agenda AVODAH seeks residents for Nola house AVODAH: The Jewish Service Corps is recruiting residents for the 2017-18 program year. New Orleans is one of four communities with an Avodah House, along with Chicago, New York and Washington. Avodah provides recent graduates a place to build the foundations for careers, Jewish community, and lifelong activism in social and economic justice movements. Danielle Levine, New Orleans Director, said “We’re looking for leaders and not-yet-leaders, activists and organizers, challah bakers and Shabbat dinner hosts, teachers, learners, and everyone in between to spend the next year pursuing justice with Avodah.” Corps members are ages 21 to 26, and the program provides a monthly living stipend, travel allowance, health insurance and subsidized housing, as well as a year of professional and leadership development. The corps members are paired with a local non-profit, where they work for the year on issues ranging from immigration, hunger and education to public health and domestic violence. They also become active in the local Jewish community. Since coming to New Orleans in 2008 after Katrina, Avodah has worked with 30 local non-profits. Over half of the alumni have stayed in New Orleans after their year was completed, with many staying at the non-profits where they had been placed, or launching their own initiatives. This year’s 10 corps members in New Orleans are from New York, California, Washington state and Maryland. The application deadline is Jan. 30, and the program begins in mid-August. Full program and application information can be found at avodah. net/serve, or contact Russ Agdern at ragdern@avodah.net.
Nat’l group criticizes Sessions pick for AG Bend the Arc Jewish Action CEO Stosh Cotler released a statement opposing the appointment of Alabama Sen. Jeff Sessions for United States Attorney General, calling on the Senate Judiciary Committee to delay hearings. Cotler called Trump’s selection of Sessions “unfortunate proof of his support for some of the most destructive and anti-democratic principles championed by his supporters,” citing Sessions’ views on “voting rights, criminal justice, LGBTQ rights and women’s rights.” In 2015, Sessions was honored by the Mobile Area Jewish Federation with the Yedid L’Yisrael Award. Larry Voit, past president of the Federation, told Sessions “Your hometown Jewish community appreciates your steadfast support for Israel in the Senate.”
ready for college, prepared for the world.
Indian Springs School
On Dec. 11, the Jewish Community Youth Theatre in Shreveport presented “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” at Agudath Achim.
ExperienceSprings.org
January 2017 • Southern Jewish Life 9