Volunteering for the JDC Helped Me Prioritize My Life and Achieve Something Special

The following piece was written by Robin Wehl, a JDC Jewish Service Corps Volunteer in Vienna for the Transmigrant Program 2002-2003. This piece has appeared in Jewish newspapers.

"Several years ago I attended a Jewish Federation sponsored event called Connections. It was a dinner for Jewish women and was held at the posh Sheraton Hotel in downtown Seattle. One of my friends was a table captain and talked me into attending and sitting with her and a bunch of women that I hadn’t seen since attending the Community High School of Jewish Studies in the late 80’s.

While laughing and reminiscing, over chocolate mousse, we were interrupted by the chair of the event, who introduced the evening’s program - and dared us to see ourselves as women making an impact here and around the world. She then introduced the featured speaker and I comfortably settled into my chair.

Sharon Faulkner, a photojournalist, spent time working for the American Joint Distribution Committee in the former Soviet Union. Her images featured mostly elderly Jews who were struggling with their health and struggling to maintain Jewish identities in troubled times. These were the faces of those being directly supported by donations from events like Connections.

As Sharon showed her slides she gave a brief narration that lent a voice to her subjects. We saw people who were without food, medication and electricity. I remember her photos vividly. One photo captured two elderly women wearing shabby floral print dresses and faint traces of lipstick most likely scraped from the bottom of an old tube. Sharon explained they had made themselves up as they heard they were going to be meeting a photojournalist from America. I quickly thought of my closet brimming with clothing and my bathroom cabinet heaped with forgotten lipsticks.

It was this night that I was introduced to the JDC and a longing to prioritize my life and do something more substantial.

It is never the right time to pack your life into cardboard boxes or leave relationships and family behind.

Two years later I received an email from a friend at Federation announcing that the JDC was looking for candidates to apply for the Jewish Service Corps. The timing wasn’t great but without hesitation I submitted my application. The Jewish Service Corps, or the Jewish Peace Corp as I fondly dubbed it, is an opportunity for people of any age to volunteer abroad for one year. This year there are volunteers serving in Poland, Turkey, Romania, Ethiopia and Vienna.

It is from my cozy studio apartment that I am writing this. I have been living in Vienna since September helping Jewish transmigrants make their way to America. In addition to teaching English full-time, I am consumed with a myriad of other tasks to help prepare these JDC clients for their new lives. Along with the rent for my apartment and a small stipend for food and basic living experiences, I am gaining a sense of self worth because I feel as though I am finally making an impact.

Despite Vienna’s painful history, there is a thriving Jewish community here. There are multiple synagogues, kosher restaurants and two Jewish museums. Nonetheless, I have chosen the JDC client population as my community.

Last November, as I eased into my year of service, I experienced slight feelings of homesickness as I taught my students about a traditional American custom, Thanksgiving dinner. Imagine my surprise and gratitude at being invited to turkey dinner prepared by a family whose mom had learned of the holiday just a week earlier from an article I assigned as homework in one of my classes.

I love the population with whom I am working and admire the courage it took them to flee from their countries for a better life. Despite challenging times these people are cheerful and appreciative of the JDC’s efforts.

I now ask you the same question asked of me three years ago, 'How can you make an impact here and around the world?' You may take as much time as you need, just answer the question."