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