When Hope Goes Beyond a Feeling: Rachel’s Jewish Service Journey

Rachel Ramaglia (she/her) reminds us that hope is more than a feeling; it’s an action. “If everyone got rid of their hopeless attitudes and decided that tomorrow we would wake up hopeful and do something good for the world, that would be a huge change,” Rachel shared, smiling.

For Rachel, hope is inseparable from action, and for as long as she can remember, service has always been an intrinsic part of her Jewish identity. “I have been doing service throughout my whole life,” Rachel reflected. “The first large, notable service project I ever did was with Family Promise, where we allowed 20 or 30 unhoused families to stay in the classrooms at our synagogue. We set up cots and provided them food, and [my family] were volunteers. From there, I have always had service as a part of my life.” 

Rachel currently lives in a Moishe House, a community of Jewish young adults who live, learn, and lead together. Rachel discovered Repair the World through a service program she attended back in 2024. Impressed with the scale and efficiency of Repair’s service program, Rachel saw an opportunity to bring her two worlds together: hands-on service and Jewish community. She quickly connected with local Repair staff and introduced them to a non-profit she was already volunteering with monthly: The Sandwich Project, an organization that assembles and distributes homemade sandwiches to meet food scarcity needs in Metro Atlanta. 

Rachel’s passion for giving back with The Sandwich Project paved the way to her first leadership role with Repair the World. Rachel became a Service Ambassador and was equipped with training and a stipend to facilitate the monthly sandwich packing projects, mobilizing her peers to serve and learn together. The successful partnership between Atlanta Repair and The Sandwich Project has contributed over 2,528 homemade sandwiches to individuals facing food insecurity.

Rachel didn’t stop there. Inspired by her experience as a Service Ambassador, Rachel was seeking an opportunity to expand her impact in her community. Her commitment to service and her natural leadership qualities made her a strong fit for Repair’s Service Corps—a part-time, stipended program that matches volunteers with local organizations for sustained, meaningful service commitments. 

Rachel paints a home as part of relief efforts.

In Spring 2024, Rachel joined the Atlanta Service Corps and was matched with the Elizabeth Foundation, an organization that supports people experiencing housing insecurity—especially those struggling with addiction—by providing life-saving medication and information. “Repair matched me really well based on my interests and passions,” Rachel shared. “Working with people that have that much to gain and struggle that much is the way I can really do the most for people in need.”

Over five months, Rachel provided harm reduction services including distributing Narcan, treating every person with kavod—dignity. She saw firsthand how Jewish values can lead to life-saving actions. One day, a client looked at her and said, “Coming here every week has saved my life.” This moment resonated with Rachel’s Jewish values. 

“In Judaism, they say to save one life is as if you have saved an entire world. If you can look at every single individual as someone as complex and important as yourself, you will start to realize how important it is what you’re doing” Rachel shared.

“Not every change needs to be something massive. Know that if you’re helping an individual, you’re helping an entire world.”

Rachel (top right with paint brush) assisting in disaster relief efforts with fellow volunteers.

Today, Rachel continues to serve as a Service Ambassador with Repair the World Atlanta, where she facilitates monthly service programs. Leading groups of 10-15 volunteers, Rachel coordinates efforts to fill community fridges around Atlanta in continued partnership with The Sandwich Project. Most recently, Rachel led a disaster relief service-learning retreat in Asheville, North Carolina, in partnership with Repair the World and JSA partner NECHAMA, Jewish Response to Disaster, to assist with post-Hurricane Helene recovery efforts. In Rachel’s own words: “Repair has enabled me to make real change.”  

This fall, Rachel will begin her PhD in Clinical Psychology at Georgia State University. Her focus will be on forensic psychology, specifically working with incarcerated individuals, where she will continue her commitment to caring for and championing the most vulnerable. Rachel’s spirit and her vision for a better world are contagious: “I refuse to lose hope and stop working for the world that I want to see. I am still steadfast in the direction of justice.” If you’re looking for a hands-on opportunity to connect Jewish values with meaningful service, join the Jewish service movement in your community today.