Corps Member with Avodah's Jewish Service Corps

Start your Jewish social justice journey with Avodah's Jewish Service Corps, an immersive service year program running September 2025 - August 2026 for emerging changemakers ages 21-26.

Whether you’re approaching graduation or just planning a career change, we know that getting started in social justice work professionally can be daunting. That’s why a key component of our Jewish Service Corps is matching you with a local non-profit where you’ll gain hands-on experience, build transferable skills, strengthen your justice analysis, and contribute significant capacity to work being on crucial issues. Check out some of our open roles available across NOLA:

• Build relationships with recently incarcerated individuals as a Client Advocate with the Innocence Project New Orleans: IPNO frees innocent people sentenced to life in prison and those serving unjust sentences. In this role, you’ll provide case-management for up to 20 freed clients seeking housing, employment, medical services, benefits, transportation, and court support. You’ll also have the opportunity to support IPNO through research, communications, and administrative support.
• Provide legal support for victims of domestic violence as a Domestic Violence Program Assistant at Southeast Louisiana Legal Services: SLLS’s mission is to achieve justice and improve the lives of low-income and other vulnerable people through direct case work, advocacy, and community legal education. In this role, you’ll assist with legal work, including drafting letters, supporting in court preparation research, filing pleadings at court, helping survivors file restraining orders, and assisting with intake of new applicants. You’ll also assist in office administration and organization duties and attend team and partner meetings.
• Support recently unhoused individuals transition into new homes as a Move-In Specialist at Unity: UNITY’s mission is to coordinate community partnerships to prevent, reduce and end homelessness. In this role, you’ll sort and prepare donated materials, assisting recently housed individuals and families in selecting furnishings for their new homes from the warehouse. You'll also handle the logistics of picking up and delivering furniture and household goods, coordinating with donors and recipients and tracking program outputs and leading both individual and volunteer group projects. You’ll also have the opportunity to engage the community and clients in volunteer efforts, managing social media coverage, and developing strategies to improve the program's environmental impact.
• Build relationships with incarcerated individuals and their families as a Client and Family Assistance Coordinator at Promise of Justice Initiative: The Promise of Justice Initiative is a Louisiana based nonprofit organization that makes positive change in the criminal justice system which is grounded and informed by impacted communities. In this role, you’ll work directly with the families of incarcerated folks and incarcerated individuals, coordinating visits to prison, phone conversations, and advocating for better conditions inside the prison. You’ll also have the opportunity to assist with fundraising efforts and can also be involved in community outreach, coalition building, and litigation efforts.

Overall, Corps Members will:

• Create lasting Jewish community. Home-cooked Shabbat dinners, late night conversations, and holiday celebrations make living in the bayit (communal home) memorable and meaningful. Corps Members co-create intentional, pluralistic communities that help them vision and embody how the world could be.
• Launch your career in social justice. After matching with a placement organization, you'll contribute meaningfully to on-the-ground efforts on crucial justice issues such as the criminal legal system, immigration, housing and food insecurity, education, and healthcare.
• Dive into deep learning. Through experiential programming, you’ll explore how to live out your justice values, the role of community in creating a more just world, and what role your Jewish identity plays in your life and work. Our dynamic curriculum will deepen and contextualize your day-to-day work, while supporting you in finding your long-term place in broader justice movements
• Have your essential needs met. Avodah takes care of the most important things. Corps Members receive furnished housing, a monthly living stipend, health insurance, a travel allowance, exit stipend, and a year of professional and personal development. Corps Members can also tap into the Economic Access Fund to support unmet financial needs.
• Start your next chapter with confidence. Move to a new city (or a familiar one!) with tons of support. Explore free events, local activism, and Jewish life with a built-in group of friends from your cohort. Through your placement, experts, and Avodah staff, receive guidance and professional development that will set you up for workplace success.
• Join our active alumni network for life. Our community of over 1,600 Jewish social justice professionals and activists across the country are there to help with apartment hunts, job references, Shabbat dinner invites, and everything in between. Stay connected to Jewish justice opportunities for the long haul.

Jews of Color (JOCs) in Avodah’s Service Corps community can participate in the JOC Bayit, a JOC-specific community building opportunity where JOC Corps Members can build community, access 1:1 support, explore leadership development, and celebrate their Jewish identity.

Avodah is committed to building a Service Corps that inclusively represents the diverse Jewish Community. Sephardi Jews, Mizrahi Jews, Jews of Color, people of color, women, people with disabilities, immigrants, LGBT2QIA people, and people who come from poor or working class backgrounds are strongly encouraged to apply!

Our final deadline has passed and we are now accepting applications on a rolling basis until all spots are filled. Please visit avodah.net/serve to learn more and apply, or email apply@avodah.net to connect with our recruitment team.