Category Archives: New Orleans
Gen Z refuses to be redistricted out of their future
When Representative Larvadain III asked Sam if people of her generation would make Louisiana a home under these conditions, the subtext of the question seemed to be: Will you settle down and accept this proposed injustice as the new status quo? Sam said, emphatically, no. Continue reading
20 years of Learning from Hurricane Katrina
Last week, our community in New Orleans commemorated Hurricane Katrina, which made landfall 20 years ago along the Gulf Coast. We reflect on Avodah’s presence in New Orleans and the lessons we’ve learned about community in the wake of disaster.
Reimagining Cultural Structures During Sukkot
Service Corps Members used the themes of Sukkot to consider how our societal structures, such as prisons and incarceration systems, can be reimagined, shifted, and changed.
Growing Greens and Environmental Justice Values
Learn how our Corps Members connected to the Shmita year through community-based agriculture and climate justice.
Alumni Spotlight: Corinne Vandagriff on Helping Adolescents Navigate Stress and Trauma in Healthcare
Avodah alumna Corinne Vandagriff (New Orleans Service Corps, 2016-2017) hopes to change the way children and adolescents experience stressful situations.
Gratitude is not Enough: Accountability and Action on Thanksgiving
Use these guiding questions and tools to examine your relationship to the land you inhabit and learn how you can take action to support tribal communities.
NOLA Corps Member Katie Schmidt Helping Immigrants and Afghan Refugees
Katie serves as the Community & Logistics Coordinator for Home is Here NOLA, which is dedicated to supporting immigrants and refugees through housing and hospitality.
NOLA Corps Member Ellie Moskowitz Kicks Off Service Year with Hurricane Relief Efforts
New Orleans Corps Members Provide Hurricane Ida Relief to Local Tribal Community
Just as our newest New Orleans Corps Members were embarking on their trip to the Avodah bayit (home), Hurricane Ida, the second-most damaging hurricane to strike Louisiana on record, touched down in the region. While the storm delayed the … Continue reading
Overcoming Voting Barriers With a Focus on Gen Z
Sylvia Finger and Jill Israel were honored at Avodah’s 2020 Annual Partners in Justice event in New Orleans for their efforts to organize and register more than 9,000 new voters in just two years through their work with the … Continue reading
In Today’s NYT — An Amazing Story About an Inspirational Man
Today’s New York Times features an amazing story about an inspirational man. Calvin Duncan served 23 years in the Louisiana State Penitentiary in Angola, the nation’s largest maximum security prison. During his years at Angola, Calvin worked as a “jailhouse lawyer,” paid … Continue reading
Alumni Spotlight: Jewish leadership for criminal justice reform with Sammy Bosolavage
Service Corps alum Sammy Bosalavage shares her experience supporting an innocent man on death row.
Alumni Spotlight: Putting down roots in New Orleans with Dana Keren
When Dana arrived in New Orleans for the Service Corps in 2010, she found an instant connection with the city.