Shamati trains and activates educators to support teens and college students leading climate work, and to build resilience in the face of climate emotions.
In September, Adamah launched Shamati, thanks to the tremendous support of the Covenant Foundation. Shamati, meaning “I have heard,” is a program designed to provide Jewish educators with tools to support young people grappling with climate change. We piloted the Shamati Educators Cohort, convening twenty-six Jewish educators (of middle, high school, and college students across North America) for six online sessions.
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Our understanding of climate emotion is still growing. We are so far behind the curve, and until now, we haven’t done a good job of showing that we care. That’s why it is incredibly important for us to take every opportunity to tell students that we hear them, and that we know this is real. If we can do that, instead of triggering seclusion and anxiety, climate emotions can become a new touchpoint for students to engage. We may have only met a few of them, but the students who are feeling deeply about climate change are out there, and they are seeking. They are looking for signs that it is safe to come talk about their feelings. Shamati is teaching me how I can become the resource that they find.
Shamati has been a great opportunity for me to learn different frameworks for understanding young people’s climate concerns and guiding them towards effective change – of themselves and the world they live in. Being in a cohort of other professionals who are just starting to do this work, and hearing from experienced educators who have been doing the work for a long time, has helped me to feel more confident that I can make a positive difference in the lives of young
people who are struggling.
A major throughline that permeates is how explicating our individual and collective stories can set us up to feel empowered instead of helpless. Because of this training, I have new tools for helping students to work through their own stories as they pave their own path to effective action.
At Stanford, students are looking for support, but they need to feel that it is right for them. Now our Hillel is a place where they can come and find a listening ear that takes them seriously and is ready to help them in the way that is best for their continued growth. Any Hillel wellness professional would find in the Shamati Initiative a wealth of resources for engaging with and programming for college students.
Rabbi Eli Weinbach
Rabbi and Director of Student Well-Being, Stanford Hillel