Working for the Osher Jewish Community Center

¶ … working for the Osher Jewish Community Center has been one of the most meaningful endeavors of my life.

While completing 92 community service hours over the last three years, I have not only had the opportunity to affect the lives of others, but I have also grown as a person. Through my community service, I have learned the value of making a real contribution to society without expecting anything in return.

I have used my time in a productive way, and I am much more aware of the problems other people face. Perhaps the most important benefit of working for the center was preparing for a lifetime of helping others. Through this experience, I found that I not only have an aptitude for working in the community, but I have a duty to do so as well.

Unlike another type of job or activity, working for the center gave me the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of others. Completing my duties meant that I made the jobs of my coworkers easier, allowing them to focus on the center's programs and long-term goals. I also had the opportunity to interact with community members who used the centers services, and through these interactions I met many people who I would never have known if it weren't for the center. Both the community members and my coworkers appreciated the fact that I helped keep the center running smoothly, and I knew I was making a real contribution to their lives.

Making this kind of contribution was much more valuable than other work I might have chosen. Working for center gave me the opportunity to use my time in a productive way - rather than getting a job at a fast-food restaurant or a clothing store, I was able to both work and accomplish something meaningful. There's nothing wrong with working at a restaurant or the mall, but without my work at the center would have run less efficiently. I was honored to be a productive part of my community.

My work with the Osher Jewish Community Center also opened my eyes to the issues faced by other people. While my work included standard office duties such as filing and organization, my exposure to the way an organization works has made me more empathetic. I realized that the reason the center exists is to meet the various needs of community members. Whether they utilized sports programs, dance classes, day care or informative lectures, the community needed the services provided by the center. In many cases, the members had nowhere else to go to receive needed services, and I was proud to be a part of providing for people's needs.

Perhaps the most important part of my community service experience was that it prepared me for a lifetime of helping others. After this experience, I know that whatever future career I choose, it has to involve helping others in the community. My work and my coworkers at the center have taught me that I can find a career that is both fulfilling personally and beneficial to others. If I don't try to make a difference in the lives of others, I'm not truly meeting my potential and fulfilling my obligation to society.