JUNE 29 • 2023 | 33
E
mily Levine has valued
Jewish service and social
change since she was
young. “I feel like ever since I was
little, being Jewish to me was way
more than reading Torah and
text. It was really based in com-
munity and values,
” she said.
Emily was engaged in Jewish
life through Camp Tel Yehudah
as a camper and staff member,
and also served as a youth advis-
er with Young Judaea.
After high school, Emily stud-
ied at Bard College and, during
her time there, she focused on
governmental policy and eco-
nomic discrimination, but felt a
disconnect between the learning
in the classroom and the real
impact in the world. This is what
motivated her to participate in
the fellowship. “I wanted to really
root myself in community-driv-
en, service-first projects and see
what that looks like outside of the
classroom,
” she said.
Emily went on to participate
in a virtual program with Repair
the World during her 2020 win-
ter break and learned about the
Repair Fellowship through this
experience. She knew then that
it would be the perfect opportu-
nity to combine her passion for
service and social change with
her background in Judaism and
education.
As a fellow in Detroit for two
years, Emily accomplished a
great deal. She served alongside
Repair service partner Keep
Growing Detroit, learning about
urban agriculture and how
deeply urban gardens can root a
community. She supported their
work of ensuring more than
2,000 Detroit gardens thrived.
And Emily independently orga-
nized 36 programs for Repair
the World Detroit, with three
events bringing in more than 50
folks to engage in Jewish service.
Running these events allowed her
to “home in on facilitation and
people skills, build community
from scratch as a newcomer to
the area, and act as a connector
for young Jewish Detroiters look-
ing to serve,
” she said.
One of Emily’s favorite pro-
grams to lead was with the Jewish
feminist circle at University
of Michigan Hillel. The event
included a donation drive to
collect menstrual products for I
Support the Girls and a facilitated
session on menstruation justice.
Emily was able to see the Repair
value of action and learning,
na’aseh v’nishma, shine during
this event.
“Even though it was my first
time interacting with the group,
it was such a safe, comfortable
space,
” she said. “We had to be
willing to care for others while
being vulnerable. Learning with
the Jewish feminist circle and
seeing the gears turn for the stu-
dents was just amazing.
”
The Repair the World Fellow-
ship’s goals are to provide young
professionals with tools to take
action to pursue a just world,
serve alongside local nonprofits
addressing community needs,
mobilize peers to volunteer, and
engage in Jewish learning and
professional development.
Emily was able to take full
advantage of the fellowship, and
says, “I have found a lot more
connection to Judaism through
the fellowship by being able to
put my values into action. I am
now able to incorporate my
values into my work and voice
why they are important. I want
to continue working with Jewish
nonprofits so that I can carry
on exploring what these values
mean to me.
”
Emily said she will continue
to be involved with Repair as
she makes Pittsburgh her new
home.
NEXT DOR
Meet Emily Levine
VOICE OF A NEW GENERATION
Strengthening Jewish identity through
the Repair the World fellowship.
JASON EDELSTEIN SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS
Emily Levine served
alongside Repair the
World service partner
Keep Growing Detroit,
learning about urban
agriculture.
Emily
Levine