsky concentrated on Near Eastern Studies, Judaic studies, and Hebrew language and culture, then earned his MA in Middle Eastern Studies from the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) at the University of London.
“It is very interesting to be here and I am learning a lot,” said Turetsky. “Depending on the opportunities that present themselves, I hope to continue in this direction of working in a capacity that allows me to help improve Israel’s image or Israel’s relations with other countries.”
After recalling the palpable excitement of his first weeks of the Legacy Heritage Fellowship, he is just as excited for the weeks to come. As the world’s media spotlight on the political superstars faded, Turetsky turned his focus to outreach and cultural projects that result in important relationships with different groups. He can appreciate the value of strong relationships with other denominations, especially after living two years in England where Muslims are a large percentage of the country. .
