AVODAH News
Welcome to the 2010-2011 AVODAH Corps members!
On Sunday, August 29th this year's Corps members moved into their houses. During orientation week they will begin to build their AVODAH community and prepare for the work of their year of service. Next week the Corps will start serving their communities and actively fighting poverty in Chicago, Washington D.C., New Orleans and New York City. Thank you to the many alumni who helped us prepare for their arrival and welcome them in AVODAH style!
AVODAH Blog
AVODAH is starting a National blog and we're thrilled to announce that it has a name! AVODAH: Jewish Voices Pursuing Justice
will launch on September 15th, so get ready for regular updates from
our Corps members. Congratulations to incoming Chicago Corps member,
Alizah Benchetrit, who submitted the name for our new blog! If anyone
is interested in getting involved in writing an occasional blog post,
please be in touch with Mollie.
Incoming Corps members raise over $50,000 for AVODAH
This summer, our incoming Corps members participated in a campaign to
raise awareness and funds for AVODAH. As a group, they raised $51,156,
and reached out to approximately 2,000 people to tell them about
AVODAH. Congratulations to them on this fantastic accomplishment!
Many of them wrote letters to friends and family soliciting donations
and spreading the word about AVODAH, but many also came up with other
creative ways to participate including getting sponsorships from local
businesses, hosting fundraising parties and concerts, and writing
articles about AVODAH for synagogue and community newsletters. We're so
excited to welcome these new individuals into the community of friends and supporters who enable AVODAH to exist and grow.
AVODAHCycle Emma Epstein (DC 09-10) is making her way deep into the midwest on bike and has already raised over $2,500 for AVODAH! Do you live on her route? Emma is making stops at local organizations, Jewish communities and friendly host-homes (or lawns!) along the way and she would love to visit your community. Read a D'var Torah Emma shared at Congregation Shaarey Tikvah in Cleveland, Ohio on Parsha Ki Teitsei. Email Emma. Welcome Michael Deheeger, Chicago Program Director
Michael Deheeger comes to us with a background
in community and political organizing, including work as a synagogue organizer
at the Jewish Council on Urban Affairs where he focused on labor rights and
immigration reform. Email Michael.
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Alumni In Action
Noga Firstenberg (DC 05-06)
In May, Noga graduated from Harvard Law School. She now lives in San Francisco and will begin working at the ACLU of Northern California this month through Harvard's Irving R. Kaufman Fellowship for public service work. At the ACLU, Noga will focus on issues relating to students' rights including speech, searches, and discrimination. Email Noga
Mimi Garcia (DC 04-05)
Mimi recently moved back to Austin, TX from the Boston area after finishing the Hornstein Jewish Professional Leadership Program at Brandeis and the Heller School of Social Policy with an MA/MPP. She is building a home with her fiancée, Ken, and looking for work in Texas in the public policy/public affairs arena. Email Mimi.
Laura Herron (NY 09-10)
Laura just accepted a job as Research Coordinator at NYU Medical School in the Mental Health and Addictive Disorders Research Program. Email Laura.
Laurie Herschman (CHI 07-08)
For the past few years, Laurie has been working as a freelance graphic designer and communications specialist for non-profits as well as working within small youth programs. She recently started a full-time job as Communications Manager at City Year Boston. She is excited to be part of the diverse, energetic City Year team working for social justice in education. Please feel free to contact her with any questions about City Year jobs, the mission and work of the corps, or if you have questions about partnering on a project. Email Laurie.
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Upcoming Events
Bay Area
Chewing on Food Justice Part 2: Mind Your Agri-business!
When: Tuesday, September 28th at 6:30pm
More Information: Click here for more information and to register.
Boston
AVODAH and Friends Book Club
This month we will meet in Ari Mueller's (NY 00-01) Sukkah (A Sukkah is a temporary shelter set up outside to celebrate the holiday of Sukkot.) We'll be reading Everything is Illuminated by fellow M.O.T. (member of the tribe) Jonathan Safran Foer.
More information: RSVP to Amy (horninga@yahoo.com) and let us know if you can bring something to munch on.
Rosh Hashanah-Luck
AVODAH Alumni will gather on Erev Rosh Hashanah for a potluck meal at Elana Brochin's (DC 06-07) home.
When: Wednesday, September 8th at 8:00pm
RSVP: Click here.
More information and location: Email Elana.
New Orleans
Justice and Jewish Thought to Launch in New Orleans!
AVODAH Alumni are joining together to bring Justice and Jewish Thought, a program of Pursue, to the Big Easy this October! Justice and Jewish Thought brings together community members to explore how various oppressions, such as race, class,
gender, sexual identity, and anti-semitism, intersect with and affect our
identities as Jews, our Jewish practices, and our work for social justice. Cohorts will meet in participants' homes weekly for 8 weeks. Opportunities are available for participant-leadership. All are welcome, so spread the word!
Interested in learning more? Contact Becca Waxman (NOLA 08-09), Jordan Aiken (NOLA 09-10) or Yaeli Bronstein (NOLA 08-09).
New York
Shabbat at the Bayit
When: Saturday, September 4th
RSVP and more information: Email Sarra Alpert
Simchat Torah with Alumni and Corps members: SAVE THE DATE
When: Thursday, September 30th
Stay tuned for more information on this Upper West Side traveling-carnival of AVODAH goodness!
Meet the Change with Rachel Tiven, Executive Director of Immigration Equality
When: Tuesday, September 28th at 7:00pm
More Information: Click here for more information and to register.
Click here to submit your Upcoming Event.
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What's Been Happening in the Community
Bay Area
Chewing on Food Justice
Click here for a recap of this deliciously inspiring event.
Boston
AVODAH and Friends Book Club
Four alumni and one friend gathered on the beach in August to talk about On Beauty by Zadie Smith.
Chicago
AVODAH and Moishe House Welcome Emma Epstein (DC 09-10)
AVODAH Alumni and Moishe
House joined together to give Emma a proper Windy City welcome on her cross-country journey to raise money and awareness for AVODAH. Friends, family, and community members gathered for nosh, havdalah and to hear Emma's
tales from the road. Contact Emma to host an event in your city.
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Jobs and Professional Development
AVODAH, Deputy Director. More information (New York, NY)
Click here to submit jobs that are available at your agency and professional development opportunities to which you are connected. For a more extensive list of job offerings, see the Pursue: Action for a Just World monthly newsletter. |
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Update Your Contact Information
Have you moved? Or changed your email
address, mailing address, or phone number recently? Email
Rachel Ann Gross with
your new information.
If you would like to be added to a regional listserve please email the following people:
Bay Area - Jocelyn Berger
New York - Audrey Sasson
DC, Boston, Chicago, Israel or New Orleans - Rachel Ann Gross
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Rachel Ann Gross, Program Associate
AVODAH: The Jewish Service Corps
phone:
212-545-7759 ext 300
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