Every Jewish Service Corps Member passes through the bayit, the communal house at the heart of their service year. Whether they are advocating for immigrant rights, food access, housing stability, or environmental justice, the bayit becomes the place where they can put down the weight of their work, and where people go from being strangers to a close-knit community. When the service year ends, some continue living together, while others pursue opportunities elsewhere, but the relationships that form in the bayit continue to grow, stretching outward into Avodah’s alumni network.
The DC Service Corps Members experienced this web of connections during their spring retreat this month as they were joined by alumni from the two previous DC cohorts—people who had lived in the same house and served at the same placements, just a few years apart.
This group of 34 Avodahniks spent a weekend in nature, breaking bread, lighting Shabbat candles, gathering around a bonfire for a song circle, and competing in an intensely competitive game of capture the flag. Away from the noise of everyday life, conversations went deeper than they might have otherwise. Alumni shared stories about their service year: the lore that builds up in a shared house, the deep friendships they made, the demands of the work, and the moments that made it worthwhile.
Alumni who served at CASA and Bread for the City connected with the Corps Members who hold their former roles. Over a meal, they were able to reminisce and give helpful advice on how to stay committed to the work and each other.
The weekend also carved out time for the current cohort to reflect on their service year and plan for the months ahead. With graduation at the end of July, the bayit chapter is closing for them soon. But if this weekend was any indication, what comes next won’t feel like starting over. These alumni had all stood at that same threshold, navigated the transition out of the service year, and found their footing. They are proof that the bayit’s community doesn’t end at graduation and that Avodah’s network continues to show up in careers, in friendships, and in the ongoing work of building a more just world.
Being in the same space with people who have walked the same path as you is a powerful feeling. We hope to expand this experience to our other cities, to welcome more alumni cohorts into the room, and to continue fostering these important connections early on. We want all of our Avodahniks to know that even after they’ve moved out the bayit, Avodah will always be home.
