Medical student Elana Goldenberg attributes many of her personal and academic achievements to what she learned as a student of Hyman Brand Hebrew Academy (HBHA).
Elana Goldenberg graduated from HBHA in 2016. She was a student at the academy from kindergarten through 12th grade before going to Washington University in St. Louis for her undergraduate degree. Goldenberg double majored in biology and women and gender studies, which prepared her for medical school. She is in her first year at the University of Kansas School of Medicine and is interested in pediatrics.
Growing up, Goldenberg attended Jewish preschool, synagogue, summer camp, and Jewish day school at HBHA. More than the prayers and history, Goldenberg says she feels most connected to the values of Judaism she learned at HBHA. She said she recognizes that her HBHA peers have a strong desire to make the world a better place, and she is excited when someone shows interest in living Jewishly.
“I am always thrilled to give back to the Jewish community, even just by spreading love and sharing knowledge,” Goldenberg said. “I don’t do all the same practices, but I feel very Jewish in how I act, present myself to the world, and treat others.”
Goldenberg attributes much of who she is today to HBHA. She says her self-confidence comes from being in a small school that allowed her to take on more leadership roles at a young age. Although it was a transition going from a small day school to a large college, the confidence she gained at HBHA was an asset to her academic career.
“I went from a class of 11 to 1,800, but I still felt comfortable going up to professors and asking questions,” Goldenberg said.
According to Goldenberg, HBHA helping her grow her self-confidence was an invaluable way to prepare her for college and beyond.
“Every child, whether in kindergarten or 12th grade, deserves to feel cared about and valued,” she said.
Goldenberg recalls her time on the cross-country team as an example of the culture she loved at HBHA. Though she joined the team to get faster for basketball, she fell in love with running and later became captain of the team.
“I wasn’t very fast, but what I liked is that it didn’t matter,” she said. “We were never in competition with each other. We were just happy to be part of the team.”
This team-player attitude is one Goldenberg carries with her. Since falling in love with running at HBHA, she has run five half-marathons. She also became a coach for Girls on the Run, an organization that inspires girls of all abilities to recognize their individual strengths while building a sense of connection in a team setting. According to Goldenberg, the goal is movement, not speed. The goal is to be your best self and feel confident — similar to the environment on the cross-country team at HBHA. Goldenberg loves being a coach for her girls and is preparing them for their upcoming 5k.
Goldenberg is excited to continue her journey through medical school and looks forward to treating children one day.
“I decided to go into medicine because my passion is helping children be healthy,” she said.
She believes the K-12 aspect of HBHA fostered her love of children. Having such close relationships with lower school students as a senior in high school helped her decide on pediatrics.
Wherever Goldenberg ends up, she hopes to be involved in the Jewish community in some way.
“I have a good sense of who I am, even though I’m still growing in the identity department,” she said. “HBHA showed me how to be proud of my Judaism, and I will carry that with me all my life.”
