Repair the World

Service Thrives in Moishe Houses Across the Country

If you are in your 20s, Jewish and living in a city, Moishe House is a pretty sweet deal.

The organization sponsors houses that foster meaningful, pluralistic Jewish community for young Jewish leaders. House members live together (think the Real World, but with Shabbat candles) pay reduced rent and are given a monthly budget to create educational and social programming – everything from friday night dinner to book clubs and movie nights – for their surrounding community.

And, as one might expect of a program that brings innovative young people together, the 31 Moishe Houses (and growing) are a hotbed of service and social action. Here is a rundown of just a few (of many) service-related programs happening in Moishe Houses across the country:

Moishe House Boston (aka Kavod House) defines itself as a Jewish social justice house and is engaged in everything from pursuing housing justice to increasing farm to synagogue connections.

Moishe House Chicago recently participated in the Chicago pride parade, dug their fingers in the dirt at a local community garden, and volunteered at All Saints Cafe, a three course meal served to homeless and low-income residents in Chicagoland.

Moishe House Orange County helped raise money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, and put together care packages for members of the armed forces over seas.

Moishe House Philadelphia organized a clothing drive for Swap for Good and hosted an evening of discussion on homelessness, led by Hillel of Greater Philly and the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College.

Moishe House Cape Town hosted a book club and discussion where the book on tap focused on apartheid, and hosted an evening with a local service organization called Equal Education.

Find out more about Moishe House here, and apply to start a house in your area here.