Mission

Avodah develops lifelong social justice leaders whose work is informed by Jewish values and who inspire the Jewish community to work toward a more just and equitable world. For 27+ years, we’ve been inspiring Jewish leaders to commit to a life of social change, promoting a vision of Jewish life rooted in justice, and engaging the broader Jewish community in some of the most pressing issues facing our country at a local and national level. In 1998, nine young volunteers moved into Avodah’s first Jewish Service Corps bayit (home) in New York City. Over the years, we expanded to Chicago, New Orleans, and Washington D.C, where more than 1,300 young Jewish leaders have served in local community nonprofits. It remains a core part of Avodah’s programming today. In 2014, we launched the Justice Fellowship, which now operates in Chicago and New York City, bringing justice education to more than 300 young Jewish professionals in social change fields. In 2016, Avodah began making our Jewish social justice expertise available to the wider community through educational resources, workshops, speaker events, and consulting that have reached thousands of individuals and organizations. In 2022, we launched the Avodah Institute for Social Change to help Jewish leaders make lasting structural transformations within their communities and institutions. All along the way we have been proud to build a community of more than 1,500 alumni continuing to work for justice as professionals and lay leaders, in the Jewish community and beyond. They’re leading organizations, educating Jewish communities on the issues that matter, advocating for change on a local and national level, and helping everyday Americans who are working to make ends meet. They support each other, celebrate Jewish life together, and collaborate in their work for change.