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About American Jewish World Service
AJWS is an independent not-for-profit organization founded in
1985 to help alleviate poverty, hunger and disease among the people
of the world regardless of race, religion or nationality. It breathes
life into Judaism's imperative to pursue justice and helps American
Jews act upon a deeply felt obligation to improve the chances
for survival, economic independence and human dignity for all
people.
International Voluntary Service Activities
The Jewish Volunteer Corps
The JVC places Jewish professionals with grassroots organizations
in Africa, the Americas and Asia (including Russia and Ukraine)
to provide skills training to non-governmental organizations (NGOs).
JVC volunteers are placed with NGOs as consultants to train specific
staff members in their personal area(s) of expertise. By providing
technical assistance through skills training, JVC volunteers help
NGOs build their capacity and achieve their overall mission. Successful
JVC volunteer placements leave NGO staff members with skills they
will utilize long after the volunteer leaves. By focusing on skills
transfer the JVC promotes the sustainable development of community
based NGOs. Volunteer placements are based on requests for volunteers
from NGOs and the volunteer's professional background. This year,
the JVC will send about 80 volunteers to work with NGOs in the
developing world.
AJWS Delegations
Through AJWS delegation programs, participants experience grassroots
sustainable development and focus on the connections between social
justice, service and Judaism. AJWS delegation programs runs in
partnership with Jewish organizations such as synagogues, JCCs
and Jewish summer camps. Delegations may be specifically geared
to adults, young adults, families or high school juniors and seniors.
During this week-long program, local grassroots organizations,
partnered with AJWS, invite participants to take part in their
work. This connection between participants, AJWS and project partners
is central to the delegations experience. Participants are involved
in work projects such as planting, digging ditches for the laying
of water lines and working in an arboretum designed to counteract
deforestation. They study social justice and international development
through a Jewish lens and plan a meaningful Shabbat experience
that allows participants to experience the challenges and rewards
of pluralistic Jewish communities, while laying the foundation
for follow-up activities and sharing their experience of the developing
world with others on their return home. This year, around 140
people will participate in 7 delegations.
The International Jewish College Corps
The yearlong International Jewish College Corps (IJCC) program
begins with an intense, seven-week cultural immersion experience
that weaves together in-depth exploration of international development,
study of social justice in a Jewish context, and humanitarian
service in hands-on volunteer community projects in the developing
world and the former Soviet Union. Participants spend four weeks
living and working alongside rural communities in either Ghana
or Honduras (applicants choose their country during the interview
process), followed by three weeks with a re-emerging Jewish community
in Ukraine. Following the summer, participants continue in the
IJCC yearlong domestic program that includes educational seminars,
retreats, public speaking engagements, article writing and volunteer
service. IJCC is open to Jewish students between the ages of 18-25.
Participants must be at least one year out of high school. IJCC
is a pluralistic program that welcomes and accommodates Jewish
students from all backgrounds. This year, there was 39 IJCC participants.
Alternative Breaks
Through AJWS' Alternative Break (AB) program, students experience
grassroots sustainable development and focus on the connections
between social justice, service and Judaism. The AB program is
run in partnership with Hillel: The Foundation for Jewish Campus
Life. Hillels around the country have brought groups of students
on ABs with AJWS since spring of 2000. Local host organizations,
partnered with AJWS, invite students to participate in their work.
This connection between students, AJWS, and project partners is
central to the AB experience. During the week, students are involved
in work projects such as planting, digging ditches for the laying
of water lines and working in an arboretum designed to counteract
deforestation. They study social justice and international development
through a Jewish lens and plan a meaningful Shabbat experience
that allows students to experience the challenges and rewards
of pluralistic Jewish communities, while laying the foundation
for follow-up activities and sharing their experience of the developing
world with others on their return home. This year, 183 students
from 20 colleges and universities participated in AB, at 5 different
sites over the course of 7 weeks.
Volunteer
for Prosperity Opportunities |
Number of Opportunities |
4 |
|
Geographic Regions |
Africa, Asia, Latin America,
Russia, Fr. Soviet Union |
|
Health & Prosperity
Sectors |
Agriculture, Health,
Capacity Building, Education, HIV/AIDS, Information Communication
Technology,Women Youth Empowerment |
|
Types of Opportunities |
Management, Technical,
Support |
|
Average Duration
of Projects |
days |
|
Volunteer
Profile Summary |
Varies drastically depending on program.
|
|
|