Published on June 02, 2015
Eastern student Jillian Olderman is one of the few young people in the United States to intern with Israel Lacrosse this summer. From June 1 to July 29, Olderman will develop the sport of lacrosse in Israel through the recruitment and outreach of children in the Israeli school system. The program also aims to bring Israelis and Palestinians together through sport.
Olderman, a junior from Cheshire, learned of this opportunity through Eastern’s women’s lacrosse team. Having traveled to Israel last year, she was drawn to the internship. “I feel Israel is a very underrated and unsupported country, but it’s a beautiful place and I feel so connected after being there last summer,” she said, speaking to her Jewish heritage.
Both a premier lacrosse league and a nonprofit organization, Israel Lacrosse aims to foster relations among people of different Middle Eastern cultures through the commonality of sport. “Doing this is such a personal accomplishment,” said Olderman, who is the manager of Eastern’s women’s lacrosse team. “Working with kids in a faraway country that is not considered to be best place in the world, teaching them about lacrosse; I’ll be giving back!”
Written by Michael Rouleau
