Labor On The Move: Avodah Brings New Faces to Metro Council Allies

(Metropolitan Washington Council, AFL-CIO)Four Metro Council ally organizations have new young staff members, brought to DC through Avodah, the Jewish Service Corps (“avodah” is Hebrew for “service”). Avodah, which places young activists in year-long anti-poverty jobs, has 24 participants in DC right now, four of whom will spend their year working at Metro Council ally organizations. Ari Schwartz is the new Workers’ Rights and Education Coordinator at DC Jobs with Justice, where he is “thrilled to be a part of an organization that fights for working people and their communities.” Sarah Brammer-Shlay, a Community Organizer at Jews United for Justice, is joining JUFJ’s campaign for the marriage equality and DREAM Act referenda in Maryland. At CASA de Maryland, Legal Assistant Meredith Nicholson is helping young immigrants protect themselves from deportation. And over at the DC Employment Justice Center Jamie Gorosh is diving into EJC campaigns as an Employment Justice Organizer. “I can't imagine a better partner for Avodah than the Metro Council and its allies” says Avodah Executive Director Marilyn Sneiderman, herself a “life-long trade unionist” who originated the AFL-CIO's Union Cities program. “Avodah brings idealistic young people to DC to work for justice, and the Metro Council offers them a place to learn how to fight for it" - report by Metro Council Assistant Mobilizer (and Avodah alum) Julia Kann; photo of current Avodah corps members courtesy of AVODAH