This past Friday night, we had a wonderful interfaith celebration and Shabbat service as we gathered together to pay tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Dr. King spent his life in the pursuit of justice and equality for all, regardless of one’s religion, race, or background. He lived out the idea that everyone is made betzelem elohim, in God’s image (Genesis 1:27), and spent his life fulfilling the biblical commandment of tzedek tzedek tirdof, the continued pursuit of justice (Deuteronomy 16:20).
As we celebrate his legacy of today, I would like to share some information about a Jewish organization that is also dedicated to the pursuit of justice and equality for all: AVODAH: The Jewish Service Corps. Jane-Rachel and I know AVODAH well: she was a participant in the program the year we got engaged, her sister participated in the program several years later, and after eleven years Jane-Rachel has been thrilled to reconnect with the organization as a grant writer.
AVODAH is a year-long program for Jewish adults ages 21-26 who are interested in anti-poverty social justice work, Jewish learning, and community building. With sites in New York, Washington D.C., New Orleans and Chicago, this program offers participants the opportunity to spend a year working on urban poverty issues as full-time employees in local non-profit organizations. During their year of service, participants live and study together, forming an intense and diverse community of people making a connection between social activism and Jewish life.
To give you more of a sense of what AVODAH is about, some alumni wrote:
“AVODAH may mean service, but it should also mean opportunity. It gives me a chance to learn more about how to help people, how to live Jewishly, and who I am.”
“Through AVODAH I learned about the ways in which Judaism emphasizes justice, making the work that I’m doing and my Jewish values intimately and inextricably linked.”
AVODAH is always looking for applicants interested in participating in this life-changing year of service. If you know of anyone who might be interested in this amazing program, check out their website at: http://www.avodah.net/.