As globalization tightens the corners of the world, young people are becoming increasingly mobile – they study abroad, participate in student exchanges, engage in cultural exploration, and travel extensively.  They are also increasingly driven by an intense commitment to tikkun olam—repairing the world through social activism—though not necessarily via a Jewish prism.

Project T.E.N. (Tikkun Empowerment Network) seeks to seize upon these dual trends by offering young Jewish people in their 20’s and 30’s the opportunity to spend a significant length of time engaging in social activism abroad, while simultaneously developing their Jewish identities and connections to one another.

The project aims to establish multiple volunteer centers in countries with significant populations of Jews or others in need of humanitarian assistance.  Each center will host 30-40 volunteers, who will each spend three months on site, working to develop sustainable improvements in infrastructure and basic services for the local population.  The volunteers will also engage in intensive exploration and development of their connections to Jewish life and peoplehood, and will be inspired to pursue further engagement upon their return to their home communities.

We have identified Ethiopia, India, Brazil, and Israel’s Galilee region as potential pilot sites, and look forward to launching in the near future.

Contact Idit Groiss at igroiss@hotmail.com for further details and application.