Maya Kaye takes over Fig and Vine Magazine in Leadership Overhaul

As you may know, Fig and Vine has recently undergone a major transfer in power, effective immediately. Newly named dictator-in-chief, Maya Kaye, is looking ahead to big changes in how things run at Fig and Vine magazine. Kaye’s position as editor was previously held by Lily Karofsky, of the article Who is Behind Fig and Vine. 

It is well known that Kaye is quite the outdoor adventurer. First on the list of executive orders Kaye plans to enact is more field trips. Look out for a Fig and vine field trip to Herzog winery in the Chabad van, which will be the pregame for wildcat, which is a pregame for the real party at dictator editor Kaye and Morgan Guttman’s house (known for its signature Maya-tinis and Borg-an). The Herzog field trip will serve as a perfect research opportunity for Kaye’s bigger plans - Fig and Vine’s own line of fig wine! She’s already been sterilizing her bathtub in preparation. 

Also in the works is a secret menu for Fig and Vine’s most dedicated fans, accessible only through an email prompting you to verify your bank account information. Kaye has generously shared a sneak peek of the first secret menu recipe – Grandma’s homemade wood chip kugel (with real wood chips). 

While she misses co-authoring adventure chronicles with former staff writer Allen Schultz, Kaye still has plenty of adventures to write about, and perhaps we will even see a guest writer or two in the coming year. This leads us to the question I’m sure we were all wondering – whether or not the former president of Hillel (the ginger one) had anything to do with this Fig and Vine overhaul of leadership. 

“No comment”

Oh wait… hold on. This interview has just been interrupted by a call from said ginger. 

“Oh my gawd. Really? Oh my GAWD! Oh my g-d, woah.” “Holy fuck thats really… fucked”

They must be talking about how Lily Karofsky got totally screwed by that one staff writer who has been plotting this takeover of Fig and Vine for like, ever. I hear she bribed the Comms Academic advisors so that Lily would just graduate already. 

Well as far as leadership, it seems Kaye will be taking a slightly different approach for the future of Fig and Vine magazine. When asked about her leadership in an interview, former editor Lily Karofsky states “I just want people to love what they are doing.” In response, Kaye states “BFFR, no one should love this, it’s writing.” 

When it comes to writing, Maya Kaye feels most at home expressing herself through poetry. 

“Its actually really, really hard for me to write. I feel like I can only write something that I care deeply about.” 

One thing Maya cares deeply about is the Jewish community here in Santa Barbara. One month into Maya’s freshman year was Simchat Torah, and the one year anniversary of October 7th. Coming to Santa Barbara was a daunting change after a gap year in Israel interrupted so early on by the attacks of October 7th. But on this night of reclaimed joy, strangers became her community and support system.  

“I basked in the fact that everyone came from different places, but knew all the same songs that we sang from Picasso to DP.”

Singing and dancing throughout Isla Vista encapsulates the pride that the Jewish Gauchos have for their community. We sing for each other's successes and losses, we dance in celebration and in commemoration. Maya, Lily, and the Fig and Vine staff are honored to be here singing, dancing, and telling stories through it all with the Jewish Gauchos. Keep following along for all that Maya has to share with the community and beyond!