JOIN Frequently Asked Questions

What is JOIN?

• Established through an endowment by the Jeanette and Oscar Cook family in 1974, the Jewish Occupational Internship Program was created with the goal of providing Jewish young adults with professional work experiences, networking opportunities, and the chance to see the impact of communal service through a Jewish lens.

Who is eligible to apply?

• Full-time Jewish college or graduate students from the metro Detroit area. Applicants must have completed one year of college prior to the start of the program (i.e., high school seniors are not eligible to apply for the summer immediately after graduation).

What is the application timeline?

• The application for the summer program is available on the Gesher Human Services website from late November of the previous year. Applications are accepted through February.
• Upon submission of the application candidates are contacted by the program coordinator to schedule a virtual interview. At this time students are able to review the available agency placements and identify the intern roles that best align with their interests and professional goals.
• Finalists are selected in early March and go on to interview with the site supervisors at three of their top placements. Following these virtual interviews both student finalists and supervisors rank their choices, indicating with whom they would like to work. The coordinator reviews these rankings and completes the final matching of finalist to internship, notifying all participants by mid-April.

How are interns selected?

• Factors in selecting JOIN finalists include the initial coordinator interview, the student’s extracurricular and leadership involvement, and candidate references. Supervisor rankings following their finalist interviews hold the most weight in determining intern placement.
• Keep in mind that some placements are more highly sought after and therefore more competitive based on the interests and intended fields of the student cohort in any given application cycle. Because it is typical for some finalists to withdraw from the selection process throughout the spring, interested students are encouraged to remain in consideration for an internship until all placements have been assigned and accepted.

How many placements are available?

• The number of interns varies each year depending on the needs of the participating agencies. However, there are typically 12-15 placements in each JOIN cycle.

When will candidates to be matched to internship placements?

• Typically, finalists are notified in mid-April whether they have been matched to an internship.

What does a typical week of JOIN look like?

• Interns have a 35-hour work week. Monday – Thursday (28 hours) are spent working at the assigned agency; on Fridays the intern cohort engages in professional seminars, typically held at the participating organizations or at Gesher Human Services in Southfield.
• Most agency work is completed in person, though some interns have the option for a hybrid schedule as mutually agreed upon by intern and supervisor. Daily tasks vary based on the placement agency, but may include department meetings, community programming, data entry, database management, donor correspondence, and engaging with participants or residents.
• Seminars include speakers, presentations, guided tours, networking with agency leadership, and hands-on activities that provide context for the organization’s role in the community.

What fields are relevant to the JOIN internship?

• JOIN placements include a wide range of agencies that serve the community in a variety of ways. Students work alongside communal professionals in the following fields:
• Nonprofit Business Administration | Marketing & Communications | Human Resources Senior Services | Community Outreach & Advocacy | Social Work & Counseling | Program Planning Development & Fundraising
• However, JOIN interns develop transferable skills and create contacts beyond the listed disciplines. The program is not limited to specific courses of study and all interested candidates are encouraged to apply.

How much are interns paid?

• The current hourly pay rate for interns is $15. Payroll is processed biweekly for the duration of the program.

Which organizations participate in JOIN?

• JOIN sites vary slightly from year to year depending on the budget, staffing, and programming needs of the area communal agencies. Applicants are provided with specific information about each confirmed placement ahead of their initial interview.

• Past agencies have included:
  • Jewish Federation of Detroit | Jewish Senior Life | Jewish Family Service | Hebrew Free Loan Tamarack Camps | Hillel Day School | Gesher Human Services | The J – Detroit | Repair the World Adamah | Isaac Agree Downtown Synagogue

How can interested students prepare for the application process?

• Have a current resume that outlines prior leadership, extracurricular activities, and employment; ensure that it also reflects your educational and professional goals.

Testimonials from JOIN alumni:

“This was a great learning experience; it gave me an opportunity to see how a nonprofit works. It was a positive work environment with a diverse set of tasks throughout the 8 weeks.”

“Building relationships with program participants was beyond rewarding.”

“I felt as though I was making a difference in my community because I was working for Gesher. I loved being able to see all of my hard work come to fruition.”

“I couldn’t have gained more experience from this; it was truly a valuable experience.”

“I worked with every team member my organization at some point and made so many new connections.”

“I processed over 100 college loans applications and got to see how over 1 million dollars was distributed.”

“I will never forget this experience. These eight weeks have been the best, and I have learned so much that I will take with me both in my personal and professional life. I am going to miss Yad Ezra and the staff so much.”

“The entire Federation office did a great job of keeping me busy with projects from all departments. I rarely felt bored or like I had nothing to work on. I really was able to learn so much about the Jewish federation and how they function both internally and externally in our Jewish community.”