Applications Now Open for Gesher Human Services’ JOIN Summer Interns
By David Glass
January 10, 2023
Paid eight-week program open to metro Detroit students interested in an internship working in the Jewish Community.
JOIN, short for the Jeannette and Oscar Cook Jewish Occupational Intern Program offered through Gesher Human Services, is now accepting applications for its 2023 summer internship.
The program is open to metro Detroit residents who are Jewish and full-time undergraduate or graduate students. The summer-long program provides the opportunity to gain work experience, attend educational seminars and learn about the Jewish community, plus develop life-long connections. Students will earn $4,200 during the eight-week program and internship work is offered in several fields including: nonprofit business administration, marketing and communications, human services, program planning, human resources, community outreach and advocacy and development/fundraising. To apply for the summer internship, click here.
Since the program started in 1973, with a seven-year hiatus during an economic recession between 1980 and 1987, approximately 400 Jewish students have taken part in JOIN. Many have gone on to have careers in the metro Detroit Jewish community in professions such as rabbis, educators and communal leaders.
“We are proud to be offering this outstanding opportunity once again to the bright young minds in our Jewish community,” said Debra Silver, who is currently filling in as JOIN coordinator after retiring from Gesher Human Services last year. “JOIN has literally been a force for good for over 40 years, encouraging young people to explore the many job possibilities in our local Jewish community and helping to keep our community strong.”
During the summer of 2022, JOIN intern Ali Randel, a Spanish and English student at Kalamazoo College, worked in the advancement department at Gesher. Uncertain of her future career path, she thought JOIN would offer her an opportunity to gain real life work experience while giving back to the community she loves.
“I was welcomed with open arms and put to work during their busy event season amid the organization’s merger. While I worked on signage, PowerPoints and organized a silent auction for Strictly Business and the Lois Zussman Golf Classic, I met with each person in our department to understand what their role was,” explained Randel. “In the eight weeks, I created social media posts, planned and staffed events, researched grants, solicited donations, wrote and sent tributes and attended many committee meetings. With the freedom to establish my own path within my internship and the positive encouragement I received from my coworkers, I have used this experience to figure out what I like doing and hope to continue exploring as potential career paths.”
Openings for JOIN are limited. Applications and initial interviews must be completed by February 28, 2023. To apply, go to geshermi.org, click on Visit JVS, then go to the student page. For more information, contact Debra Silver at dsilver@geshermi.org or call 248.233.4233.
About Gesher Human Services
Gesher Human Services is a non-profit organization dedicated to helping people across metro Detroit lead more stable and fulfilling lives through career mobility, behavioral health programs and residential services that support our community by strengthening the individual. Uniting two of metro Detroit’s most influential Jewish human services agencies, JVS Human Services and Kadima, Gesher brings over 110 years of combined experience facilitating equitable employment opportunities and better mental health outcomes for residents. With a network of more than 400 employees and volunteers across 25 locations in southeast Michigan, Gesher delivers a continuum of services and support that directly impacts the lives of over 12,000 individuals and families annually.
