Gathering the Tribe: A Personal Reflection on Jewish Service

By MAX KLAU

My commitment to Jewish service has taken me to some strange places over the years. I have worked midnight shifts in an Israeli plastics factory, played saxophone with a Chassidic rock band, dug irrigation ditches in rural Honduras, and laid bricks to build a school in a small village in Ghana. I treasure each of these adventures, but am well aware that while I was sweating from manual labor in developing countries, my peers were in law school, buying homes, and driving nice cars. I always felt that my experiences with Jewish service connected me to a particular tribe of Jews: idealistic, hardworking, socially conscious, and passionate enough about Jewish values and tikkun olam to put themselves in some incredibly challenging situations.

This past June at a Jewish retreat center in Connecticut, the time came for a gathering of this particular tribe. For the first time ever, the Jewish Coalition for Service brought together scores of individuals united by their commitment to Jewish service – more than 80 alumni from over 30 different programs affiliated with the Coalition. Some of us had spent a year working with social welfare organizations in the U.S., and others had volunteered in Israel or built houses in El Salvador. Despite our different experiences, however, we shared a meaningful bond.

Over the course of the weekend, we quickly found a common language in discussing how our time spent on Jewish service programs had influenced our lives. We prayed together as a soulful spiritual community, engaged in serious discussions of Jewish pluralism, Jewish texts, and international development, and sang hits of the 80s around the campfire. The retreat was intellectually challenging, spiritually rejuvenating, and socially energizing. In these ways, it recreated the best elements of my Jewish services experiences.

For me, the retreat provided a valuable opportunity for reflection. The weekend came at an exciting time in my life: I had just received my doctorate in education, and was about the head off to a conference in Israel the day after the retreat. The seeds of both of these adventures were planted during my experience as a volunteer on Project OTZMA, a Jewish service leadership program in Israel, for young adults. OTZMA is only one of more than 60 programs in America, in Israel, and in other countries overseas – all affiliated with the Jewish Coalition for Service.

I hadn’t thought about it in years, but the direction my entire life has taken over the past decade has been unmistakably influenced by my first encounter with Jewish service. Attending this retreat with so many alumni who have had similarly profound experiences made the lesson remarkably clear: when you set out to change the world, the experience is sure to change you.

Helping to heal the world is central to our values and our history. Jewish service impacts the lives of both Jews and non-Jews, conveying our community’s solidarity and concern with people in crisis the world over. Jewish service promotes positive social change and builds a future based on greater compassion and humanity.

The Mission of the Jewish Coalition for Service is to inspire all Jews to dedicate a period of their lives to full-time, hands on volunteer service. Please visit www.jewishservice.org for additional information.