SAN DIEGO (Press Release) — This year, Tifereth Israel Synagogue’s Youth Department and Men’s Club named two Youth of the Year, Benjamin Broudy and Benjamin Mathews. The entire congregation and community can be so proud of these two exceptional young men.
Benjamin Broudy is a Senior at Patrick Henry High School and much of his volunteering is done at Tifereth Israel as a Torah Reader. Additionally, he is also assisting the Chabad School of the Arts on Mondays this year. He has won the Congressional [Computer] App Challenge two years in a row (in 2020 and 2021) for the 53rd Congressional District. He is slated to be valedictorian of his class with an impressive 4.92 GPA. This past summer he was a teacher’s aide for 5th and 6th grade Chemistry at the Gateways Summer Program. He also has extensive knowledge and experience when it comes to Robotics. His robotics work includes the ability to program the robot as well as operate machinery such as CNC router, bandsaw, circular saw, drill press, belt sander, Dremel tool, 3-D printer, etc. The really notable thing is that he wired the robot with another team member, even though they are both color blind – surely a feat! Ben has also received many other awards including being a Mission Trails Photo Contest Finalist (2022), and a Yale Book Club Award Recipient (2022). He participated in Boys State (2022). Benjamin is also a student at Community Jewish High and will graduate this year. In his free time, Ben is an avid gardener and has grown vegetables from seeds extracted from those eaten at home. He’s shared numerous seedlings that he started from extracted seeds with teachers and family members because he is always thinking of others.
Benjamin Mathews is in his fourth year with Patrick Henry Marching Band where he plays the tuba and this past summer he was accepted and toured with the competitive Gold Drum and Bugle Corps. He has also played in the Patrick Henry Concert Band and in Varsity Volleyball. He is President of the Jew Club and part of the select few who serve as Peer Mediators at PHHS, all while maintaining a GPA over 4.0. Outside of school, Ben volunteers for Dignity Delivery, a non-profit that serves San Diego’s unsheltered neighbors by providing hygiene products. Ben has been a Boy Scout for 12 years and has served his scout troop as Assistant Patrol Leader, Senior Patrol Leader and Crew Leader on the high adventure trek at Philmont. He is the only scout in his troop to have completed all four National Jewish Committee Religious Emblems and his projects have included, but are not limited to, presenting to our Preschool, Torah School, and making the meditation bench that sits outside the back of the sanctuary. Recently he finished his Eagle Project at the Home of Peace Cemetery, which makes him an Eagle Scout Candidate. In addition, Benjamin also attends Community Jewish High and will graduate this year. Somehow, in addition to all this, Ben still finds time to volunteer in the Torah School, and take on various positions on the USY board. Most recently he became the Regional Membership/Kadima Vice President for the USY Far West region. Ben is an all-around exceptional individual.
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Preceding provided by Tifereth Israel Synagogue