Upcoming Alumni Events
National
AVODAH Alumni Retreat
The 2009 AVODAH alumni retreat will be held Friday,
January 9th - Sunday, January 11th 2009. The retreat
registration form and detailed information will be emailed out on December
10th. We hope you will join us this
year.
Retreat Planning
Committee Members: Julia Leis (CH 07-08), Ilana Zafran (CH 06-07), Debbie Appel
(NY 06-07), Arash Nafisi (NY 05-06), Laura Menyuk (DC 05-06), Merav Lichtenstein
(DC 03-04), Becky Wolf (DC 03-04), Ari Shapiro (NY 02-03), Miriam Eisenberger
(NY 02-03), Sarah Damelin (NY 00-01), and Yosh Schulman (NY 98-99).
Bay Area
Social Change Book Group
Join the Bay Area Social Change Book Group! We meet every six weeks to discuss a different interesting book about social
justice, environmental justice, poverty, education, special needs, or human
rights.
When: Our next meeting will be in December.
RSVP: To Heidi for more information.
The Social Change Book Group is co-sponsored by the
American Jewish World Service (AJWS) and AVODAH: The Jewish Service Corps
Partnership and Brandeis Hillel Day
School.
Chicago
Book Club Anyone?
AVODAH alum and board member Nadia Underhill (NY 99-00) is looking to start a book club and/or discussion group in Chicago. Non-fiction, fiction, subject-based books, article discussion, or more are all reading options for the group. The group would likely meet monthly/every six weeks for discussion and, of course, food. Nadia has offered to host a potluck dinner to plan the formation of the group; possibly on November 14th or 21st. If you are interested in participating please contact Nadia.
DC
Inside the Activists Studio
Join us to learn from and be energized by local Jewish
change-makers and to celebrate the multitude of ways we are all working
to create a more equitable world. The afternoon will include
networking, skill-based workshops led by extraordinary activists, and
interviews with a panel of people who are making a difference in our
community and nationwide.
This event is brought to you by the AJWS-AVODAH Partnership, in close
collaboration with HIAS: The Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society, Jews United
for Justice, Sixth & I.
When: November 23, 2008. Registration at 3:30, event from 4-8pm.
Where: Sixth and I Synagogue
RSVP: By clicking here. Information posted on www.whoinspiresyou.org.
Questions? Interested in volunteering? Contact Jessie.
Indecision 5769: Election Night Party
Don't sit in
front of the tv alone when you can cheer, cry, rant and rave with your
fellow compatriots as the votes come in! We've got comfy chairs, free
food and drinks and big screen tvs - everything you need to survive this
historic election.
This event is produced by J on Demand and EntryPointDC Gesher City, and cosponsored by The AVODAH-AJWS Partnership, JIRS,
American University Hillel, AJC's ACCESS DC, Jewish Study Center, Young
Professionals Kesher, B'nai B'rith, HIAS Young Leaders DC, National
Jewish Democratic Council.
When: Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Where: The Washington DC JCC at 16th ST & Q St
RSVP: By clicking here.
Questions? Please contact Jessie.
New York
AVODAH / AJWS / Hazon Book Club
Please
join us for our next book club discussion, which will focus on a few
chapters from Naomi Klein's The Shock Doctrine. (We will focus our
discussion on the introduction, parts 1, 5, 6, 7 and the conclusion.) Our very own Audrey Sasson, who assisted Naomi in part of the production of the book, will be facilitating the discussion. The book club is open to staff, alumni, and friends of our organizations.
When: Wednesday, November 12, 2008, 6:00p.m. to 8:00p.m.
Where: AJWS Office, 45 West 36th St., 10th Floor
RSVP: To Suzanne Lipkin. You may also submit suggestions for the next book selection.
Inside the Activists Studio - Save the Date!
Join us to learn from and be energized by local Jewish
change-makers and to celebrate the multitude of ways we are all working
to create a more equitable world. The afternoon will include
networking, skill-based workshops led by extraordinary activists, and
interviews with a panel of people who are making a difference in our
community.
This event is brought to you by the AJWS-AVODAH Partnership, in close
collaboration with the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society Young Leaders, Jews
for Racial and Economic Justice, and New Israel Fund's New Generations.
When: Sunday, December 7th
Where: New York Society for Ethical Culture
More information will be posted shortly on www.whoinspiresyou.org.
Questions? Interested in volunteering? Contact Audrey.
Jew Roots! - New Date Announced
The AVODAH-AJWS NY City Team is pleased
to announce a new date for their highly anticipated Jew Roots! event. Mark your calendars and look out for more information, coming soon,
from your local City Team: Sarra Alpert (NY 02-03), Zach Strassburger
(NY 06-07), Melinda Koster (DC 06-07 and AJWS), Emily Gold (AJWS), David Zisser
(AJWS), and Hilarie Ashton (AJWS).
When: Monday, December 15th
Where: 14th Street Y
For more information or to get involved, contact newyorkcityteam@gmail.com.
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What's Been Happening in the Alumni
Community
National
Debate
Watch Parties a Success! We are
thrilled to report that approximately 1,300 people across the U.S.
came out to our debate watch parties on Tuesday, October 7 for the town
hall style presidential debate. Among the many highlights, it was clear that
civic passion hung thick in the air at each party space. The rooms buzzed with
election talk, voter registration, specialty drinks (like the Roshatini) and the
views of engaging speakers, then got quiet as the candidates faced the nation
and the questions of undecided voters. Please see here for just a few photos and
insider scoops from most of the cities.
Bay Area
Two Bay Area AVODAH alums,
Emily Kates (NY 04-05) and Drew Himmelstein (DC 03-04) joined with ten
of their AJWS and other peers on Friday, October 24th for
a Shabbat veggie potluck dinner hosted by Bay Area City Team Member
Maya Trabin. Attendees joined together for conscious eating and a
discussion that was inspired by the movie "The Story of Stuff."
The new AVODAH-AJWS Partnership Social Change Book Group started this month. The first book the group discussed was Stuffed and Starved: The Hidden Battle for the World Food System by Raj Patel. The books breaks down the way the world food system operates and its problems, and what role we can play in the system.
New York
On
Tuesday, October 21st, AVODAH alumni, corps members, and their friends
celebrated Simchat Torah in what's become an annual Upper West Side
shul-hopping extravaganza! Starting their night at Ansche Chesed, over
30 people eventually converged at the home of Aeli Gladstein (NY 04-05)
for drinks, snacks, and good conversation. Many then paraded over to
Congregation B'nai Jeshurun to join hundreds of revelers for more
festivities, and then capped the night off at Congregation Kehilath
Jacob. A big thank you to Aeli for hosting and to Lane Rosner (DC
04-05) for helping to co-ordinate the evening.
Vancouver
On Friday Sept 26, Yael Tischler (NY
07-08), Lisa Levitt (NY 00-01) and Rachel Gold (NY 02-03) gathered with
friends to celebrate Shabbat, welcome Yael to Vancouver,
and bid Lisa a farewell as she heads to Ottawa to begin a new chapter.
This was the first of many AVODAH alum and friends activities in Vancouver, BC.
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Alumni Highlights
Mazel Tov to Mark
Goodman (NY 99-00) who was married on November 2nd to Noa Slemrod in San
Francisco. Mark was ordained a rabbi in 2006 at the American Jewish
University's Ziegler School and works as rabbi and teacher at the
Jewish Community High School of the Bay in San Francisco. Noa graduated
with an MA from the Jewish Theological Seminary in 1999 and is an
instructor and co-owner of the Peak Performance pilates studio.
Do you have great
news that you want to share with the AVODAH alumni community? Do you want to
see your name in e-print? Please tell us about all the great stuff you are up
to so we can feature you in our alumni highlights.
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AVODAH News
Mazel Tov Heidi!
Bay Area Program Officer Heidi Winig and her sweetheart Dave are getting married this weekend. AVODAH wishes them both a life filled with love, happiness, and creation of social change.
Getting the Most Out of Your Segal AmeriCorps Education Award
AmeriCorps
has put together a tutorial to help people get the most out of their
Education Award. The tutorial covers basics of the award, paying for
school, repaying student loans, and more. Please click here to access the tutorial.
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Awards and Fellowships
American Jewish Joint
Distribution Committee (NYC and International)
The American Jewish Joint
Distribution Committee is currently recruiting for the 2009-2010 Ralph I. Goldman Fellowship in
International Jewish Communal Service. This prestigious Fellowship offers future
leaders of the Jewish community, whether lay or professional, a significant
experience in international Jewish communal service. One Fellowship is awarded
annually, and provides an insider's perspective on JDC's global programs. The
year of work-study is comprised of a range of unique assignments that respond to
the changing needs of Jewish communities around the world. The first 2-3 months
are spent in an orientation period in New York, followed by two overseas assignments
lasting 4-5 months each.
Qualifications: graduate degree or
equivalent, leadership capabilities, community service experience, and an
interest in Jewish communal affairs.
Please see JDC's
website for details or
email volunteer@jdc.org.
Carl Wilkens Fellowship
Genocide Intervention Network is now accepting applications for the 2009 Carl Wilkens Fellowship,
the first and only anti-genocide leadership development program
designed for busy adults. The Carl Wilkens Fellowship, named after the
only American to remain in Rwanda during the 1994 genocide, provides
adults with leadership training, conflict and legislative education,
organizing tools, and the resources to build sustained political will
to end genocide. For complete details, please click here. Applications are due no later than November 30th, 2008.
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Social Justice Opportunities
JDC JEWISH SERVICE CORPS (Multiple Locations)
Use
your skills and commitment to Jewish life to help an overseas Jewish community! The JDC Jewish Service Corps sends self-starting, creative professionals and college graduates to live and work in overseas Jewish communities for one year. Work includes Jewish education, community
outreach and development, and welfare/relief projects. Some placements will be with JDC's non-sectarian programs. JDC provides housing, a monthly stipend, health insurance, and covers all
work related expenses. Anticipated placements starting
Fall 2009 include Belarus, Central Asia, Ethiopia, India, Moldova, Turkey, Ukraine, Rwanda, and Vienna. For more information and an application, click here or email volunteer@jdc.org.
Union for Reform Judaism Young Adult Mitzvah Corps (New Orleans)
Get ready for some hard work in the Big Easy! Join fellow Reform Jewish
adults, aged 25-35, for an unforgettable volunteer week in New Orleans,
LA. Participants will experience a week of volunteering, study, worship
and fun! Join us as we rebuild New Orleans' 9th Ward.
When: December 20-25, 2008
Where: New Orleans, LA
Registration: $250 (Includes hotel, meals, ground transportation and programming costs. Travel to New Orleans not included.)
More Info: Here
Zeek (Multiple Locations)
Zeek
will hold a national set of "unconferences" on Sunday, November 9 in
New York, Boston, DC, Chicago, San Francisco and Los Angeles. These
self-organized, participant-driven conferences will address the theme
of Zeek's concurrent print issue, What's Next for the Jewish Social
Justice Movement? Zeek is still working out locations. Please stay
tuned by going to www.zeek.netand checking the "events" section. If you want to get involved, send an email to joellen@zeek.net with the subject line: "unconference".
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Jobs
AVODAH-AJWS (Boston)
Are you committed to making the world a better place? Are you excited
to meet with and bring together Jews in their 20's and 30's who care
about social justice? Are you interested in helping young Jews put
their values into action through intentional decisions about their
careers, their volunteer experiences, their philanthropy, their
political power, and their consumer choices?
As the AVODAH-AJWS partnership program officer in Boston you will help
strengthen this community in a number of ways, including: developing
opportunities to celebrate and showcase local Jewish Boston
change-makers and the incredible work that they do, building bridges
between existing networks of people with shared interests and values;
and providing AJWS and AVODAH alumni and their like-minded friends with
opportunities to build leadership skills and put them to use for the
greater good.
Alumni are strongly encouraged to apply! For immediate consideration, please forward your resume and cover letter to opportunities@ajws.org and indicate your name and "AVODAH-AJWS Program Officer, Boston Region" in the subject line.
AVODAH-AJWS (Bay Area)
Are
you committed to making the world a better place? Are you excited to
meet with and bring together Jews in their 20's and 30's who care about
social justice? Are you interested in helping young Jews put their
values into action through intentional decisions about their careers,
their volunteer experiences, their philanthropy, their political power,
and their consumer choices?
As the AJWS-AVODAH Bay Area Program
Officer you will help strengthen this community in a number of ways,
including: nurturing networks of people with shared interests and
values; developing opportunities to celebrate and showcase local Jewish
Bay Area change-makers and the incredible work that they do, and
providing AJWS and AVODAH alumni and the broader community with
opportunities to build leadership skills and put them to use for the
greater good.
For the complete job description, please click here.
AVODAH (NYC)
AVODAH
is seeking a National Administrative Coordinator who will have
responsibility for overseeing administration for AVODAH's national
office. AVODAH is a growing and dynamic organization, currently seeking
to double the number of participants in its core program. The
National Administrative Coordinator will play an integral role in supporting
AVODAH's development and marketing in particular and will
help define administrative systems and processes to enable that growth.
For the complete job description, please click here.
AVODAH (NYC)
AVODAH
is seeking a Communications and Development intern who will work to
create and maintain marketing materials at AVODAH that help advance
development efforts. AVODAH is looking for someone who can work 12-15
hours a week. The schedule can be reasonably flexible, provided the
candidate can work through December 2008, with the possibility of a new
internship term at the start of the next semester. Positions are based
in mid-town Manhattan. Internships are unpaid. This is an excellent
opportunity for someone interested in communications and in advancing
social justice by working for a Jewish organization. For the complete
description, please click here.
Business and Human Rights Resource Centre (NYC/Senegal)
The
Business & Human Rights Resource Centre has become the world's
leading independent resource on the subject. Their website is updated
hourly with news and reports about companies' human rights impacts
worldwide positive and negative. Topics include discrimination,
environment, poverty & development, labour, access to medicines,
health & safety, security, trade. Two positions are available:
Development Director in NYC and a half-time Francophone Researcher
& Representative, based in Dakar, Senegal. For the complete job
descriptions, please click here.
Center for Leadership Initiatives (Vancouver)
The
Center for Leadership Initiatives is seeking a Program Director to work
in its Vancouver, BC office. This is an incredible opportunity for
someone who is excited by innovation and wants to be part of a dynamic
team that is offering cutting edge programs to non-profit leaders in
the Jewish community and around the world. The newly created Program
Director position is a senior position reporting to the Executive
Director. It will involve management of a diverse program portfolio,
development of curricula for new programs and facilitation of a wide
range of projects. For the complete job description, please visit http://leadingup.org/.
Citizens for Global Solutions (DC)
Citizens
for Global Solutions envisions a future in which nations work together
to abolish war, protect rights and freedoms, and solve the problems
facing humanity that no nation can solve alone. CGS works toward this
vision by educating Americans about their global interdependence,
communicating global concerns to public officials, and developing
proposals to create, reform, and strengthen international institutions
such as the United Nations. Three positions are available: Director of
Development, Director of Outreach, and Director of Program and Policy.
For complete job descriptions, please click here.
Corporate Accountability International (Boston and DC)
Corporate Accountability International (formerly Infact) is a
membership organization that protects people by waging and winning
campaigns challenging irresponsible and dangerous corporate actions
around the world. Since our first campaign pressuring Nestlé to stop irresponsible and
dangerous marketing of infant formula to children in developing
countries, Corporate Accountability International has taken on abusive
global corporations one industry at a time. Now, we're building on our
success and expanding our work. We are looking for talented and dedicated staff help us challenge several industries at once,
specifically over abuses in the water, food and agribusiness, tobacco
and oil industries. For a full list of available positions please click here.
EARTHWORKS (DC)
EARTHWORKS
is a non-profit organization dedicated to protecting communities and
the environment from the destructive impacts of mineral development, in
the U.S. and worldwide. Earthworks fulfills its mission by supporting
communities and grassroots groups, publicizing the environmental,
social, cultural, and economic impacts of mining, and working to
improve government policies and corporate practice.
EARTHWORKS is seeking an Executive Director is responsible for building
the organization's financial, creative, and human resources; forging
strong partnerships with its allies; building relationships of value
with leaders in all sectors; leading the strategic development of its
campaigns and programs; advancing and articulating an organizational
vision; and adding new constituencies to its campaigns. For the
complete job description, please click here.
Jewish Funds for Justice (Domestic)
The
Jewish Funds for Justice is a national public foundation guided by
Jewish history and tradition. JFSJ helps people in the United States
achieve social and economic security and opportunity by investing in
healthy neighborhoods, vibrant Jewish communities and skillful leaders.
JFSJ seeks Program Leaders to staff JFSJ's service and learning travel
programs, which provide opportunities for teams of college students,
young adults, teens and families to participate in on-the-ground
service in partnership with communities throughout the United States;
to learn about relevant historical, social, and political issues
through the lens of Jewish ethics and values; and to reflect on their
own engagement in the world. For the complete job description, please click here. The application deadline is November 5, 2008.
Women's Action to Gain Economic Security (Bay Area)
WAGES'
mission is to build worker-owned green businesses that create healthy,
dignified jobs for low-income women. WAGES seeks a passionate, skilled
Cooperative Development Trainer. This person will join the Program team
providing skills and workshops to women seeking to become new
worker-owners in the WAGES' cooperatives, and will also provide ongoing
support to existing co-op members throughout the Bay Area.
Additionally, the position assists the Director of Programs to improve
and expand the support services which WAGES offers to the cooperatives,
including curriculum development and peer leader training. For the
complete job description, please click here.
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