Serve as a 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 in Chicago:

• Support food-insecure individuals as a Program Coordinator with Maot Chitim: Maot Chitim of Greater Chicago provides meaningful opportunities, through the delivery of food and other necessities, to help those in need celebrate Jewish life with dignity and joy. In this role, you’ll help expand Holiday Delivery services by coordinating with clients, driving partnerships, training volunteers, assisting with communication campaigns, conducting site visits, and more.
• Build community and awareness around economic justice issues as Community Engagement & Outreach Associate at Chicago Furniture Bank: The mission of the Chicago Furniture Bank is to provide essential furniture to individuals and families in need. In this role, you’ll play a vital part in boosting community presence and support by assisting in planning volunteer events, welcoming new volunteers, and gathering feedback to enhance their experience. You'll also support the engagement of new community partners and the logistics of collaborative events and contribute to communications, helping create content for newsletters and social media, ensuring consistent messaging about our impact.
• Provide students with the knowledge to self-advocate in the healthcare system as a School-Based Health Educator at Erie Family Health: Motivated by the belief that healthcare is a human right, we provide high quality, affordable care to support healthier people, families, and communities. In this role, you’ll empower students and patients to navigate the healthcare system effectively by providing sexual health and nutrition education, leading health campaigns to promote Erie's services, supporting the transition to adult care, and coordinating external health services. You'll also have the opportunity to contribute to broader Erie initiatives focused on education, outreach, and resource navigation, playing a key role in equipping young people for healthy lives.
• Serve as a Teen Programs Specialist or After School Specialist at Girls in the Game: At Girls in the Game, every girl finds her voice, discovers her strength and builds confidence through fun and active sports, health and leadership programs. In this role, you’ll coach girls 4-5 afternoons weekly at various locations, ensuring strong attendance and enrollment through communication with participants, families, and site contacts. You'll contribute to curriculum development, especially for elementary programs. Operationally, you'll manage equipment, track attendance and participation, administer surveys, create marketing materials, and maintain our Salesforce database for recruitment. You’ll also have the opportunity to collaborate on special projects, and participate in citywide events to expand our reach and community engagement.

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.