November 16
@
1:30 pm
–
5:00 pm
EDT
Cultivating Jewish Climate Leadership in Southeast Michigan
The Adamah Detroit Community Summit is an annual gathering – coordinated by the members of the nearly 40 Adamah Detroit network organizations – to celebrate our accomplishments over the past year, create new connections, and provide learning opportunities to inspire, empower, and resource participants. The Summit aims to deepen the sense of community and to build knowledge and skills to increase the impact of the Detroit Jewish community’s environmental initiatives.
Join the members, lay-leaders, staff and clergy of Southeast Michigan Jewish organizations for an afternoon of learning and community building through diverse sessions and workshops that will inspire and empower this next chapter of our collective work.
This year’s Summit will feature breakout sessions on a variety of compelling topics, all developed and facilitated by Jewish leaders throughout the community. Sessions topics will include: empowering young people in environmental action; explorations of Jewish food values, climate impact on art and culture; climate action financing; Jewish environmental experiential education; and learning about the connection between a changing climate and our physical and mental health.
If you would like to sponsor this event as an individual or organization, please complete the form below.
Take A Look At Our Engaging Learning Sessions!
Leading with Joy: Climate Action and Engagement in Jewish Congregations
How can Jewish congregations become powerful hubs of climate action and community connection? In this 50-minute interactive session, we’ll explore how Jewish communities across the country are stepping up with joy, hope, and purpose to respond to the climate crisis. Rooted in our Jewish environmental values—such as bal tashchit (do not destroy), shomrei adamah (guardians of the Earth), and tikkun olam (repairing the world)—we’ll share stories, strategies, and opportunities for integrating environmental education, climate action, and joyful community events into synagogue life.
Whether you’re just beginning your congregation’s climate journey or looking to deepen existing efforts, this session will offer inspiration and practical ideas to increase engagement, build stronger communities, and live out our values in ways that are both meaningful and fun.
Tikkun Olam Begins at Home: Jewish Climate Action for Families
Our homes have always been sanctuaries—places of safety, nourishment, and connection. In this 50-minute session, we’ll explore how we can transform our homes into pillars of resilience in the face of climate change, drawing inspiration from Jewish values and traditions. From the food we eat to the rituals we practice, our homes offer powerful opportunities for climate action that are rooted in both sustainability and spirituality.
We’ll focus on practical steps that individuals and families can take to reduce their environmental impact, including mindful food practices, sustainable rituals, and using our sphere of influence to inspire change. Through the lens of Jewish teachings such as bal tashchit (do not waste) and shmirat ha-guf (caring for the body), we’ll discuss how small, intentional choices can create a more resilient and eco-conscious home.
The Health Impacts of a Changing Climate: Building Resilience for Body and Mind
As our climate continues to change, the health of our communities is increasingly at risk. From rising temperatures and increased heat exposure to the growing mental health challenges of climate anxiety and eco-grief, the impacts of a warming world are felt deeply in both body and mind. In this 50-minute session, we’ll explore how climate change is affecting public health and personal well-being, and how we can take steps to build resilience for ourselves and our families.
Joined by physicians and health experts working on the front lines of climate and health, we will hear firsthand accounts of the current physical and mental health impacts of climate change. These professionals will share insights into emerging health concerns—from heat-related illnesses to the mental toll of climate distress—and offer practical strategies to mitigate risks and foster resilience.
Art as Action: Climate Change, Expression, and Jewish Creativity
Art has long been a powerful vehicle for change, offering a way to express our deepest concerns, hopes, and visions for the future. In this 50-minute session, we’ll explore the intersection of climate change and creativity within the Jewish community. Hear from artists who are using their craft to address the environmental crisis, and learn how their work is both inspired by and responds to the urgency of a changing climate.
The session will also explore the role of Jewish values and traditions in shaping their creative process, and how art can amplify the call for tikkun olam (repairing the world) in the face of climate challenges.
But the session isn’t just about hearing from artists—it’s also about becoming one! Participants will have the opportunity to create their own art, using simple materials to express their thoughts, feelings, and hopes around climate change.
A Mitzvah Mindset: Fostering values of Shomrei Adamah (Guarding the Earth) and Tikkun Olam (Repairing the World) from a young age
As our children grow, learn, and evolve, they begin to identify their own passions and care causes. In this 50-minute session, we will explore how environmental stewardship is enacted in our community and ways in which our children and families can be Shomrei Adamah – Guardians of the Earth.
Joined by representatives from local organizations focused on food access, gardening and farming, and animal care, we will hear about the many volunteer opportunities available and appropriate for children and families, especially as they prepare for their b-nai mitzvah journey.
Teva and Torah: Integrating Nature Exploration and Jewish Connections for Engagement Professionals and Educators
What does our wisdom tradition have to say about the earth? How does ecology connect with being Jewish? Explore these questions in this interactive 50-minute session geared toward educators. We will dig into the cross sections of Judaism and environmentalism with nature games, text study, and group sharing.
Whether you’re a newer educator, a seasoned veteran, or part of our Jewish Environmental Educators Cohort, this session will offer inspiration and practical tools to bring into any season of your work and life!
Here Is What We’ll Be Doing! – Event Agenda Coming Soon!
If you would like to sponsor this event as an individual or organization, please complete the form below.
Adamah Detroit extends our deepest gratitude to our network of partners for their immense support and engaging collaborations! This event is a testament to our collective hard work, with its impact resonating throughout Detroit Jewish Community. Thank you for joining in partnership for this Summit and many collaborations to come!
Adat Shalom • Beth Israel Congregation • Congregation B’nai Moshe • Congregation Beth Ahm • Congregation Shaarey Zedek • Congregation Shir Tikvah • Detroit Jews for Justice • Dor Hadash Tamarack Camps • Habonim Dror Camp Tavor • Hebrew Day School – Ann Arbor • Hillel Day School • Hillel of Metro Detroit • Isaac Agree Downtown Synagogue • JARC • Jewish Family Service of Metro Detroit • Jewish Federation of Detroit • Jewish Ferndale • Jewish Senior Life • National Council of Jewish Women | MI • Michigan Hillel • Michigan Region BBYO • Repair the World: Detroit • T’chiyah • Temple Beth Emeth • Temple Beth El • Temple Emanu-El • Temple Israel • Temple Kol Ami • Temple Shir Shalom • The Jewish Community Center of Metropolitan Detroit • The Well • Yad Ezra
