Harlem Service Corps alumni speak

A few months back, we captured something beautiful on video: the voices of Harlem Service Corps alumni reflecting on what this experience has meant in their lives.

Again and again, what they described was not only their service hours, but a new sense of belonging. One alum put it simply: “This experience really made Harlem feel like a small town to me.”

Another said, “Not only will you help out your community...but you will also build a whole lot of friendships and relationships that could last a lifetime.” That is exactly what we are trying to build here: a Jewish community rooted not only in ideas, but in real relationships and the joy of showing up for one another.

Plus, as the CEO of Repair the World said in a recent article featuring Harlem Service Corps: bridge-building through service can heal divides.

As we begin recruiting for Harlem Service Corps Cohort 4, starting in late May through July, we want to invite you to help us grow this circle. Harlem Service Corps brings together adults ages 18-30 for service, reflection, dinner, and connection across lines of difference. It is one of the clearest expressions of what we believe at Tzibur Harlem: that community is built person by person by person — meal by meal, conversation by conversation.

This year, we’re leaning especially hard into the power of personal invitation. If there is someone in your life who would flourish in this kind of experience, we want to know. Anyone who fills out our quick nomination form for a potential participant will receive $100 if that person applies and is accepted into the program. You’ll find the details farther down in this email. We’re doing this because the Harlem Service Corps has always been built through trust and relationships, and because the best communities grow the old-fashioned way: one person bringing another person through the door.

So wherever you are in relation to this work, there is an invitation here for you: watch the video, sign up, nominate someone, and feel proud of what we are building together. What’s taking shape in Harlem is powerful — a network of people learning how to serve this neighborhood, and in the process, becoming woven into its life.