The Soul
Of Service
In college, I learned about Detroit from
textbooks and the news. Academically,
I understood the city's ups and downs.
But it wasn't until I took the last elective
I needed for my public policy degree that
I really embraced Detroit for all these ups
and downs and started to connect my past
volunteerism with a new passion. I realized
that I wanted to help Detroit.
As I learned about incredible service
opportunities here, for the first time I saw a
career in helping others. I realized that if I
really want to follow my heart and actually
make a difference, this is the place to be.
This Repair the World-Moishe House
they might know — to join us for both social
project is designed for people like me.
and service-related events and activities.
My new friends and I, the residents of the
The House is an amazing chance for us
Repair-Moishe House, will each have full-
to put into practice our ideas about helping
time day jobs. And in our spare time, we'll
others and activism,
work to encourage others
and to build something
our age to volunteer to
concrete around what for
help Detroit.
many our age may seem
I'll be working
like a nice — but abstract
with underprivileged
— idea.
communities through
I got to understand the
AmeriCorps VISTA; Brad
power of volunteerism
Snider will continue his
when I was 16.1 met
urban development work
Rodney, an 8-year-old
in Mexicantown; Rachel
boy who had recently
Klegon will continue to run
lost both of his parents,
the nonprofit Green Living
and I had the honor of
Science; and Josh Kantor
mentoring him through
will work with NEXTGen
the Salvation Army
engagement at the Jewish
Daycare in Hempstead,
Federation of Metropolitan
N.Y.
Detroit.
Devon Rubenstein stands
Since then,
(In the coming
in front of the new Repair
volunteerism has been
months, they'll each
the World-Moishe House in
a constant for me,
share with you in these
Detroit.
whether it's working with
pages more about their
preschoolers at Head Start
initiatives, thoughts and
in Ann Arbor or setting
experiences. And, of
up window displays at the Ten Thousand
course, we'll give you updates about how
Villages in Austin, Texas.
the house is progressing.)
The new Repair the World-Moishe
House in Detroit aims to build a
community of volunteerism.
I
should be long gone from Michigan by
now. Like most New Yorkers who move
here to attend school in Ann Arbor, I had
no intention of staying.
Still, after graduating last December, I
couldn't bring myself to leave. First, I chalked
it up to not wanting my college experience
to end and not wanting to leave my friends,
my house and, of course, Michigan athletics.
But as I watched most of my friends and
classmates pick up and move, I realized it
was more than that. Michigan had become
a part of me.
That's why I'll spend the next year of
my life immersed in helping the heart of
Michigan — Detroit — and joining one
of the Jewish world's most innovative new
ventures: a residence dedicated to building a
community of volunteerism.
This past week, I moved, along with three
other 20-somethings, into a Repair the
World-Moishe House in the Woodbridge area
in Detroit. We didn't know each other much
beforehand, but we share a common desire
to make a difference in the world.
The idea is simple, really: We want to build
a center for volunteerism for other young
Jews like ourselves. That's why we will be
inviting anyone we know — and anyone
A
We spent most of the summer
searching for a four-bedroom house in a
neighborhood that is both accessible to
young people and that would provide a
solid home base for service projects.
After weeks of dead ends, we found the
perfect house in the perfect location at
4446 Commonwealth St. in Woodbridge.
I can count the number of times I've
been to Woodbridge on one hand. But
it's exactly what we wanted — a diverse
and dynamic community anchored
by organizations like the Woodbridge
Neighborhood Development Corporation
and Woodbridge Community Youth Center
(WCYC), with which we will work closely.
We're not sure exactly what all of our
service projects will look like down the road,
or what projects, programs and partnerships
will fill our Repair-Moishe House.
But we are starting close to home with
our first volunteer event: Painting the
batting-cage room in the WCYC to make it
resemble a baseball stadium.
From there, we hope to create sustainable
partnerships with other groups both in
Woodbridge and broader Detroit to make a
positive difference here.
I'm excited, and I embrace our House's
mission to mobilize Jewish young adults
toward service in Detroit. Because, while
I may still have a slight New York accent,
and I'll probably always say "soda" instead
of "pop," there is something about this
place — its rich history and tremendous
potential — that makes me proud to now
call it home.
Devon Rubenstein works with underprivileged
communities through AmeriCorps VISTA and
is a resident of the new Repair the World-
Moishe House in the Woodbridge area in
Detroit.
Journey Begun Career Israel offers real working experience and self-discovery.
HANNAH FARKAS I SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS
hile all my friends were
scrambling during senior
year for jobs, taking
standardized tests and
researching graduate programs, I was
trying to figure out how to get back to
Israel.
I had visited the place I now call home
on three brief occasions, but none filled
Hannah Farkas, surrounded by Career
me with the satisfaction that I had come to
Israel friends, holds her certificate.
understand this country had to offer — the
history, culture, religion, food, politics and
opportii.iity. I was involved in event planning
people.
for the world's largest international Jewish
I chose to participate in the Israel
conference, meeting with up-and-coming
Experience's Career Israel after speaking
Jewish revival groups, and familiarizing myself
with several alumni, all of whom had more-
with some of the major social, political and
than-positive experiences to share. I wanted
religious issues facing this country. I wasn't
real working experience and the opportunity
restricted in any sense of the word. If I was
to truly explore Israel, and felt this program
interested in a particular topic or project, I
would meet all of my needs.
was involved. I was part of the team and not
I interned at the Jewish Federation of North
"just an intern."
America, an organization I was familiar with
While my internship was wonderful, what
but not on a professional level. I wanted to
I loved about Career Israel, however, wasn't
learn more about the nonprofit world, and
limited to my time in the office. I learned so
my internship definitely granted me that
much more about myself from working
but even more so from the lectures and
seminars provided by Career Israel.
Never before had I visited the Temple
Mount, spoken with Haredim, Muslim
community figureheads, and right and left
extremists. The spectrum of speakers and
perspectives was incredible. We interacted
and discussed critical issues with people
from every walk of life — people we
could challenge, agree with, disagree with,
learn from and teach. It was empowering,
informative, fascinating and nothing short of
amazing.
One experience that made a huge impact
on my time in Israel was a dialogue seminar
involving Masa Israel participants from a
number of different Israel programs as well as
native-born Israelis.
Having attended Camp Ramah, I'd had
the opportunity to interact with Israelis
and discuss critical questions of identity,
citizenship and religion, but this experience
was unlike any I had before. We took part in
hours of discussions regarding serious issues
that affect us in both our individual countries
of origin and our time in Israel — cultural
stereotypes, sexual orientation, the divide
between religious and secular populations,
even our favorite TV shows. The weekend
made me think.
Career Israel was the beginning of a
journey for me; it was the beginning of my life
in Israel. I grew up with a sense of Zionism
and love for Israel in my bones, but Career
Israel taught me to love Israel from a different
perspective. I learned to appreciate not just
the good, but the bad as well, the struggles
and triumphs, everything this wonderful place
has to offer. And most importantly, I was
taught not to love Israel as an outsider, but
as someone living and breathing the country,
culture and history.
I will be making Aliyah this month, and I
believe Career Israel helped prepare me for
this exciting journey. Li
Hannah Farkas of West Bloomfield graduated
from the University of Michigan in 2011.
September 13 a 2012
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