Exciting New Gifts for JNet Volunteers: An Appreciation Initiative
The popular Chavrusa matching platform recognizes its volunteer program by offering exclusive gifts as tokens of appreciation for their efforts. This new initiative ensures that both new and experienced JNet volunteers are rewarded for their invaluable contribution to Jewish education and outreach.
The initiative promises a $25 gift card to the JNet store upon signing up and matching with a chavrusa. Followed by a choice of educational gifts for the first 15 sessions completed. Volunteers choose between a year’s subscription to Chayenu, which features a wealth of Torah learning content including daily Chitas and Rambam cycles, or JEM.tv, which hosts a vast collection of the Rebbe’s farbrengen videos and educational films.
“We hope this initiative will give an extra boost to our dedicated mentors who continue to maintain their thriving relationships inspired by The Rebbe’s empowering call for every one of us to be a Shliach,” said Rabbi Mendy Kotlarsky, executive director of Merkos 302, JNet’s umbrella organization.
These gifts, provided in collaboration with Chayenu and JEM, are designed to enrich the volunteers’ personal Torah learning and hiskashrus as they mentor their chavrusas. This exciting new program acknowledges the volunteers’ commitment and also enhances their ability to mentor effectively, gaining access to invaluable resources that deepen their Torah knowledge and better equip them to inspire others.
“Learning with my chavrusa reminds me of how blessed I am to have been raised in a Chabad home,” said Esther Kosofsky from Springfield, MA. “It helps me see the depth and beauty of Yiddishkeit, how you can find comfort and guidance for every circumstance and appreciate the wisdom of our Rebbeim in helping us to teach people to take baby steps.”
Since its inception in 2005, and notably under the guidance of the late Rabbi Yehuda Dukes Z”L, JNet has connected thousands of chavrusas around the globe. For many, these weekly learning sessions have become a cornerstone of their Jewish life, fostering meaningful student-mentor relationships.
“This is a program that I wish was implemented when I first signed up to be a volunteer. I hope this inspires more people to join the network, bringing Moshiach closer, one chavrusa at a time,” said Rabbi Mendel Groner, current director of JNet at Merkos 302.
Volunteers track their progress by logging their sessions via a weekly text system. A vast library of online resources is available to volunteers to aid them in study sessions. From Hebrew reading curriculums to advanced Talmud tools, volunteers are assisted in teaching Jews of all abilities with ease.
Yosef Greenberg, a volunteer from Brooklyn, NY, shared his experience: “Knowing that there is another Jew that will learn one hour of Torah a week if I give them the call has pushed me out of my comfort zone and gave me a very strong sense of responsibility and consistency that I never had before. It’s been a few years now and we’ve never missed a session!”
JNet offers an accessible way for volunteers to integrate the Rebbe’s outreach mission into their daily lives. By dedicating just a half hour a week to studying with a fellow Jew, volunteers have a profound impact on both their own lives and those of their chavrusas.
To volunteer please visit jnet.org/volunteer
