- Jews for New Orleans » Rachel Lewis

Sharing a meal

Corps members live communally in their Jefferson Avenue house uptown

Shine

Celebrating Sukkot

In October 2008, Corps members hosted a potluck under the backyard sukkah

Churches

Resurrection After Exoneration

Ora Nitkin-Kaner, 08-09, still works at RAE after finishing the AVODAH program

Civic Involvement

Center for Sustainable Engagement and Development

Corps members visited this Lower 9th Ward organization during Orientation

Action

Learning about Bayou Bienvenue

Alum David Eber teaches the group about deforestation in the cypress swamps

Churches

Highlighting the Jewish Community's Involvement in Rebuilding New Orleans

This site is hosted by AVODAH: The Jewish Service Corps, which launched its New Orleans program in the fall of 2008. AVODAH engages young people in direct work on the causes and effects of poverty in the United States. This work partners Corps members with service providers and residents in low income communities and equips our Corps members and alumni to emerge as lifelong agents for social change, whose work for justice is rooted in and nourished by Jewish values.

Author Archive

Rachel Lewis
Rachel Lewis, from Elkins Park, PA, earned a Bachelor’s degree from Brandeis University, with a major in Sociology and a minor in Women’s and Gender Studies. Rachel served as the Campus Relations Coordinator for Brandeis Hillel and participated in the university’s Interfaith Leadership Development program. She also spent two semesters abroad, studying at the University of Cape Town, South Africa, and at Hebrew University in Jerusalem. Rachel will be serving as a Client Welfare Specialist at the Orleans Public Defenders (OPD). OPD provides legal services to indigent defendants and client-centered representation that respects the humanity and dignity of those accused of crimes. The Defender Services Program – a division within the office of social workers and client welfare specialists – work in teams with staff attorneys and investigators to address an arrestee's underlying problems as well as his or her criminal charges.

Lessons From My First Mardi Gras

Mar 3rd, 2010 by Rachel Lewis | 2

Outside of New Orleans, Mardis Gras is perceived by most as a time of debauchery, gluttony and a poisonous materialism. This image certainly reflects what I expected this past month to be prior to arriving here. Yet recent experience has convinced me that this is a rather inaccurate depiction of a very complex tradition. The aforementioned hedonism exists [...]

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Learning and Unlearning Breishit (Genesis)

Dec 11th, 2009 by Rachel Lewis | 2

A few months ago, one of my roommates and I began learning Sefer Brieshit (Genesis) together. Every week, we read a portion of the text in English and discuss our thoughts on the topics and stories at hand. Our chevruta allows me the opportunity to be in a consistent conversation with the Torah and continue [...]

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The Emergence of the NOLA Minyan

Nov 18th, 2009 by Rachel Lewis | 1

I am excited to report that on a recent Friday evening, we held the first meeting of the NOLA minyan, an egalitarian, independent Kabbalat Shabbat service and potluck dinner that will be happening on a monthly basis. This event was the brainchild of a young group of us “imported do-gooders” (AVODAH and beyond) who have [...]

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My Jewish (Sub)Communities

Sep 21st, 2009 by Rachel Lewis | 0

Since starting AVODAH, my individual Jewish experience, along with that within the New Orleans Jewish community, has been quite significant and, in some ways, unexpected. Coming into this year, I knew that these topics, explored through the lens of this unique city, would occupy many conversations and ultimately complicate my understanding of who I am as [...]

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