Avoda, or Avodah (Hebrew: עֲבוֹדָה), is a Hebrew word, literally meaning "work".
In a modern context, usually refers to business-type activities, it can also mean agricultural work and, more traditionally, serving God.
In its original, traditional sense, "avodah" was applied to sacrifices offered in Temple in Jerusalem. The word was also used to described the epitome of sacrificial rite, the complex and fraught main service of the The High Priest on Yom Kippur (The Day of Atonement). Today it refers to a liturgical reenactment of the aforementioned ceremony which is recited during the Musaf Amidah of Yom Kippur.
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In chassidism:
1. Avodah generally refers to Divine service (or worship). For example, it's part of the Divine service to serve God with joy.
2. "eizohi Avodah shebelev? zu Teffilah."[1] - What is the service of the heart? that is teffilah, prayer. That is why in chassidism there is a great emphasis on prayer
Avodah is one of the two words that underlie the ideology of Bnei Akiva. (The other is Torah).
In this ideological framework, the word was originally utilised in a strictly agricultural context. "Avodah" meant working on a kibbutz.
In more recent years, Bnei Akiva has had to redefine the terminology. Tens of thousands of its members currently live, or plan to live in an urban setting in Israel.
A strictly agricultural interpretation of Avodah therefore marginalises members.
Furthermore, it is generally perceived that the "needs" of Israel have developed somewhat since Bnei Akiva was founded. Draining malarial swamps and "turning the desert green" have assumed somewhat lower priorities than in earlier years. To give an example from exporting, Israel is now known for its high tech industries as much as for its Jaffa oranges.
The movement has therefore subtly redefined Avodah, to mean work that contributes towards the building up of the land of Israel.
AVODAH combines social justice work, Jewish learning, and community building into a program for recent college graduates. At locations in New York, Chicago, Washington D.C. or New Orleans, participants work full time at grassroots organization to create positive change on urban poverty issues such as hunger, literacy, public health, domestic violence, and housing. At the same time, they share a year living and learning with other young, Jewish adults to integrate social change and Jewish values in a pluralistic environment.
There are currently 45 participants bringing housing, education and other basic services to over 10,000 people each year and saving the organizations they work for more than half a million dollars. An alumni community of over 200 people furthers the work and learning once the participants complete the program.