Posted in , on November 7, 2012

How NCSY Helped Google: Alumni Spotlight on Tova Nadler

“Hey can you Google that?” The term “Google” has become synonymous with searching for something on the internet because of the search engine’s popularity.  The number one search engine has also come out with e-mail, social networking and even cell phones. With all the great accomplishments the company has made they know where to attribute their achievements. Google’s website attributes their success to their excellent staff, “It’s really the people that make Google the kind of company it is. We hire people who are smart and determined.” One of these employees is former West Coast NCSY regional board president, Tova Nadler (nee Weiner).

Tova grew up in Los Angeles, CA and started her career in NCSY early on in high school and remained involved because she loved the combination of having fun with friends with a deep spiritual and religious experience. After a year in Michlalah she attended Harvard College where she received degrees in Applied Math and Computer Science. Following graduation she began working for Google. What’s the best part of working for google you may ask. She says the best part is “I get to build things that everyone uses!”

Finding a balance between a rigorous secular education and remaining true to religious beliefs can be difficult, but very possible. Her advice to teens and recent graduates is “your individuality makes you special. Don’t give up on things that are meaningful just to fit in.” She also gives credit to her parents for helping her become who she is today, “they both really exemplify striving both religiously and secularly.”

Tova currently lives in Chicago with her husband Hillel whom she met while they were both undergraduates at Harvard. He’s currently a first year law student at University of Chicago.