We’re here to support your anti-poverty work. Our Jewish Service Corps Members spend a year serving in full-time entry-level roles at nonprofit and community organizations in New York City, Washington, D.C., Chicago, and New Orleans. Corps Members help build capacity for our placement partners to expand and deepen their impact.
The Placement Organization application for the 2027-2028 Jewish Service Corps will open Fall 2026.
The Jewish Service Corps is an immersive service year program for emerging changemakers ages 21-26 who are passionate about social justice and ready to engage in a pluralistic Jewish community.
While they deepen their social justice framework through communal living, experiential programming, and values-driven community building, Corps Members serve directly at local organizations tackling crucial social and economic justice issues. Their work at placement organizations helps them launch sustained, meaningful careers in social justice.
2025-2026 Service Corps Members
hours served annually in 2025-2026
of Corps Members are asked to stay at their placement after their service year*
* of alumni polled in the 2024 Avodah Alumni Survey
Having a Jewish Service Corps Member on your team will generate benefits for your organization and the people you serve long after their service year ends.
As full-time, stipended members of your team, our Corps Members serve in roles that directly impact the lives of those you serve at a highly subsidized cost to you. Get assistance with case management and other client-facing work, improve your operations, broaden your scope of services, and grow your public outreach.
Throughout the year, in addition to the Service Corps Member(s) that you host, there are many opportunities to engage the Jewish Service Corps cohort in your city and the wider Avodah community. Opportunities might include fundraising events, site visits, collaborative communications, speaking engagements, or educational programming.
To be eligible to be a placement organization you should meet the following criteria:
Please note that the purpose of the Jewish Service Corps isn’t to replace an existing or potential full-time employee, but to support organizations in expanding their capacity in ways that they wouldn’t otherwise be able to afford.
If you meet most but not all of these criteria, please reach out to Tierra at placements@avodah.net to discuss if your organization would be a good fit.
Placement organizations provide a meaningful experience for your Jewish Service Corps Member during their year of service (September 2026-August 2027).
Placement organizations are expected to deliver:
* Total cost is dependent on city location and your organization’s budget. Learn more about our fee structure.
We understand that not all organizations are able to partner with Avodah on the level of a placement organization. We are committed to being in community with local social and economic justice organizations and are open to other creative and impactful opportunities for collaboration.
“Working with Avodah for the past three years has been nothing but a delightful experience. The Corps Members have exhibited immense strength and creativity, showcasing their exceptional talents. Their ability to receive the re-entry work with open arms and continuously seek ways to improve the organization is admirable. Their commitment to success is truly inspiring, and I feel fortunate to have been a part of such a dedicated team.”
• Refugee Resettlement Employment Specialist at JCFS Chicago
• Community Organizing Base Builder at ONE Northside
• Tenant Advocate at Southeast Louisiana Legal Services
• College & Career Advisor at Comprehensive Youth Development
• Volunteer Network Coordinator at Food & Water Watch
• Migrant Support Coordinator at HIAS
• HIV/PrEP/HCV Health Educator at Erie Family Health Centers
Want to learn more? Download sample job descriptions from previous program years.
Every year, Jewish Service Corps Members put their values into action, serving at organizations doing critical justice work in Chicago, New Orleans, New York City, and Washington, D.C. At Avodah, we believe in the power and importance of developing deep, authentic...
Avodah provides its Jewish Service Corps Members with a house, a program, and a framework for building Jewish community together. But what they actually build inside it—the specific relationships, the trust, all the good that comes out of a group of people living in a...
Meet Oscar, an Avodah Jewish Service Corps Member at Food & Water Watch in Washington, D.C., where he’s mobilizing people to make their voices heard. As he puts it, “We have more say and power, and it’s our responsibility to keep fighting for it.”
Our team is here to help you through the application process every step of the way. We know that each organization’s capacity and needs are different, and can answer any questions you may have.
