For many college students, summer is a time for indulgence -- an opportunity to travel, chill and maybe pick up a few extra bucks working a menial job.

Others, however, reject the notion that summertime is synonymous with living easy. Instead, the interim between the spring and fall semesters is a rare opportunity to rub elbows with famous people, burnish their resumes -- and maybe do a little gophering -- while working to translate Jewish ideals into public policy. And they're willing to pay for the privilege.

Meet the summer interns, class of 2008, a select group whose members are now doing good -- and perhaps also laying the groundwork for doing well -- in the place that Jessica Davis unashamedly calls "the city that is basically the epicenter of democracy."

Washington, D.C., that is.

District-headquartered Jewish organzations spanning the ideological and denominational spectrum offer summer internships to idealistic and ambitous students from around the country, many of whom arrive starry-eyed and full of adrenaline. Some stay that way.

"This is the most exciting thing I've ever done," said Emily Berman, a 20-year-old from Louisville, Ky., who was placed in a position at the District-based Alliance for Justice by the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism. "I'm just soaking it all in. Even riding the Metro is really exciting."

The services interns perform range from answering phones to researching issues to attending hearings on Capitol Hill and synopsizing the proceedings for their superiors. Some receive a small stipend for their efforts, but most do not. Some, but not all, collect academic credits. In most cases, virtually all their expenses are paid out of pocket.

"Even so, I'm happy to be here," said Seattle's Harrison Rice, 20, who interns at the District office of the Jewish Policy Forum. "It's a pretty amazing experience."

Davis, a 19-year-old from Miami, is interning at Jewish Women International, also located in the District. Working primarily to implement the JWI initiative known as The Legal Project, Davis is helping build the organization's database that offers critical information for women who are victims of domestic abuse.

"I'm enjoying the real-world application of what I've been studying in school," said Davis, a junior at Muhlenberg College in Allentown, Pa., where she is majoring in political science and minoring in Judaic studies. "It's cool to see it all happening for real instead of just hearing about it in the classroom. I cannot imaging spending the summer anywhere else. Besides, I've always wanted to work in D.C. There's always something going on."

Davis, who is also interning in the Capitol Hill office of Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-Fla.), said she has chosen not to accept academic credits for her summer positions "because I'm already in pretty good shape credit-wise." Elsewhere on the ledger, however, there is a cost. Davis, who is not being paid for her services, is covering all expenses, which may total $5,000.

"I'm here strictly to gain experience," said Davis, who has not yet decided on a career.

Likewise, Rice, a senior at Boston University, said he is willing to pay for the opportunity to collect invaluable experience, establish important contacts and perhaps have an impact on the events of the day. His internship is unsalaried and he is not collecting academic credits for it.

Rice said he was attracted to IPF because of his interest "not just specifically in Israel, but the whole Middle East." Personal connections also played a role. His mother is a member of the IPF board and Rice knows M.J. Rosenberg, IPF director of policy analysis.

The job has many rewards, Rice said, but can be daunting, especially for newcomers. "I was basically five minutes into the job," he recalled, "and I was told to go to the Hill to cover a meeting and take notes. It was like, 'I'm here, now what do I do?' It was cool, but it was tinged with fear, rooted in intimidation."

Not knowing any better, Rice whipped out his notepad, essentially tried to transcribe the entire hearing and ended up penning a tome's-worth of frantic scribblings. "I tried to take notes on everything that happened," he said with a laugh. He has since learned to be more selective.

In addition to monitoring committee meetings, Rice also represents IPF at various events, schedules meetings with senators and congressional representatives, accompanies Rosenberg to private sessions with elected officials ("I usually just sit there quietly"), researches topics and writes a daily summary of media reports that is distributed to IPF members.

To gather material for the news summary, he spends each morning scouring sources for fact and opinion on the Middle East. "It's a great way to start the day," he said. "I've learned a lot about what is actually going on in the Middle East. It's almost like I can now almost predict what's going to happen next. You get a feel for the flow."

The only major downside to the job? "My girlfriend is in Hawaii, and I'm in D.C. Otherwise, I love it," said Rice, who has a major in public relations and a minor in political science. He has yet to settle on a career, although "it might be something in politics," he added.

One other perk: "It's a lot of fun going out to parties," said Rice, "and actually having something to talk about."

As Rice indicated, navigating the social scene is another important aspect of the summer-in-D.C. experience, according to several interns. In fact, Summer in DC is the name of a Facebook group that caters specifically to Jewish summer interns. Summer in DC is sponsored by several organizations, including Hillel: The Foundation for Jewish Campus Life, the Partnership for Jewish Life and Learning and the Jewish Federation of Greater Washington.

The site, which enables Jewish interns to connect with each other, offers an eclectic mix of summertime activities (most of them free), ranging from kayaking to Shabbat picnics to film screenings.

David Chaise, a 20-year-old from central New Jersey, is a relatively rare breed of Washington intern -- a young Jewish Republican. He works at the Republican Jewish Coalition in D.C., where his duties include covering hearings, trying to convince politicians to attend RJC functions, working with the media and taking phone calls from constituents and others.

"As someone who is Jewish and Republican, it's wonderful to work for an organization you believe in and have a cause you belong to," said Chaise, a senior at George Washington University with a major in international affairs. "It's particularly exciting during an election year because you're actually promoting a candidate you want to see elected."

Asked what it's like to be a Republican in Democratic-occupied territory, Chaise said: "I kind of like the challenge." He said he was a member last year of team of young Republicans who debated young Democrats at the GWU Hillel. "I like to think we won," said Chaise, who is paid a small stipend, but he declined to specify the amount. "Getting anything is a lot. It's an added bonus."

Internships that are coordinated by the denominations each come complete with their own support system that offers structure, instant companionship, Judaic content and fun activities.

One such example is the RAC's Machon Kaplan progam, a 30-year-old initiative that now has 26 participants. In addition to interning, participants attend Torah-study classes and participate in discussions that provide a Jewish take on workplace issues and other relevant topics. The Machon Kaplan package also features outings and other recreational activities. The price: $2,900 per intern, which includes three dinners per week and housing. Participation is worth up to six academic credits.

Machon Kaplan places interns with one of several nonprofit social justice organizations, including the District-based Food Reseach and Action Center, where Samantha Shabman, a 19-year-old from Scarsdale, N.Y., is working. Her current assignment is to compile a pamphlet on family nutrition-related issues. "Working in the heart of D.C. is inspiring," said Shabman, a sophomore at GWU who is considering going into law or rabbinics. "It really makes me want to work to make a change."

The Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregation of America operates an internship program under its Institute for Public Affairs. Thirteen students are participating this year, and they all live in adjacent townhouses in Georgetown that are provided by IPA. Supervising the program are Rabbi Mordy Friedman and his wife, Limor, who normally hold full-time positions under an OU initiative for students at the University of Pennsylvania.

"We see ourselves as a resource to enhance both the social and Torah-learning environment of the program and to help [the interns] in their personal and spiritual growth over the summer," said Mordy Friedman. That translates into Tuesday night group-learning sessions as well as several other opportunities each week to explore how Jewish values and interning intersect. Recreational outings are also a part of the program.

"I love it," said participant Miriam Ambinder, 20, a junior at Queens College in New York, who is majoring in political science and media studies. "I wanted a Jewish environment while being in the middle of everything in D.C."

Ambinder, who lives in Muncie, N.Y., is a legislative intern in the Capitol Hill office of Rep. Eliot Engel (D-N.Y.), where she does everything from conducting research for bills to conducting tours of the Capitol for constituents.

Ambinder is not paid, and she covers most of her expenses out of pocket. She is not receiving academic credit for her internship because she doesn't need it, she said. "But I could never have gotten this kind of experience anywhere else," added Ambinder, who is considering going into law.

The benefits, however, are mutual according to Ellen Teller, the director of governmental affairs at the Food Reseach and Action Center, which has employed summer interns for years. "They come to D.C. starry-eyed and they infuse our office with energy and revitalization," she said. "They ask lots of questions and push us to give answers. They remind us why we're doing what we do."