From Jewish to Jewish Service: Emily’s Journey through Repair the World

Judaism was always part of Emily’s life, but for many years, her connection to it felt more inherited than intentional. “I grew up Jewish, with an emphasis on the ‘-ish,’” Emily shared with a smile. “I always felt deeply rooted and proud in my Judaism, although as a kid, that really took the shape of my grandmother and her potato kugel.”

It wasn’t until law school that Emily began exploring what Judaism could look like in her adult life. After serving as president of her Jewish Law Students Association and becoming more involved in Jewish communal spaces, she found herself searching for something deeper after graduation: more community, more learning, and more meaningful ways to live out her Jewish values. That search eventually led her to Repair the World.

“Repair revealed a layer of Judaism that I had not yet explored. Tikkun olam and tzedakah- those were words I had heard, but I could not have defined them for you. I certainly did not know how to embody them.” 

Over the past four years, Emily has become a deeply engaged leader in the Bay Area’s Jewish service< community. Through nearly 200 Repair the World service programs and more than 369 hours of hands-on volunteering, she has supported Bay Area nonprofits addressing urgent challenges including racial injustice, food insecurity, and housing insecurity.

Emily serving with Repair the World Bay Area

Emily further deepened her commitment to service by participating in seven Repair Bay Area Service Corps cohorts: immersive, sustained service experiences rooted in Jewish values and community partnership. Through these opportunities, she has combined her professional skills with direct community impact.

“Repair has granted me the opportunity and dedicated time to do pro bono work with Jewish Family and Children’s Services and to provide Know Your Rights information to Casa de las Madres.”

Through Jewish service, Emily discovered an entirely new dimension of Judaism, one grounded in action, responsibility, and belonging. Service has become a cornerstone of her life in San Francisco, connecting her more deeply to both the Jewish community and the broader Bay Area community around her. “It has really opened up the city to me in the most beautiful way,” she said.

Emily’s experience reflects a broader truth seen across the Jewish service movement: service can become a powerful pathway to Jewish connection and community. Across the Jewish service movement, volunteers consistently share how showing up for others deepens not only their understanding of community needs, but also their own sense of Jewish identity and purpose. In Repair the World’s most recent evaluation, 95% of volunteers said serving with Repair helped them feel a greater sense of purpose.

For Emily, one of the most meaningful moments came when she invited her father to join her at a neighborhood cleanup. The experience stayed with both of them. When Emily celebrated her bat mitzvah at age 30, her father reflected on her involvement with Repair the World in his speech. “He saw the volunteer service I was doing, how it had deepened my Jewish identity, and how it deepened his own as a 68-year-old.”

Today, service continues to anchor both Emily’s Jewish identity and her sense of home in San Francisco. “When I think about my involvement in the Jewish community, I immediately think of Repair the World,” Emily shared.

“It is a privilege to be in community with other Jewish people in the Bay Area. It has really expanded my sense of home here, and it is wonderful to give back.”

Emily will start her eighth Service Corps cohort this summer. 

If you’re ready to make a commitment to continued service rooted in Jewish values, become a Service Corps member today.