Rebecca Rapaport, a UCLA neuroscience alumna and first-year medical student at Nova Southeastern University, comes from a unique background as a Korean-Polish Jew. Before returning to the U.S. for medical school, she lived in Israel, where she spent her time conducting research at Tel Aviv University and volunteering with Save a Child’s Heart. Living there during the onset of the war was a deeply personal experience for her, ultimately leading her to make Aliyah before she moved back to the US to start her studies.
On campus, she serves as the M1 representative for the Jewish Association of Health and Medical Students (JAHMS) and is a certified CPR instructor. While she keeps a close eye on her studies, she has found a lot of joy in hosting weekly Shabbat dinners at her apartment. What started as a small group of five has grown to twenty students, offering both Jewish and non-Jewish peers a much-needed space to de-stress and share a meal. For Rebecca, being able to provide that sense of community during the busy medical school schedule has been one of the most rewarding parts of her first year.
Outside of the classroom, she stays active through jiu-jitsu, Hyrox training, and salsa dancing. As she looks toward the upcoming term, she plans to begin shadowing in Radiology and Anesthesia and hopes to eventually return to Israel for further research. She is very grateful for the JVS Scholarship, which has allowed her to focus on her studies while continuing to share Jewish traditions with her friends and peers.