Alumni
Our Alumni
Alice Serfati Feldman '13, Engineer, Brand Strategist & Entrepreneur
Alice cherishes her lifelong Scheck Hillel family and the experiences and teachers that helped shape her career.
What warms your heart when you think of your time at Scheck Hillel?
The first word that comes to mind when I think of Scheck Hillel is family. One of the truly unique aspects about Hillel is the lifelong community that it offers its students. Although I haven’t physically been on campus for a while, I know that Hillel will always feel like home.
Share a funny/interesting/unique story from your time at Scheck Hillel.
During our senior year ski trip to the Catskills, we all got food poisoning, including the teachers. I think none of us will ever forget the unexpected change of plans that happened during that Shabbat. It was hilarious and probably the most unifying activity that we went through as a grade during our time at Hillel.
Was there a teacher who had a positive impact and made you feel special like you could do it all?
Yes! Many teachers did, but if I had to name one in particular it would be Mrs. Arlene Fishbein, my Grade 7 English teacher. Her famous “Portfolio Project” required us to put together a binder of our work during her class with peer review edits. I think my binder was around 500 pages. I still have it in my parent’s house and every time I look at it, I think to myself, “Wow! How did I do that at 13 years old?” Mrs. Fishbein has a special place in my heart for always believing in me and pushing me to over-achieve.
How did your Scheck Hillel years influence your adult life and your choices?
Both in college and post-college, I found myself looking to join a Jewish community. I gained an appreciation for Judaism and Jewish values that will stick with me forever.
What educational path did you follow?
I graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 2017 with a major in Systems Engineering and minors in Math and Entrepreneurship.
What is your current profession and where do you work? How did you come to work in this field?
After graduating college, I moved to New York City and worked in a consulting firm for 2 years. Although I loved my job, I always wanted to do something more entrepreneurial. So I moved to Miami to help launch an Italian pet food brand here in the United States. The pet food company is called Forza10, and it specializes in dogs and cats with specific conditions, like allergies, upset stomach, renal issues, etc. So, if you are looking for functional pet food, check out Forza10 on Chewy, Amazon, or our website www.forza10usa.com!
What is most rewarding about the work you do? What are you passionate about?
From a work perspective, I am passionate about efficiency and thinking creatively. When I joined Forza10, I was the second employee, and it has been really rewarding helping the company grow to around 12 employees in under 2 years, B"H. I love finding ways to make the company work more efficiently and thinking of new strategies to help the brand grow.
Looking back, what advice would you give your 18-year-old self?
Don’t underestimate the importance of where you go to school, what internships you take, and what your first job out of college is! It’s harder to make career changes the older you get. I know it’s tough to know exactly what career one wants to pursue but the most important thing is to talk to people older than you and ask for advice. Look for mentors and ask questions!
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What warms your heart when you think of your time at Scheck Hillel?
The first word that comes to mind when I think of Scheck Hillel is family. One of the truly unique aspects about Hillel is the lifelong community that it offers its students. Although I haven’t physically been on campus for a while, I know that Hillel will always feel like home.
Share a funny/interesting/unique story from your time at Scheck Hillel.
During our senior year ski trip to the Catskills, we all got food poisoning, including the teachers. I think none of us will ever forget the unexpected change of plans that happened during that Shabbat. It was hilarious and probably the most unifying activity that we went through as a grade during our time at Hillel.
Was there a teacher who had a positive impact and made you feel special like you could do it all?
Yes! Many teachers did, but if I had to name one in particular it would be Mrs. Arlene Fishbein, my Grade 7 English teacher. Her famous “Portfolio Project” required us to put together a binder of our work during her class with peer review edits. I think my binder was around 500 pages. I still have it in my parent’s house and every time I look at it, I think to myself, “Wow! How did I do that at 13 years old?” Mrs. Fishbein has a special place in my heart for always believing in me and pushing me to over-achieve.
How did your Scheck Hillel years influence your adult life and your choices?
Both in college and post-college, I found myself looking to join a Jewish community. I gained an appreciation for Judaism and Jewish values that will stick with me forever.
What educational path did you follow?
I graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 2017 with a major in Systems Engineering and minors in Math and Entrepreneurship.
What is your current profession and where do you work? How did you come to work in this field?
After graduating college, I moved to New York City and worked in a consulting firm for 2 years. Although I loved my job, I always wanted to do something more entrepreneurial. So I moved to Miami to help launch an Italian pet food brand here in the United States. The pet food company is called Forza10, and it specializes in dogs and cats with specific conditions, like allergies, upset stomach, renal issues, etc. So, if you are looking for functional pet food, check out Forza10 on Chewy, Amazon, or our website www.forza10usa.com!
What is most rewarding about the work you do? What are you passionate about?
From a work perspective, I am passionate about efficiency and thinking creatively. When I joined Forza10, I was the second employee, and it has been really rewarding helping the company grow to around 12 employees in under 2 years, B"H. I love finding ways to make the company work more efficiently and thinking of new strategies to help the brand grow.
Looking back, what advice would you give your 18-year-old self?
Don’t underestimate the importance of where you go to school, what internships you take, and what your first job out of college is! It’s harder to make career changes the older you get. I know it’s tough to know exactly what career one wants to pursue but the most important thing is to talk to people older than you and ask for advice. Look for mentors and ask questions!
