Empowering a joyful, resilient generation of Jewish leaders on college campuses!
Adamah on Campus cultivates vibrant Jewish campus-life in deep connection with the earth, engaging thousands of college students across North America through Jewish environmental education, climate action, and community building.
Campus chapters lead Jewish transformative environmental and climate-focused community programming
Immersive experiences build community and center nature connection & collective action as key parts of this work
Fellowships train student leaders to build campus chapters and other professional development opportunities
In the wake of increasing climate disasters and anti-Semitism, young Jews know intimately the anxieties and challenges of growing up in a world rife with injustice and an uncertain future.
Adamah on Campus offers engagements opportunities for college students:
Gain the skills, knowledge, resources, and networks necessary to lead Jewish transformative environmental and climate programming
Participate in meaningful campus, regional, and immersive programming centered around Jewish environmental values, holiday celebrations, and actions
Strengthen personal Jewish identity and build meaningful relationships with other Jewish and non-Jewish students through a shared connection with the earth
Receive ongoing support from Adamah’s local and national staff team
A chapter might be built within a Hillel, an independent registered student organization or club, or something else! We know that every school is so different, so we will work with you to design and implement the best fit on your campus.
Chapters are equipped with resources, templates, and trainings for running programs related to a wide variety of topics, including interfaith bridge building, land stewardship, climate action, sustainable Jewish holiday celebrations, direct service, environmental education, nature connection, community building, and more. These examples are only a few of the many student leaders have designed and facilitated for their campus communities!
The University of Michigan chapter hosts a Reverse Tashlich (Tikkun HaYam program) trash pickup for the High Holidays.
The Brown chapter hosts a zero waste Tu B’Shvat seder using the JYCM, teen-created haggadah and eating dried fruits.
The Towson chapter made beeswax candles for Hanukkah, part of a waste reduction effort across the Hillel and a finals de-stress activity.
Students from Princeton and Brown came together in NYC for a March Against Fossil Fuels, phone-banking, and post-carding.
The USC chapter hosted a thrift shop / clothing swap event to raise money to be donated to a local land trust.
Muhlenberg Hillel launched a composting initiative at Earth Shabbat, with discussion of Jewish values of environmental stewardship.
The Columbia/Barnard chapter came together for a trash pickup at Riverside Park in NYC for a text study on Bal Tashchit, the Jewish value of not wasting.
Dickinson hosted an interfaith seed-bomb making event and discussed native plants, Jewish laws of cultivation, and held a documentary screening and discussion.
Syracuse/ESF went to a farmers market to learn about local produce during Sukkot and discussed themes of the holiday as well as Jewish agricultural laws.
FAQs
How did Adamah on Campus come to be?
Adamah on Campus has studied the best practices of successful social movements and has taken what we have learned from building the Jewish Youth Climate Movement (JYCM) in order to help students build Adamah on Campus from the ground up. We seek to take the parts most loved about JYCM and integrate them into Adamah on Campus in a way that best meets the desires and needs of college students.
After launching in 2023, Adamah quickly grew to 16 chapters, supported 50 student leaders, and reached 1500 individuals through campus-based programming in our first year. This year, we are excited to build on our first-year successes and pilot a Chapter Leaders Cohort as well as offer and/or support immersive experiences for our student leaders. Over the next 3 years, we seek to scale our programming to reach 100+ college campuses across the country, so that every Jewish student is empowered to bring their whole self to confront the challenges of this generation.
How are Chapters structured?
Chapters create and lead a minimum of 2 programs per semester that integrate Jewish environmental and/or climate-focused content. Examples of programs include:
Leading a Tu B’Shvat Seder or Eco-Shabbat
Phone banking or letter writing
Volunteering at a community garden
Hosting a workshop or training
When designing programs, we encourage you to think about how to integrate relationship building (both between students and across campus), which could include collaborating with Jewish, interfaith, and/or non-Jewish campus partners.
Adamah Campus Chapters have 1 or 2 student chapter leaders and 1 chapter advisor (Hillel professional, professor, etc). Our expectation is that the chapter is primarily student run and the role of the advisor is to provide on the ground support as needed. Beyond this, the chapter structure is up to you and your chapter. You know your campus best, so while we can offer recommendations, we encourage you to structure your chapter in whatever way works best for you! Our recommendation is to create a chapter student board of up to 5 students. This will help even out the workload and ensure teamwork and collaboration on all events. It will also create more buy-in across various stakeholders. Five is an effective board size because it is not too many schedules to work around, while still being large enough to run consistent programs and is small enough to ensure everyone has a meaningful role. The best boards involve a range of student years, skillsets, and networks on campus. For other campus specific questions about chapter structure, please work with your advisor.
If my campus doesn’t have a Hillel, can we still become a chapter?
Yes! While most of them are, chapters do not need to be affiliated with an organization. The only requirement is having a campus advisor. This could be someone from Chabad, the Judaic Studies Department, the Chaplain’s Office, or someplace else. You also can work directly with the university to get official club / registered student organization status. Additionally, we will do our best to connect you to other chapters in your region should you want to partner and expand your reach and impact. Our staff is here to support you through this process.
There is no chapter on my campus, and I don’t want to start one. Is Adamah on Campus for me?
Yes! Chapters are a far reaching and popular way to engage with us, but not the only way.
You can get connected with our Adamah Core Impact Hubs (Baltimore, Atlanta, Detroit, NYC, and Los Angeles), almost all of which have Adamah on Campus staff present in to run targeted community programming.
We host retreats, some regional, some national, so stay tuned about opportunities for immersive experiences with other college students.
We often post internships, so we recommend keeping an eye out on the careers page, signing up for our newsletter, or being in touch with us if this is of interest.
Increasingly, we host open, virtual events with guest speakers, workshops, campaign launches, etc.
Follow us on Instagram and register for our monthly newsletter (link ) to get all the updates!
What is the Adamah on Campus Chapter Leaders Cohort?
The Adamah on Campus Chapter Leaders Cohort consists of 1-2 student leaders from every Adamah on Campus chapter across the country. Students meet monthly. They run their local campus chapters, share resources and ideas, receive training and mentorship, serve as the connectors between their respective campuses, advisors, and Adamah, and more. These students support the success of Adamah on Campus, and their voices, vision, and leadership drive the work we do. The board ensures that everything we do is centering student passions and needs and accurately reflects campus life.
Can I have an Adamah on Campus Chapter if my organization is already a member of Adamah’s Jewish Climate Leadership Coalition?
Yes you can! You will receive support from both programs and from their designated staff persons. Joining the Coalition and submitting a climate action plan fulfills the Adamah on Campus “actions” requirement. Similarly, you can include becoming an Adamah on Campus chapter can be included in your organizations’ climate action plan. Please be sure to communicate with others in your organization about this overlap.
Can a chapter join mid-semester?
Yes! During an introductory meeting, students and Adamah staff can discuss the best plan of action based on time of year, foundation – aka precedent on the campus for this type of work, students ready to take on leadership, etc. We will work with you to determine when is the best fit to launch your chapter. As an example, if a prospective chapter reaches out in November, they will have the option to 1. complete the program requirements by December like the other chapters or 2. use the rest of the fall term to build interest, familiarize with resources, and then be held to running programs beginning in the spring term. This is in an effort to be most inclusive to the range of academic calendars and school structures that we work with. Either way, chapters will receive access to our resources upon signing their agreement.
Does Adamah on Campus offer any financial support to chapters?
We hope that the majority of your programs can be successful without funding (see activity bank for examples). Should you need some options for financial support, here are some options:
If you get university status as a registered club or student organization, you are likely eligible for funding.
If you are a chapter functioning through your Hillel, find out if there is a program budget. In most cases, there is some money for Tzedek (Justice) programming, student engagement, and holidays.
If your Hillel is participating in the Service Engagement Internship (SEI), students receive program dollars for designing and leading service activities.
There are small stipends available for actions (including travel and materials) for those who need. Please email shaina.morrel@adamah.org for more information about this. Check with your Hillel to see about creating a cross-organization program partnership!
Our staff is here to support you through this process. As our program continues to grow, we hope to be able to offer additional financial support to chapters.
I am a campus professional and want to bring Adamah on Campus to my students, how do I do that?
Amazing! You can fill out the interest form or email us and our staff will be in touch with you to set up some time to meet and get to know your campus interests/student needs. From there, we will direct you to finding 1-2 interested students on your campus that we can loop into a meeting to get them onboarded and launched as a chapter.
Does Adamah on Campus offer any resources, training, or support for Campus Professionals?
Yes!
We offer an amazing 6-week course for Jewish educators, called Shamati, a new initiative providing Jewish educators the tools to support young people grappling with climate change. Shamati integrates Jewish ancestral wisdom, tradition, text, and ritual to help Jewish professionals invest in the mental, emotional, and spiritual wellbeing of Jewish youth experiencing a range of climate emotions., as well as building the resilience of educators themselves in these unprecedented times.
We offer a quarterly Community of Practice in partnership with Adamah’s Jewish Climate Leadership Coalition and Hillel International about all the ways Hillels can connect with and utilize the resources from Adamah.
Adamah staff are always present at the Hillel International Global Assembly and other Jewish professional conferences.
We are open to leading virtual workshops, in person programs (location dependent), providing other resources, and more – let’s chat!
Madeline Canfield designs educational content, campaigns, and direct actions, having joined Adamah after years of organizing across the youth climate movement. She serves on the U.N. Environmental Programme Faith for Earth Youth Council and the board of The Shalom Center. She is a graduate from Brown University.
Liana is the director of Youth Empowerment at Adamah and co-founder of the Jewish Youth Climate Movement (JYCM). Liana oversees JYCM and Adamah on Campus, supporting Jewish teens and college students with taking climate action, and promoting climate justice within institutions. She is pursuing a MPA in nonprofit management and public service from NYU.
Marissa is a Southern California native and UC Berkeley College of Natural Resources graduate. She loves running by the ocean at sunset. She believes empowering Jewish youth is key to a sustainable future and thrilled to help grow Adamah on Campus in California.
Shaina comes to Adamah with a background in Jewish college engagement, having previously worked as a Hillel social justice Springboard Fellow. She is a graduate of George Washington University and enjoys traveling and cooking in her free time.
Eliana Hiam (she/her) is a senior at Barnard College studying Environmental Science. She is excited about being involved in the intersection of Judaism and environmental action. In her free time, she enjoys being in nature and crafting.
Jared is a native of Washington D.C. and went to Vassar College in New York, where he studied Political Science and Religion. He is so excited to be helping to build community for young Jews that are passionate about fighting the climate crisis.
“I started an Adamah on Campus chapter during the spring of my junior year after identifying an AMAZING opportunity to tap into a gorgeous network of likeminded, like-hearted college students embodying Jewish Environmentalism. Since joining the team, I’ve received nothing but radically kind support with programming, recruitment, and community building to better root Muhlenberg Jewish Life in environmental values. This connection has also helped shape my own Judaism. I think Adamah is my Judaism!”
Maddie D., Muhlenberg
“The most beautiful part of the retreat was the time I spent getting to know very passionate people in such an empowering environment. Each peer-to-peer discussion was so inspiring! I developed a neat collection of ideas that I’ve brought back with me. The most important parts of this retreat were the moments we spent reflecting on the experience as it was happening.”
Aviva M., Towson
“The past two years developing USC’s Adamah on Campus… I truly elevated my Jewish connection with not only the Earth but how I walk through life. Through Tu B’Shvat seders and climate conversations, Adamah on Campus reminded me how integral caring for the Earth is in Judaism as a whole.”
Emma C., USC
“Rather than having to outgrow and leave behind a movement I love, being a campus leader has allowed me to carry JYCM into the next chapter of my life along with me. Through our monthly workshops and check-ins, I’ve explored new areas of climate activism and learned how to apply these skills on college campuses.”
Raphi G., Princeton
“I am someone who has always been passionate about the environment and deeply connected to my Jewish culture, but it was not until I was connected with Adamah on Campus that I fully realized just how intertwined these two identities of mine are. It was so eye opening to see just how many people are dedicated to combatting the climate crisis in a Jewish way. Through Adamah on Campus I have been given tremendous leadership opportunities and feel that I have grown as someone who can take action for a cause that is important to me.”
[May 20, 2025] Since February, I’ve had the honor to study at the Arava Institute for Environmental Studies in Ketura, Israel. Here, I have had the opportunity to study with incredible peers and professors, and have made connections which will last far beyond the conclusion of the semester….
[February 24, 2025] We sat down with Shaina, a passionate Jewish community-builder and environmental advocate, to hear about her journey in the Greater Hartford Jewish scene, her love for sustainability, and the connections she’s fostering….
[February 12, 2025] As Jewish organizations across the country navigate growing antisemitism on college campuses, UCLA Hillel has had to deal with more: the LA wildfires. …
[January 10, 2025] Kol Yisrael Areivim Zeh Bazeh. We are all responsible for one another. As our Los Angeles community suffers devastating loss, we wanted to check in with you, as you, your family, and your friends are in our thoughts with the fire and evacuations. You are not alone in this; we at Adamah are here to support you….
[November 22, 2024] Learning about the psychology of the climate crisis and its potentially devastating effects,
especially on young people, inspired me to integrate personal resilience into my activities with students….
[May 20, 2025] Since February, I’ve had the honor to study at the Arava Institute for Environmental Studies in Ketura, Israel. Here, I have had the opportunity to study with incredible peers and professors, and have made connections which will last far beyond the conclusion of the semester….
