Inspired by her Judaism, Greta Deerson has been actively involved in service and social justice sincebefore she can remember. When she was 3 she took her old clothes to be donated and met a girl herage who was the recipient of the donation. This contact impacted her more than the marches and rallies she attended around the same time. What Greta wasn't aware of then, which she tries to balance now, is the need for both direct and indirect programs to address urgent situations creating immediate impact alongside systemic change for the future. Deeply connected to Jewish values and ritual, Greta believes that striving for equality and justice for all helps her live an integrated Jewish life. Her mos timportant educational experience was producing a photo documentary of a woman's battle against breast cancer. Her most valuable work experience was at Camp Ramah Darom, where she served as a counselor, unit head and staff advisor. There she learned how to balance multiple priorities while she had fun, impacted the lives of Southern Jews and nurtured her soul. She is also a licensed social worker.
Greta inspires Jewish college students to make a difference in the world around them. She helps students match their skills and passions with the needs of the community. Students participate in every step of creating new initiatives, from building partnerships, recruiting, training and supervising volunteers, to studying Jewish connections and managing programmatic implementation. Through this process, students learn to understand themselves, as well as how they fit into the larger picture of the world. The work has many tiers of impact. It gets students involved directly in service projects and assesses their values and commitment when they face the inevitable frustrations that come alongside social justice work. They have opportunities to interact with people who are different from them in every way and learn to feel comfortable outside of their comfort zone. Additionally, as they make connections to others, they begin to think critically about the systemic issues causing social problems. In parallel, the needs of the communities that are impacted by the project are addressed in authentic ways that are identified through a grassroots collaborative process."
Greta inspires Jewish college students to make a difference in the world around them. She helps students match their skills and passions with the needs of the community. Students participate in every step of creating new initiatives, from building partnerships, recruiting, training and supervising volunteers, to studying Jewish connections and managing programmatic implementation. Through this process, students learn to understand themselves, as well as how they fit into the larger picture of the world. The work has many tiers of impact. It gets students involved directly in service projects and assesses their values and commitment when they face the inevitable frustrations that come alongside social justice work. They have opportunities to interact with people who are different from them in every way and learn to feel comfortable outside of their comfort zone. Additionally, as they make connections to others, they begin to think critically about the systemic issues causing social problems. In parallel, the needs of the communities that are impacted by the project are addressed in authentic ways that are identified through a grassroots collaborative process."
