Teens looking for a crash course in social justice are encouraged to apply to be a member of Mitzvah Corps, a four-week program organized by the Union for Reform Judaism that focuses on changing one’s community, helping those in need and tackling social justice issues.
From June 24 to July 18, students in grades 10 through 12 will stay in dorms on the San Francisco State University campus and volunteer at various service projects throughout San Francisco and the greater Bay Area.
Volunteer assignments in previous summers have involved Habitat for Humanity, Golden Gate Park, the Jewish Home and the Haight-Ashbury Food Program, among others.
Evenings and weekends are devoted to guest speakers, educational programs and social activities.
Mitzvah Corps students will also spend a Shabbat at URJ Camp Newman in Santa Rosa and a day in Sacramento learning to lobby representatives at the state Capitol.
Cost is $3,925 for members of Reform congregations, $4,125 for members of non-Reform congregations. Scholarships are available. For information, visit www.mitzvahcorps.org/programs/sf.