Bernard Lustig Scholarship Recipients Announced

For almost 70 years, the B’nai B’rith Bernard J. Lustig Memorial Scholarship has supported outstanding tertiary students who demonstrate the potential to excel as scholars and leaders within the community.

B’nai B’rith is delighted to announce the 2025 recipients: Sasha Fink and David Loven.

A current teacher and member of the Co-Curricular Jewish Education team at Mount Scopus, Sasha Fink has made significant contributions to Jewish education and school life. She rewrote the Year 10 Holocaust Studies Elective curriculum and is actively involved with the non-profit organisation Flying Fox. Sasha has commenced a Master of Education at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, specialising in Jewish Education, alongside classes at the Pardes Institute to deepen her informal and textual Jewish learning. She intends to return to Mount Scopus as an even more informed, passionate, and committed educator, further enriching the school community.

Rebecca Forgasz, Chair of Trustees of the Scholarship said that “The Board of Trustees was very impressed with Sasha’s application. It is apparent to us that she is a real asset to the Jewish education sector in Melbourne, and we are delighted to be able to support her professional development with the award of a full scholarship.”

Justice, belonging, and education have guided David Loven throughout his community service journey. From high school, he volunteered with BBYO and UJEB, fostering connection and safety for Jewish students who often felt isolated in public schools. As President of the Jewish Student Society at Monash University, David has created spaces of resilience, joy, and cross-cultural engagement that have positively impacted countless students. His work on a Victorian Department of Education Committee investigating antisemitism in schools further deepened his commitment to education as a means of combatting racism and promoting empathy.

David has been awarded a travel grant to attend the Prato Program in Italy, where he will study European Economy and Global Business. His long-term vision is to establish a global network of engineers and STEM professionals dedicated to consulting on sustainable infrastructure and technology projects in developing nations, particularly across the Indo-Pacific.

 “David has a clear track record of leadership in the Jewish community and he is determined to extend that into his professional life,” says Forgasz. “We hope that his experience in Prato will help him on this journey.”

On behalf of the Trustees, Forgasz congratulated both recipients, adding: “We look forward to following Sasha and David’s future achievements and wish them a hearty mazal tov!”

David Loven                              Sasha Fink