From left: Ryan Spencer, Naomi Rosenbluth, Commander Selina Kanowitz, National JWV Vice-Commander Gary Ginsburg, Bob Jacobs, and Isaac Halpern (Source: The Jewish Voice and Opinion).
Isaac Halpern, a graduating senior from Cheltenham High School and Elkins Park resident, has earned second place in the Jewish War Veterans’ New Jersey Department’s prestigious Leo A. Seigel–Dr. Philip Shapiro Educational Grant competition.
The $1,500 award recognizes his scholastic achievements and deep connection to Jewish military service.
Halpern, one of three Jewish high school seniors honored by the organization last month, was selected for his outstanding academic record and a compelling essay reflecting on his family’s legacy—particularly that of his grandfather, a U.S. veteran and long-time JWV member. The annual banquet, held at the Clarion Hotel and Convention Center in Toms River, celebrated these young scholars, all grandchildren of Jewish veterans.
Now entered into consideration for national-level recognition at the upcoming Jewish War Veterans convention in Washington, D.C., Halpern joins fellow recipients from Freehold, NJ, and Springfield, NJ. However, his Philadelphia-area community is especially proud of his accomplishment and the promise he brings to the next generation of Jewish leaders in medicine and civic life.
Halpern is a future Brandeis University pre-med student.
Founded in 1896, the Jewish War Veterans organization has long emphasized education, remembrance, and advocacy—values that align closely with Halpern’s ambitions. The group’s mission includes supporting U.S. veterans, combating antisemitism, and uplifting democratic ideals through service and outreach.
Commander Selina Kanowitz of the JWV New Jersey Department praised this year’s grant recipients as “shining examples of what it means to honor one’s heritage by building a better future.”
For Halpern, who will begin his studies in the life sciences this fall, the award is more than financial—it’s a tribute to family history, Jewish identity, and the power of education to serve others.
Naomi Rosenbluth, a graduate of the Rae Kushner Yeshiva High School in Livingston and a resident of Springfield, was the grand prize winner of a $2,000 grant. She, too, will be attending Brandeis in the fall. The NJ Department’s third-place award, in the amount of $1,000, was presented to Ryan Spencer of Freehold, who will be attending Rowan College in the fall.
