As part of its mission to support students pursuing careers in ideas, politics, journalism and public affairs, the Zahava and Moshael J. Straus Center for Torah and Western Thought’s Impact Office awarded competitive grants to several YU students. Rikki Zagelbaum (SCW ‘26), a media studies major, is one such recipient. This past summer, she worked at two think tanks—the Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs (JCFA) in Israel and the Jewish Institute for National Security of America (JINSA) in Washington, D.C.—developing research, media and policy skills while contributing to the public understanding of critical issues affecting Israel and the region. 

This past summer took Rikki Zagelbaum across continents and into the heart of critical policy research. At the Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs (JCFA), she worked as a research intern, managing the full research process—setting objectives, analyzing government documents and databases, and drafting and publishing reports. 

“I produced two reports that brought previously unreported information to light,” she recalls. One analyzed U.S. funding to the Palestinian Authority Security Forces (PASF) through a discreet State Department account, the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL). This became especially urgent after a terror attack outside a Gush Etzion shopping center involved members of the PASF. Her second report traced the United States’ 77-year history of funding the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), including year-by-year contributions and how the funds were used. 

In Washington, D.C., Rikki pivoted to communications work with the Jewish Institute for National Security of America (JINSA). There, she summarized lengthy research into digestible social media and press content, drafted media pitches and coordinated briefings with journalists. “My role began where the research ended,” she explains. She highlighted key developments such as the Suwayda crisis in Syria and U.S. air defense performance during Israel’s 12-day war with Iran in June. 

Both internships strengthened her practical skills and deepened her understanding of policy and media. “At the JCFA, I learned to navigate government documents and translate complex data into reports with infographics and recommendations. At JINSA, I honed my ability to communicate concisely for a broad audience and to manage press correspondence under tight deadlines.” 

“My greatest accomplishments this summer were the two reports I published at the JCFA, both with my byline!” she shares. (See her JCFA Researcher Page.) “It was exhilarating to uncover information that had previously gone unreported and to be the first to bring it to public attention.” 

One moment in particular stood out: just as she was completing her piece on U.S. funding to the PASF, 22-year-old Shalev Zvuluny was tragically murdered in a terror attack outside a Gush Etzion shopping center. “When it emerged that the terrorists were both members of the PA police, we rushed the report to publication. It became crucial to demonstrate how, directly or indirectly, U.S. funding to the PASF had contributed to this tragedy.” 

“Working in think tanks showed me how principled, diligent research can influence government decision-making in Jerusalem and Washington,” she reflects. “While research can be painstaking, the results are tangible—helping ensure policies and strategies affecting Israel and the Jewish people are informed by facts and careful analysis.” 

Rikki credits Lt.-Col. (res.) Maurice Hirsch of the JCFA and Blake Johnson of JINSA for their guidance and mentorship, and encourages other students to pursue similar opportunities to experience the real-world impact of research and public affairs.

To learn more about the Straus Scholars program, click here. 

Subscribe to the Straus Center newsletter to stay up to date on the latest Straus Center events, publications and news. Click here to sign up.

To learn more about the Straus Center, click here. And be sure to like the Straus Center on Facebook, follow us on Twitter and Instagram, and connect with us on LinkedIn.