Meet Ariella Freedman and Rivka Abbe of YU High School for Girls

One is the newly elected international president of an organization with thousands of members; the other speaks her mind to elected officials on Capitol Hill and is about to launch her own weekly radio program. Perhaps most extraordinary is that both young woman, Ariella Freedman and Rivka Abbe, are still in high school at Yeshiva University High School for Girls, also known as “Central,” in Holliswood, Queens.

Freedman, of Lawrence, NY, was recently elected to a one-year term as international president of the Orthodox Union’s National Conference of Synagogue Youth (NCSY). Her new responsibilities are in addition to her previous post as vice president of the organization’s New York region. Freedman, 17, is a senior and a member of ARISTA, the national honor society, as well as an active member of Central’s performing arts program, but in addition to schoolwork, most weekends find her on the road, travelling to NCSY Shabbatons and other events.

“Most people mistake Ariella for a collegiate because she is so poised and full of passion that she gives off the impression of being much older,” said Rabbi Steven Burg, managing director of the OU and international director of NCSY. “Yet, she’s very down to earth and can speak to teens of any background and relate to them. Those are the qualities that we look for in a leader.”

“We are so proud of Ariella’s achievements,” said CB Neugroschl, Central’s head of school. “But even more than specific roles that she has played, Ariella is a consummate mentsh. Her kindness and warmth are always apparent. She truly has a sense of the promise of leadership and we are excited for her to continue serving Klal Yisrael.”

Abbe, a junior, will launch her own radio show, “Teen Spirit with Rivka Abbe” (Tuesdays from 7-8 p.m. EST) on the Nachum Segal Network beginning October 17. She hopes to use the weekly program as a platform to address issues that concern teens and to influence her listeners to become active in their communities and in the Jewish world.