J-Serve, Day of Teen Community Service

More than 500 Jewish teens in Atlanta (grades 6 – 12) will participate, along with more than 10,000 teens from around the world, in a day of community service and improvement projects as they take part in J-Serve, an international day of Jewish youth service on Sunday, April 28, 2013. For information, call Lora Sommer at 678.812.4078.

J-Serve is the annual community service program for Jewish youth throughout the world. Since 2005, J-Serve has been part of Youth Service America’s Global Youth Service Initiative. Participating in these community service projects allows teens to see first-hand how their actions have a direct impact on our community’s future.

Amy Helman-Darley, MJCCA’s Teen Community Outreach Associate said, “Our local teens are so looking forward to the 2013 J-Serve program, as the Atlanta community will work together towards the Jewish ideal of ‘Tikkun Olam’ (repairing the world.) We hope this will inspire more teens to get involved in community service in Atlanta.”

This year teens will have the opportunity to choose from more than 15 community service and advocacy projects. Some of the Atlanta J-Serve 2013 projects include:

• Shattering the Myths, A Teen Drug and Alcohol Awareness workshop: A unique addition to J-Serve this year, this program is presented in partnership with the MJCCA and Jewish Family & Career Services.  In addition, they will hear from program participants of the MJCCA program Project ATL, a teen leadership program focused on peer-to-peer education about living a drug-free lifestyle.

• Amy’s Holiday Party: an afternoon dance for underprivileged teens

• Blonder Family Department for Developmental Disabilities: soccer and walking club workshop

• The Cohen Home: visit and play games with the residents

• enAble of Georgia: participate in a party for children with special needs

• The Friendship Circle: visit and participate in an activity for children with special needs

• HomeStretch: beautify the grounds of the HomeStretch houses

• Hunger and Poverty in Our Community: a two-part series on hunger and poverty awareness
  
  
  

• Israel Teen Fest: Israel education and advocacy workshop

• Jewish Kids Groups: organize supplies and label books

• Keep North Fulton Beautiful: road-side cleanup

• MedShare International: sorting medical supplies to be sent overseas

• North Fulton Community Charities: helping in the thrift store

• Project Open Hand: preparing and packaging meals to be delivered to homebound clients

• Refugee Resettlement & Immigration Services: assist in a clothing giveaway

David Bernstein, a senior at the Galloway School says “Being a part of the J-Serve Leadership Committee has enabled me to fulfill my passion, on a local level, of giving back to the community. J-Serve has enabled me to connect with other Jewish teens in Atlanta who share my interests. It further connected me to my Judaism through performing mitzvot which I had been taught for so long. Through J-Serve I learned how to lead a meeting, plan programs, market, recruit, fundraise, and create a successful event for 500 plus teens in Atlanta.”

Bernstein continues, “I gained confidence and important life experiences that will help me to be successful in my future pursuits, not only in helping my community, but also as I attend college and move into a career. I have learned so many valuable life lessons and done so while pursuing one of my passions.”

Atlanta J-Serve 2013 Partnering Organizations

The Atlanta J-Serve program is hosted by the Teen Community Service (TCS) program at the Marcus Jewish Community Center (MJCCA) with locals partners: Amy’s Holiday Party, Am Yisrael Chai, Applerouth, BBYO, BBYO Connect, Camp Barney Medintz, Chabad of Cobb, Chabad Intown, Congregation Ariel, Congregation B’nai Torah, Congregation Etz Chaim, Congregation Or Hadash, Congregation Shearith Israel,  Jewish Family & Career Services, Jewish Kids Groups, JSU, MJCCA Club 678, NCSY, NFTY,  The Davis Academy, The Friendship Circle, The Weber School, Tzofim, and Yeshiva Atlanta.

J-Serve Background

Designed to encourage Jewish service, build community, and create connections across religious and societal lines, this year marks the ninth in which more than 10,000 Jewish youth from 65 cities across North America, Europe, and Israel will turn out in force for J-Serve. 

J‑Serve 2013 is the Jewish service component of Youth Service America’s annual Global Youth Service Day and is a collaboration of the BBYO Panim Institute and Repair the World. J-Serve is generously underwritten by the Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation, and it is supported by partner agencies BBYO, Foundation for Jewish Camp, JCCA, Jewish Federations, Jewish Student Unions, Jewish Teen Funders Network, NCSY, NFTY, Rock the Vote, USY, and Young Judea.

More Information

Teens or parents interested in participating in a J‑Serve project can find additional information at www.atlantajcc.org/jserve or by contacting Amy Helman-Darley, MJCCA’s Teen Community Outreach Associate, at  or by phone, 678-812-3978.