Frequently Asked Questions

Application Process

How long is the time commitment to AVODAH and when does it start?

AVODAH requires a firm year-long time commitment from all its participants. The program year starts in August and ends in August a year later. You must commit to the entire year in order to join the program.

When will I hear if I’ve been accepted?

You will hear from us by mid-March by either email or phone. At that time, we will inform you that you have been accepted into the process of interviewing for an AVODAH position, placed on the waiting list, or turned down for participation in AVODAH.

What are my chances of getting into the program if I am on the waiting list?

If you are wait-listed, don’t be discouraged. Many people on the waiting list get chosen to participate in the interview process. If you are patient and can wait, you have a very good chance of getting into a subsequent matching round.

Can I defer acceptance to AVODAH?

We do not defer acceptance into the program for the following year. If you are uncertain about what you want to do next year, and think AVODAH is a serious option, please do apply. However, if do not want to do the program this coming year, please wait to apply until you are ready to participate. We’ll be happy to interview you then!

I have special circumstances AVODAH should know about. Who do I tell?

Please alert your interviewer to any special circumstances that will affect your potential participation in AVODAH. These might include factors that would limit full participation during the AVODAH year, being out of the country during the matching round, specific needs or preferences that may pose challenges during the AVODAH year, etc.

References 

Who is eligible as a reference?

Someone who supervised you when you held either a paid or volunteer position, such as any type of full-time or part-time job, a summer internship or internship during the school year, teaching assistant position, etc.

Who is ineligible as a reference?

  • Family members
  • Professors
  • Academic advisors
  • Teachers
  • Family friends or other friends unless they have served as your supervisor 

What if I need to change one of my references, but I’ve already submitted my application?

Contact Recruitment Coordinator Mollie Spevack at apply@avodah.net, and she will contact your reference for you.

Interviews

Are all applicants interviewed for AVODAH?

After reviewing all applications submitted by the deadline, AVODAH will contact qualified applicants for an interview.

Will I be interviewing for all cities?

You will be considered initially for one of your top city choices. You will have a chance to discuss your preference during the interview, and at that time you can indicate if you want to be considered for a different city.

When will interviews for AVODAH take place?

Interviews will take place between mid-late February and early March.

How long will my interview last?

A typical interview lasts about an hour.

Will I have a phone or in-person interview for AVODAH?

The vast majority of our applicants interview over the phone. If you are able to come to one of our offices in Chicago, New Orleans, New York City, or Washington, DC, please contact our Recruitment Coordinator, Mollie Spevack at apply@avodah.net so she can schedule an in-person interview.

Will I have an in-person interview with a prospective placement?

All placement interviews will be conducted by phone, even if the applicant is available for an in-person interview. This prevents applicants who are far away from being unfairly disadvantaged because they cannot travel to interviews.

Religious Life

Will I be housed within walking distance of a synagogue?

We strive to put at least one house in each city within walking distance (1.5 miles) of a synagogue. Please be sure to discuss questions or concerns about access to a synagogue during your interview.

Will I be able to keep kosher?

All AVODAH kitchens are kosher at the time of move in. As the year progresses, each household negotiates the standards of kashrut (Jewish dietary law) the members of the community wish to maintain.

What is Shabbat like in AVODAH?

AVODAH Corps members create a pluralistic “Community Shabbat” at least once a month. In many AVODAH houses, Corps members choose to celebrate together more frequently.

Safety

Will my house be in a safe neighborhood?

AVODAH tries to provide the safest living situations possible. You will be living in an urban environment where—like most city neighborhoods—crime can be an issue and levels of safety are unpredictable. The AVODAH staff will provide resources for dealing with crime prevention and safety, and you will be living in a concerned community where housemates can help each other use caution and safety.

Working in AVODAH

 

Can I take on other work while I am in AVODAH?

Everyone in the program is required to work full-time at their AVODAH placement. In order to ensure your ability to focus on your many AVODAH-related activities and still find time for down-time and other personal activities, you may not take classes, hold a part-time job or do extensive volunteer work for the first four months of the program year. After the first four months, we ask that you keep these sorts of commitments to five hours per week so that you can continue to participate fully in the AVODAH community.

For more information about work placements in AVODAH, click here.

Living in AVODAH

When does AVODAH start? 

The 2010-2011 AVODAH Corps member commitment begins on Sunday, August 29, 2010 and ends on Sunday, August 7, 2011.

Are AVODAH houses furnished?

The houses are fully furnished and have all the dishes, pots, pans, etc. needed to run a household, including a kosher kitchen.

Will I have to share a room?

You should be prepared to share a room for all or part of the program year, since AVODAH houses may have some singles, but most rooms are doubles. AVODAH does not assign rooms—each household decides together how to divide up the living space.

What kinds of commitments to community are required?

Living in community is a major component of AVODAH and requires a commitment of time and spirit. Since you are working full-time and attending evening and weekend programs, you must make sure you are also able to commit time to living in community by attending communal meals, celebrations of Shabbat, and house meetings.

Learning in AVODAH

What are the goals of the programing component?

The weekly programs (as well as the retreats, day-long workshops and site visits) provide a space for the skill-building, leadership training, consistent reflective practice that strengthen all effective activists and provide a foundation for a future in social change work. These sessions include meetings with local social change leaders, personal and communal reflection on the year's unfolding challenges and accomplishments, space to debate ideas and methods of social change, and trainings on the skills one needs to pursue justice work successfully and sustain.

The programs are also one setting for the group to engage with their Jewish identity as it relates to their activism, and with the ways that their political and social beliefs and struggles can inform their Jewish practice. The group meets with rabbis, teachers and Jewish activitsts throughout the year to explore Jewish texts, history, and justice-oriented approaches to Jewish holidays and ritual.

What program commitments are required?  

In a given month, there will be 4-6 evening programs from 6:00pm-9:00pm. During the course of the year, you will participate in three weekend retreats and three day-long seminars. At least once a month, you will visit other Corps members work sites. These opportunities help Corps members explore different approaches to social change and expose them to issues they may not encounter on a daily basis in their own work. You will also create a pluralistic "Communal Shabbat" at least once a month.

How can I afford this?

Is there a living allowance? If so, how large is the allowance and what does it cover?

Yes, there is an allowance, which is paid by the placement agency directly to the AVODAH Corps member. Corps members in all cities pay a portion of this living allowance to AVODAH to cover basic housing costs, including rent and utilities. The rest of the living allowance is used for things like food, toiletries, health care products, telephone, general household items, and modest social expenditures. In addition to the living allowance, placement agencies provide health insurance and a travel subsidy for local public transportation.

The net monthly allowance varies by city, as follows:

 

 

Chicago

$605/month allowance

$300 for living expenses/$305 to AVODAH for housing

 

New Orleans

$350/month allowance

$300 for living expenses/$50 to AVODAH for housing

 

New York City

$775/month allowance

$325 for living expenses/$450 to AVODAH for housing

 

Washington, DC

$700/month allowance

$300 for living expenses/$400 to AVODAH for housing 

How did AVODAH decide on these amounts?

We arrived at allowance levels by assessing the costs in each city for basic necessities during the AVODAH year. The allowance is not designed to cover large expenses such as air travel, school application fees, or out-of-pocket prescription medication costs that exceed $500 per year.

Can I support myself on the allowance?

Your lifestyle will be a modest one, but experience confirms that people can live on the funds provided. Group housing and subsidy from AVODAH keep rent low and food expenditures can be greatly reduced by collective purchasing. AVODAH Corps members also re-tool their social lives to include more free and low-cost activities. In recognition that it is very hard to save up during the AVODAH year, Corps members who successfully complete the program will receive $1,000.

What about my student loans?

Nearly all student loan payments for US citizens can be put on hold during a year in AVODAH. This process is initiated by the participant, and we are happy to provide instructions.

Will my AVODAH job qualify me for the AmeriCorps Education Award?

AmeriCorps provides an Education Award voucher at the end of the year to those who are a US citizen or permanent resident and fulfill all other AmeriCorps requirements. The AmeriCorps voucher can be used to pay off student loans or can be applied towards tuition at any accredited graduate program.

Most AVODAH positions qualify for the AmeriCorps Education Award. If a position is ineligible for the AmeriCorps award, you will be informed of this during the matching process.

Outreach and Fundraising

I understand that I’ll need to do some outreach and fundraising before the program starts—what’s involved?

An an incoming AVODAH Corps members you are asked to outreach and raise money for AVODAH, setting your own goal with a minimum expectation of $1,000. This addresses practical needs and also helps you develop an invaluable skill for bringing about change.

Where does the money I raise go?

Your fundraising will help support the work of AVODAH. Specifically, fundraising enables:

  • 60 AVODAH Corps members across 4 cities to work at front-line anti-poverty organizations.
  • Each anti-poverty organization to save an average of $18,000 per Corps member. AVODAH subsidizes the rent and other living costs of Corps members.
  • Providing intensive educational programs for participants to support leadership development, skills building, and Jewish exploration.
  • Engaging young people in social change issues and learning about Judaism's connection to social justice.

Some of the larger things AVODAH pays for include subsidizing rent for your houses, paying for educational programming during the year, and paying the staff it takes to make that happen. Smaller items we pay for include food and resource packets. 

Is acceptance into AVODAH contingent on reaching my fundraising goal?

We understand that each Corps member will reach different fundraising goals. We support you in your efforts so that this initiative is a rich learning process. Each year over half our Corps members exceed the minimum fundraising goal, while others, despite their best effort, do not meet their goals.

AVODAH is grateful for all the work our Corps members put into their outreach and fundraising initiatives. We will not exclude anyone from the program for not meeting their fundraising goal.

Why do this over the summer?

Corps members are busy during their year in AVODAH between working full-time and participating in the AVODAH community. It is not realistic to ask Corps members to add fundraising and outreach to their other responsibilities. We have found that incoming Corps members understand AVODAH’s mission and do a great job of expressing their enthusiasm even before the formal start of the year.

I’ve never raised money before. How do I do it?

AVODAH will provide resources, tips and training so that you can learn how to engage people in your excitement about the upcoming year.

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Testimonials

This has been a great year of spiritual growth for me and now more than ever, I am aware of the importance of a pluralistic and diverse Jewish community. It gives me much confidence knowing that the individuals I spent a year with are out there”

Lane Rosner2004-2005 Corps Member