Who We Are

Areyvut, translated from Hebrew, means “responsibility.”  Responsibility to one’s community, responsibility to the world.  But when it comes to what Areyvut is about, responsibility is just the beginning.

 

Areyvut’s mission is to infuse the lives of Jewish youth and teenagers with the core Jewish values of chesed (kindness), tzedakah (charity) and tikkun olam (social action).  Areyvut offers Jewish day schools, congregational schools, synagogues, community centers and families a variety of opportunities to empower and to enrich their youth by creating innovative programs that make these core Jewish values meaningful to them.

 

Areyvut’s fundamental belief is that sparking a passion for service in the young inspires a lifelong commitment to social justice.  Therefore, Areyvut creates programs that reach out to Jewish youth, building on their individual interests and putting their experiences into a meaningful Jewish and communal context.  We encourage young people to engage in both hands-on service and philanthropy, in the belief that all of God’s gifts should be used to improve our world.  We also believe that community service benefits – and changes – both the recipient and the provider of the service.

 

Our target audience is middle and high school students from all denominations of Judaism, all types of Jewish education and all levels of Jewish communal affiliation.

 

 

What We Do

 

 

Jewish Teen Philanthropy – We create and facilitate Jewish teen philanthropy programs, exposing students to organizations in need and enabling them to have a strong voice in their philanthropic giving.  We provide an opportunity for students to consider what is important to them and to decide what to support with their own money and time.

 

National Mitzvah Day – Our National Mitzvah Day actively engages everyone, from children to senior citizens, in giving back to the community through social action programs.  This, we believe, is a first step toward greater commitment to making a difference.

 

Bnai Mitzvah and Chesed Fairs – We organize hands-on and community service fairs for schools, synagogues and community centers to educate students about the many different ways they can make a difference in their community.

 

“A Kindness a Day” Calendar – Every day we share a daily kindness drawn from traditional Jewish sources, to inspire good thoughts and good works.  We reach people through e-mail, Twitter and the Areyvut website.

 

Bnai Mitzvah Video Essay Contest – This contest enables students to display their mitzvah projects and take pride in their impact on the community. Winners become Areyvut ambassadors who speak publicly about ways in which their peers can make a difference.

 

Mitzvah Clown Training – Our newest initiative is truly the gift that keeps on giving.  We teach teenagers and adults about the mitzvah of bikkur cholim (visiting the sick) and the art of medical clowning.  Each month we coordinate friendly visits with senior citizens, children with special needs and others who are in need of laughter and smiles.

  

Summer Internship – We invite a select group of high school and college students to become directly involved in Areyvut and its programs. Interns also learn about local non-profits through visits, guest speakers and hands-on volunteering.

 

Inspire our Jewish Youth to Give of Themselves.