I’m leaving behind despair… I’m taking with me the kaleidoscopic gorgeous array of life, the energetic, dynamic and filled with “chutzpah” people we’ve met. – Ana Levy-Lyons, tour participant

WHAT A WEEK.
Just one week ago, we embarked on Adamah-NY’s first Roots and Resilience environmental journey to Israel.

Landing in Israel on a Friday afternoon was a powerful moment. From the air, I took in the valleys, quarries, cities, and green hills of my homeland—almost like the pilot had arranged a personal aerial tour. It turned out the slower descent wasn’t just for my benefit—it was due to a missile launched from Yemen. It was the first of five we experienced that week. While those moments were certainly felt, they didn’t break our spirit. They did, however, create a big BALAGAN (our first new Hebrew word, which means chaotic situation) in the flight plans of our incredible group participants.

Embracing complexity—and exploring “roots and resilience,” as the journey’s name suggests— was our motto from day one. With the support of UJA Federation of NY’s DAJ (Diversity, Action, and Justice) Committee, we explored our deep-rooted connection to the land, the adamah, the planet, and to Israel—our historical, ancestral, and living homeland.

As environmentalists, climate activists, and nature lovers, we reflected on “roots” in many shades of green. But this journey wasn’t only about exploring our personal roots and resilience (though delayed flights, late-night sirens, and shelter runs at 2am was certainly part of it!). It was also about engaging in climate action, regional environmentalism, and how those intersect with Israel’s complex geopolitical and security realities.

We considered how physical security resilience and climate resilience are deeply intertwined—especially in times of war.

Why would a group of Jewish environmentalists come together to explore all this? What could possibly be Jewish about climate action? And how is talking about mitigation and adaptation in Israel relevant to our work in New York?

Our tour set out to explore exactly these questions—and more. We aimed to deepen participants’ understanding of Israel’s environmental landscape and how it intersects with the country’s internal and external socio-political challenges. We also wanted to highlight Israel’s cutting-edge environmental innovations and draw connections to the challenges we face in New York—especially around rapid development, population growth, and climate adaptation.

Equally important was the goal of connecting peoplehood and planethood—creating a supportive, values-driven network for Jewish professionals working in climate fields. Many of them have experienced isolation in their workplaces, often facing anti-Israel or antisemitic rhetoric. This journey was a space for solidarity, learning, and meaningful connection.

We did SO MUCH! A few highlights are shared below, and you can view the full itinerary here.

One of the most inspiring stops was our visit to the Shapira neighborhood in South Tel Aviv. There, residents have built a thriving community compost program, a productive vegetable garden, and—amazingly—their own sustainable currency: Lira Shapira. The currency is based on composted food scraps: for every kilo of food waste, you receive 1 Lira Shapira (equal to 1 shekel), which can be used to purchase fresh produce and goods within the local community. A beautiful model of circular economy in action!

In East Jerusalem, we toured with Palestinian urban planner Tareq Nasser, who works with Palestinian women involved in the Sinsila project. Together, they’re practicing placemaking—transforming neglected or underutilized spaces into vibrant, life-giving places. Through rooftop gardens, beekeeping, and community engagement, they are fostering both environmental renewal and social mobility in an area that deeply needs both.

We spent a day at the Lower Jordan River and the Dead Sea learning about its alarming ecological decline and the local coalition working tirelessly to save it; We also visited sustainable desert communities in both recognized and unrecognized Bedouin villages, where residents are blending traditional practices with cutting-edge climate technologies—like solar energy, biogas, atmospheric water generation, composting, and off-grid sewage treatment. These innovations are helping them grow crops, raise herds, and advance education in incredibly challenging, off-the-grid conditions.

Throughout the journey, we met incredible entrepreneurs who aren’t just building climate solutions—they’re also pushing for policy change and working to educate the public and decision-makers alike. One highlight was our visit to Jerusalem’s central produce market, where we learned about Metzilot HaMazon (The Food Rescuers). They treated us to a delicious lunch made entirely from rescued food—items that would have otherwise gone to waste. Beyond the amazing flavors, we were inspired by their mission: promoting food security, community engagement, and food system education, all powered by a dedicated team of volunteers.

Following a gut-wrenching and deeply humbling visit to the Nova Festival site, we met with Rabbi Avi Dabush, CEO of Rabbis for Human Rights—a resident of the area and a survivor of the October 7th massacre. Our conversation with Avi, held while overlooking Gaza and reflecting on the immense suffering of the Palestinian population just miles away, helped ground this moment in both political, emotional, and spiritual context. His unwavering commitment to hope, justice, and the pursuit of peace—even in the face of unimaginable darkness—was profoundly moving and inspiring.

Amidst all the powerful learning and reflection, we also had a LOT of fun! Our days were full of joy, laughter, and unforgettable moments. We explored vibrant shuks (outdoor markets), indulged in extraordinary vegan food, went stargazing, walked to the Kotel (Western Wall), and visited the beautiful Gazelle Valley Nature Reserve—a space preserved and protected thanks to a passionate community-led effort.

We spent our final days in Tel Aviv, soaking in its beauty, warmth, and vibrant energy—while continuing to learn. Our focus turned to climate innovation and sustainability at the local government level. We explored how the municipality is working to create a more walkable city, expanding micro-mobility options, and integrating mass transit projects.

We also learned how Tel Aviv is planning for the future—how growth projections for the Gush Dan metropolis are being aligned with climate vulnerability data (including extreme heat, sea level rise, and coastal erosion), prompting ongoing rethinking of sustainable urban development.

These days sparked rich conversations within our group—reflections on the parallels with New York’s own challenges, and exciting ideas about cross-fertilization and future collaboration.

Through powerful conversations with inspiring speakers and exposure to meaningful, innovative work at the municipal, regional, and national levels, we filled our buckets—with hope, knowledge, lived experiences, and many, many beautiful new relationships.

One of the core motivations behind this journey was to support American Jewish environmentalists and climate activists—especially at a time when holding both of those identities can feel isolating. During our meeting with one of Israel’s greatest climate activists, former MK Dov Khenin, now Chair of the Israeli President’s Climate Forum, he offered us a powerful reminder:

Don’t give up on Israel [on your conversation with others, especially progressive Jews]… because when you give up on Israel, you’re giving up on us—the people.

This journey reminded us that hope is a renewable resource—and that by staying connected to each other, to our values, to the land and to all its people, we can continue to lead with strength and purpose.

Dr. Shahar Sadeh, Adamah NY Founding Director and Tour Leader

The post Adamah-NY’s first Roots and Resilience Environmental Journey to Israel appeared first on Adamah.

Bringing the themes of Passover to Earth Day, we connected with our partners at Adamah to discuss, “How can we all be free from environmental injustices?”. Read on for a conversation between Recustom’s Partnerships Manager, Jessica and Madeline, the Youth Empowerment, Education and Actions Manager at Adamah, the largest Jewish environmental organization in North America.

At Recustom, we provide tools to DIY Jewish rituals. Our full content library is free to explore here. And, you can learn more about how to connect with Adamah here. 

Jessica: I would love to hear a bit about your background and work with Adamah. 

Madeline: At Adamah we’re trying to catalyze vibrant contemporary Jewish life in connection with the earth. My focus is working with young people to do climate action, organizing, and education, which is rooted in Jewish environmental teachings, traditions and rituals.

Passover is both a call to environmental thinking and a call to climate justice work. It’s about liberation and finding autonomy in that process of collective liberation. My own background as a a young person who has experienced the front lines of the climate crisis in the Gulf South, who has been in a lot of movements, and who has watched the Jewish community suffer at the hands of climate change, both through experiencing things life wildfires and floods, particularly in my hometown, and who has watched the roots of Jewish tradition be jeopardized by changing climate patterns. All of this has brought me to my work at Adamah.

Jessica: Could you share a bit more about how you understand climate action to be a Jewish value and where you see that value ultimately intersecting with Passover? And, how might we bring this understanding into our day to day? 

Madeline: In Passover, so much of the tradition is rooted in the turning of the season, connecting with the foods that are available to eat seasonally. At the same time, we’re abstaining from wheat, from chametz. Therefore, we can draw this understanding of collective liberation coming from a process of figuring out what in our lives we want to take out, in order to move from narrowness into expansiveness. I think the climate crisis shows us the ways that we have fixated on a narrow understanding of what it means to produce and consume, based on a model of extraction from the land that is not regenerative and frankly, not aligned with Jewish time or practices. 

Passover is an opportunity to root out the many systems of oppression that brought us to the current moment: racism, white supremacy, unequal economic systems, anti-semitism. Passover is this big liberation holiday in which a relationship to land and an attunement to the time of year is put into relationship with justice. That’s a lot of what fighting the climate crisis is. It’s an opportunity to see how a different mode of relating to land, to agriculture, to resource extraction, renewable energy, to economy, can also be an opportunity for justice for so many marginalized groups that have suffered at the expense of the systems that have enabled the climate crisis historically.

Jessica: There is a broad spectrum of backgrounds who might be represented at a seder table: Jewish people, friends of Jewish people, people attending their first seder, people in interfaith relationships, and more, each with their own connection to the climate crisis. What advice do you have for hosts, who want to bring these ideas into their next seder or gathering?  

Madeline: The entrypoint that comes to mind are the plagues. There is a tradition in liberal seders in recent decades of talking about modern day plagues in connection to the climate crisis.

What I think needs to be probed more deeply is that the plagues are not these injustices that are festering in Egyptian society that the Israelites are rooting out in their liberation tale. Rather, they are inflicted upon the Egyptians in the process of liberation. So, they’re really complicated. They’re fraught because what they demonstrate is that the process of coming into a better future of freedom, sometimes has measures of violences that come as a side effect, or even a deliberate response. And that’s really complicated. When we think about the climate crisis, there’s a lot that needs to change in our world. We’re experiencing how, when those in power don’t shift, the consequences are like plagues. I think there’s a lot of interesting room for conversation there.

We can interpret the plagues and climate disasters as the ways that people suffer at the hands of their leaders. The Egyptian people are different from Pharaoh, and yet everybody, and sometimes including the Israelites (but mostly including the Egyptians) suffer from the plagues. From there we can draw parallels to the ways that the climate crisis is manifesting for everybody. What losses might happen? What would we actually need to think of ourselves as shifting and what might feel tense? What pleasures or privileges do we feel like we’re losing on a shifting planet? And actually, how can we transcend that mindset of narrowness and loss to the expansiveness of getting out of narrowness into a justice oriented to climate justice?

The practice of storytelling and the plagues, particularly thinking that you personally came out of Egypt and being in conversation with our descendants and ancestors are really ripe topics for understanding the meaning of the climate crisis as an emotional, somatic, intergenerational experience and an imperative to action today. 

Jessica: How might hosts empower attendees to bring their own stories to the table? And, to feel empowered to talk about something that could feel sensitive and challenging?

Madeline: I love a good discussion prompt. What’s beautiful about the seder is that in the enactment of the ritual, everything is thematic, everything has meaning to be parsed, and that meaning is really oriented in time. It’s not just that we’re telling the story of the past. We’re figuring out why this past has meaning to us today. 

I would recommend finding one or two resources that resonate and preparing a few discussion questions to invite in conversation. Ask participants to share their own stories– maybe you, as the leader, could model telling a story first, making a connection between the personal, collective, and present moment. I think there are lots of different ways to do it. What’s beautiful about Jewish ritual is that it’s always an invitation to interrogate our current world and how it shapes our understanding of the past into the future in creative ways.

Check-out discussion prompts from Adamah for your next seder or to use year round on Recustom and explore Adamah’s full Passover 2025 resource here.

The post From Passover to Earth Day appeared first on Adamah.

Global temperatures continue to rise, breaking records every year; fires, floods and other extreme weather events are increasing at a rapid pace. 

As climate change accelerates, individuals and organizations are looking for ways to address climate concerns, invest in sustainability, protect our waters and make sure our critical resources, such as food, are used responsibly.

The Associated: Jewish Federation of Baltimore is at the forefront of these efforts. More than a decade ago, it made a decision to go green, beginning with recycling, then moving on to a Green Loan Fund and solar power.  

“That decision,” says Ben Gershowitz, vice president of facilities at The Associated, “is part of our corporate mission and values, which is deeply rooted in the teachings of Jewish culture. It drives our commitment to be good stewards of the environment.”  

The Associated recognizes that by investing in the environment and safeguarding our resources today, we will leave a better, more sustainable world for our children and grandchildren.

Last year, The Associated became the only Jewish federation to be a founding member of the Jewish Climate Leadership Coalition, powered by Adamah, the largest Jewish environmental organization in North America. As a member, the organization released a Climate Action Plan that outlined the strategic efforts for The Associated network. 

Here are a few ways The Associated is leading the effort to address the growing threat of climate change. 

The post The Associated: Jewish Federation of Baltimore at the Forefront of Environmental Efforts appeared first on Adamah.

“The scale of the crisis requires more than just individual efforts,” Sonnenfeldt says. “We need coordinated leadership, significant investment, and a commitment to both mitigation and adaptation. Jewish Climate Trust is here to drive that effort.”

The Growing Threat to Israel and Jewish Communities
Climate change is not a distant threat—it’s already reshaping daily life. In Israel, temperatures have risen more than 3.3°F since the country’s founding. Heat waves, wildfires, and droughts are becoming more intense. “Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, and Be’er Sheva already experience 100°F days,” Sonnenfeldt points out. “What happens when there are five or six consecutive days at that temperature? What happens if there’s a power outage at the same time?”

Extreme heat isn’t the only concern. Rising sea levels threaten coastal cities, and shifting weather patterns are fueling destructive storms. Around the world, Jewish communities from California to Florida to Europe face escalating climate disasters. “We saw what happened with the fires in Los Angeles, the hurricanes in North Carolina,” Sonnenfeldt notes. “These are not isolated events—they are part of a pattern. We can’t afford to ignore it.”

From Individual Action to Collective Impact
While many Jewish philanthropists have supported climate efforts individually, the Jewish Climate Trust is designed to bring these efforts together for greater impact. “The Jewish community has always understood the power of collective responsibility,” Sonnenfeldt says. “We punch far above our weight in so many areas—why not climate?”

Bronfman, a longtime advocate for environmental causes, has brought his own strategic vision to the table. Together, he and Sonnenfeldt are ensuring that the Jewish Climate Trust is not just a fund, but a movement.

The Jewish Climate Trust has big, bold goals on:
Mitigation: Curbing global warming by dramatically reducing greenhouse gases
Adaptation: Building climate resilience so communities can survive and thrive in a changing environment
Innovation: Channeling ingenuity to create positive, scalable change within and beyond our own communities

To achieve this, JCT will work on:
Research: Working proactively to ask big questions, and to find mechanisms and partners to drive significant positive change.
Strategic Venture Philanthropy: Strategic means being data-driven and focused on solving big problems. Venture means they are willing to take risks, working with a range of partners to establish new projects, coalitions or organizations. They ask not only how likely the work is to succeed, but also how much it will matter if it does.
Engaging Jewish Leaders: Most Jewish leaders agree that we must address the climate crisis. But its complexity can seem overwhelming. They are here to listen and learn – and to offer credible, specific pathways to effect change.

The group has already raised $18 million from ten philanthropists. Their initial work includes a $3 million grant over three years to support Jewish climate action in North America and $3 million commitment over three years to strengthen Israel’s environmental sector, specifically NGOs focused on climate work. This includes support for Adamah and the Jewish Climate Leadership Coalition. JCT is also beginning to work on regional cooperation with Israel’s neighbors on climate security.

The Jewish Climate Trust is also investing in solutions beyond traditional philanthropy. “We are focused on venture philanthropy and innovation,” Sonnenfeldt explains. “We need new technologies, better policies, and smarter infrastructure. The private sector has a huge role to play in this.”

A Moment of Opportunity—and Urgency
The launch of the Jewish Climate Trust comes at a critical time. The new U.S. administration has pulled out of the Paris Climate Agreement and rolled back key environmental protections. Meanwhile, climate-related disasters are becoming more frequent and severe. “Even if you support this president on some issues, there is no denying that these climate policies are putting future generations at risk,” Sonnenfeldt warns. “This is not about politics—it’s about physics. The laws of nature don’t negotiate.”
Despite these challenges, there is momentum building. More Jewish organizations are setting climate goals, more philanthropists are stepping up, and more Jewish leaders are recognizing that climate action is an essential part of Jewish responsibility. “We are not required to complete the task, but neither are we free to desist from it,” Sonnenfeldt says, quoting Pirkei Avot.

A Call to Jewish Philanthropists
The Jewish Climate Trust is inviting others to join in this work. “We don’t just need money—we need leadership,” Sonnenfeldt emphasizes. “We need Jewish philanthropists, investors, and institutions to integrate climate into everything they do. This is the defining challenge of our time.”

For those who have not yet engaged on this issue, the message is clear: Now is the time. The Jewish Climate Trust offers one powerful way to get involved, but the broader movement needs everyone. “When our grandchildren ask us what we did about climate change,” Sonnenfeldt says, “we want to be able to look them in the eye and say: We stepped up. We did our part.”

The question now is: Whether it is through the Jewish Climate Trust or other efforts, who else will step up to join them?

Written by: Jennifer Laszlo Mizrahi

The post Jewish Climate Trust: A Call to Action appeared first on Adamah.

March 24, 2025

This week sees the public debut of Jewish Climate Trust, a new think-and-do tank which we co-founded and co-chair. Its mission is to improve the performance of both the Jewish people and the state of Israel in relation to the climate crisis. 

We want to explain not only why this is vitally necessary but also how, as philanthropists and Jewish leaders, we can step up on this issue.

We have both been involved in Jewish life, philanthropy and environmental protection for more than three decades. In the last year or two it became clear that, whatever we have each accomplished thus far, more — much more — is needed.

The planning for Jewish Climate Trust preceded the devastating fires in Los Angeles, last summer’s fire in Jasper National Park in Alberta, Canada, the hurricanes that destroyed much of Asheville, N.C., the recent drought in Israel, and the shocking reversal of climate policies by the new U.S. administration. But those developments underscore how vital it is that we — all of us — step up to make a greater difference for the world.

January’s L.A. fires caused damage on an unprecedented scale. They were exacerbated by changes in the climate already caused by human behavior in the past, but what is even more striking is that, like the Oct. 7 invasion of Israel, they also represent a failure of catastrophe planning. Addressing climate change requires reducing greenhouse gas levels, and it also means — especially in relation to Israel and its neighbors — planning now for future extreme weather events. If we do not plan now for the inevitable catastrophic risks in the future, we will by our inaction amplify the devastating impact of near-certain future events, condemning our children and grandchildren to a far bleaker future than they deserve. 

The world’s average annual temperature is rising, and the average annual temperature in the Middle East is increasing at a faster rate than the global average. It has risen by more than 3.3°F since the establishment of the state of Israel. Increases in average temperatures significantly understate the increase in climate-related weather disasters. We have all seen the increase in extreme weather events in recent years. “One-in-a-thousand-year” weather events are happening rather too frequently. 

We already experience individual days that hit 100°F in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and Be’er Sheva. What happens if, a few years from now, we have five or six consecutive days at those temperatures, or higher still? In the summer of 1995, the city of Chicago had five such days, and that heat wave caused an estimated 739 heat-related deaths in a city of 2.8 million. A similar heatwave in Israel, a country of 10 million, might cause thousands of heat-related deaths. And those Chicago numbers came from partial power outages and partial loss of air-conditioning. If you had a major power outage in Israel during a heatwave — or a terrorist attack on one of Israel’s main power stations — the death toll would be immeasurably greater.

It is against this backdrop that the new U.S. administration has pulled out of the Paris climate accords and advanced policies to undo environmental protections and transitions to clean and renewable energy. Even if you support this president on some issues, these actions are tragically irresponsible to future generations.

We know that as a Jewish community we face a wide range of other challenges, but they can no longer distract us from significantly raising our game on climate now. We are not required to complete the task — but neither are we free to desist from it.

What, then, can we do?

Jewish Climate Trust exists to make a difference on mitigation, adaptation and innovation; to do so in North America, Israel and around the world; and to effect change through research, strategic venture philanthropy and engaging Jewish leaders and other leaders around the world.

It’s worth unpacking some of these words.

“Adaptation” means starting to plan — seriously — for extreme weather events coming down the pike. We want to prepare to survive and thrive even on a changing planet.

“Mitigation” is our moral obligation today. We must double down on reducing greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Each one of us, including every Jewish institution, synagogue, school and JCC, must reduce our own annual greenhouse gas emissions and spend hard dollars to offset those emissions we cannot reduce.

“Innovation” is shorthand for our determination to see the Jewish people punch above our weight on climate. Jews are only 0.2% of the world’s population, but 22% of Nobel Prize winners. Can’t we aim for a similarly outsized impact on solving the climate crisis, creating positive change within and beyond our communities? In this, the private sector and the world of investment and finance have a significant role to play.

We are determined to do all that we possibly can to amplify our own positive impact, and to be a resource to help others to step up.

Among our first decisions at Jewish Climate Trust, we have committed $3 million to develop and accelerate a Climate Action Plan for the American Jewish community, supporting Adamah, its Jewish Climate Leadership Coalition and a range of associated projects as they work with Jewish institutions across North America to catalyze real change on the ground.

In Israel, we have committed another $3 million towards a field-building process, to help environmental organizations develop a joint strategy on climate and to help them build capacity. We also intend to work on regional cooperation with Israel’s neighbors on climate security, and to encourage rebuilding efforts in Israel’s north and south to seize every opportunity to minimize carbon emissions and build as much resilience as possible to create a more livable future.

Our greatest determination is not in relation to our own grantmaking, nor in relation to a range of special projects that we intend to develop and to catalyze. It is to leverage philanthropic resources from within the Jewish community and beyond. Jewish Climate Trust is a funding collaborative. We are here to talk privately and seriously with other funders. We know the range of challenges we all face. But we also know our obligation to future generations.

That’s one of the reasons we’ve invested in building a world-class team. We’re happy to announce that our most recent hire is Galit Cohen, who joins Jewish Climate Trust as Israel director. Galit was head of climate at Institute for National Security Studies, and before that she was director general of Israel’s Ministry of Environmental Protection. She joins us, alongside Nigel Savage, Sarah Indyk and our remarkably accomplished staff, because we’re determined to have the capability to catalyze change in North America, Israel and globally, addressing a wide range of issues and engaging a wide range of stakeholders.

If you have not yet stepped up on climate and yet you know, on some level, that we all must now act, please be in touch. Jewish Climate Trust exists to help Jewish philanthropists and institutions increase the impact of their commitment to climate. We will be proud when we are able to look our grandkids in the eye and share what we did to address this crisis. 

We hope you will join us.

Stephen Bronfman is the founder and co-chair of Jewish Climate Trust. He co-chairs the Claudine and Stephen Bronfman Family Foundation in Montréal, is the executive chairman of Claridge Inc. and is the longest-serving board member of the David Suzuki Foundation. In his business and philanthropic endeavors, Stephen seeks opportunities for achieving exceptional results in the economic, social and environmental spheres.

Michael Sonnenfeldt is the co-founder and co-chair of Jewish Climate Trust. He is the chairman of MUUS & Company and MUUS Climate Partners, founder and chairman of TIGER 21, and president of the Goldman-Sonnenfeldt Foundation. Michael dedicates his time, leadership and resources to addressing climate change and supporting Israel, Middle East peace, national security, income equality, education and preserving democracy.

The post Jewish Climate Trust — why now? appeared first on Adamah.

Beyond funding upgrades, UJA is investing in training. Through a partnership with the Urban Green Council, 75 facility directors from 22 agencies have participated in a 12-hour course on increasing energy efficiency. “It’s a small price to do these trainings, but an incredible outcome,” says Lindsey Fortin, a UJA Planning and Grants associate and member of UJA’s “Green Team.” 

The initiative is now expanding to approximately 600 synagogues and 300 day schools throughout the eight-county New York metro area. To be considered for one of these grants, agencies must be a member of the Jewish Climate Coalition, created by Adamah, the largest Jewish environmental organization in North America, whose vision is to cultivate vibrant Jewish life in deep connection with the earth. 

“Adamah is the expert on Jewish environmental education and action,” says Annette Powers, UJA Green Team member and director of synagogue strategy.

For many smaller agencies, navigating local energy laws is a major challenge. UJA is stepping in to provide guidance, helping them understand regulations and avoid costly fines.  

“We’re not tackling the flashiest part of climate change,” says Powers. “We aren’t talking about oceans and trees. We are talking about boilers and light bulbs. They may not be as pretty, but they really make a difference when you’re talking about large institutions.” 

With each upgrade, Jewish institutions are reducing costs, protecting the environment, and redirecting funds to the programs that matter most — ensuring a stronger, more resilient community for years to come.     

The post Powering Change: UJA’s Energy Initiative Helps Communities Thrive appeared first on Adamah.

ecoAmerica unveiled the 10 finalists for the sixth annual American Climate Leadership Awards (ACLA), the nation’s premier recognition program honoring outstanding efforts to expand climate advocacy and action with $200,000 in awards. Chosen from a competitive pool of over 260 applicants by a distinguished panel of national judges, these organizations and individuals exemplify leadership in driving local, state, and national climate solutions. Together, they will share $155,000 in awards, celebrating their innovative approaches and commitment to a sustainable future.

“Our changing climate and shifting weather patterns are impacting communities across America right now. This isn’t someone else’s problem — we all have a role to play in reducing climate pollution and ensuring our homes and communities are resilient,” said ecoAmerica President Bob Perkowitz. “ Amid these challenges, individuals and organizations are stepping up and making a real difference. The 2025 American Climate Leadership Awards celebrates their leadership and innovation, sharing their successes to inspire and empower us all to take action for a sustainable future.”

The American Climate Leadership Awards honor schools, health organizations, faith institutions, everyday individuals, youth, and many others with outstanding performance across the following criteria:

1. Measurable impact and a track record of success
2. Replicability
3. How the initiative is broadening participation in climate action by engaging new audiences not typically involved in the climate movement
4. Innovation, including new, novel, or uniquely effective tactics 
5. Effective storytelling, including demonstrating the success of how your program built public support and/or political will to slow and/or stop climate change or prepare or build resilience to it

Register here for the April 16 American Climate Leadership Awards broadcast, to celebrate all finalists and hear the announcement of the winner, runner-up, and youth winner, who will receive $50,000, $25,000, and $10,000 in total awards respectively.

The finalists in the youth category, each receiving at least $5,000 for work up to the state level:

• Alexia Leclercq
• Bay Area Youth Climate Summit
• Carolyn He – Project Green Schools
• Golda Och Academy (GOA) Chapter of the Jewish Youth Climate Movement (JYCM)
• Pencil 2 Planet
• Prairie Restoration Crew – St. Mark’s School of Texas
• Siddhan Shah – Quest Science Center
• SEI Climate Corps
• Silicon Valley Youth Climate Action

Read more about the selection process HERE.

ecoAmerica is a nonprofit organization that moves society toward climate solutions by engaging and supporting trusted national institutions to inspire and empower their millions of members in local communities across America to visibly act and advocate for ambitious, just, climate mitigation, resilience, and restoration.

The post ecoAmerica Announces Finalists for the 2025 American Climate Leadership Awards appeared first on Adamah.

Read the full interview below!

Urban Dor: Tell us about what you like about the Greater Hartford Jewish community and when did you first hear about Urban Dor?

Shaina: I love seeing the growth of the community here. Even since moving a year and a half ago, I have already seen an increase in the quantity of events offered and in the number of people being reached. I am excited to see the ways the community will continue to meet this demand with more programming and engagement in months and years to come! I first heard about Urban Dor through the local young Jewish adult WhatsApp group; my first Urban Dor event was the Wine & Cheese Social at The Crown!

Urban Dor: We love that you jumped into the Greater Hartford Jewish community headfirst and started a new group for Jewish women, tell us about your first event and where you envision it going?

Shaina: When I was in college at George Washington University in DC, I was the co-founder of a Jewish sorority, so I feel like a lot of my inspiration came from the joy of that community and group brought me. There is something so special about having a space and ritual just for women. Throughout the last year or so, I have mentioned this idea to some people at events, with lots of reciprocated enthusiasm, so finally I decided to make it happen! Our first event was supported by The Greater Hartford Jewish Federation and took place on Rosh Chodesh Shevat. We discussed what Rosh Chodesh is and how it became a woman’s holiday, did a text study about Shevat, specifically into the ideas of people planting roots and growing, like trees, in the spirit of Tu B’Shevat. In that same Tu B’Shevat spirit, we snacked on some dried fruit and nuts and made tree collages out of recycled magazines. All of this was grounded in a deep sense of connection and community-building. We already have our next event planned, hosted by another community member! Feel welcome to join the WhatsApp group.

Urban Dor: We are so inspired by your love for the planet and infusing Jewish principles through it. What are ways for people to get involved with Jewish sustainability?

Shaina: I work full-time for an organization called, Adamah. At Adamah, we work to cultivate vibrant Jewish life in deep connection with the earth and help people understand the connection between “people and planet,” “Adam and Adamah.” Adamah has opportunities for people of all ages. Specific to our community, are things happening at our nearby Retreat Center, Isabella Freedman. Whether it be with our organization, or just reflecting on the ways that Judaism’s holidays, history, rituals, and values are connected to environmentalism and climate, there are so many ways to make this more central to your spiritual experience. Whether that be reflecting on the ways Judaism calls on us to be stewards of the planet, emphasizes Bal Tashchit (not wasting) and Tikkun Olam (repairing the world), hosting a vegan Shabbat dinner, calling on your synagogue to commit to taking bold climate action… all of these things are so valuable!

Urban Dor: For Urban Dor’s next event – the Wine & Cheese Social in March 2025 – you will be volunteering with us to make Charcuterie Boards (thank you!) – how did you first get involved with that hobby and are you considering taking it further than a hobby?

Shaina: I have always loved to be creative, and this hobby really just came about randomly when making cheese boards for family and friend events. I realized I was both quite good at it, and also had a lot of fun making them! I also love that it is a way to bring in and support local farmers and their produce (during the right seasons). I plan to continue keeping the hobby pretty lowkey, needing to make time for so many other hobbies and passions, however I am always happy to chat if people have a special request or event and want to chat about the possibility of me making a board for them! I love getting to customize based on preferences – I have made mediterranean-themed boards, dessert boards, so many other variations!

Urban Dor: What do you enjoy doing in your down time in Greater Hartford?

Shaina: In the warmer months, I am a big outdoors gal, always on a walk or hike somewhere, one of my favorites is Talcott Mountain. I also love exploring new coffee shops and restaurants, some of my favorites are Birdhouse Coffee in South Windsor and Sayulita in Glastonbury!

Want to connect further with Shaina? Email her at shaymorrel@gmail.com.

Article by Simon Lichter.

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In recent years, Tu B’Shvat has become a way to note the natural connections between trees and agriculture and the environmental movement.

It’s still cold and wintry in Detroit, but Israel is marking the end of the rainy season and the start of spring with the festival of Tu b’Shvat — the 15th of the Hebrew month of Shevat.

Joining to celebrate with a festive meal — the Tu B’Shvat seder — about 60 people from the Isaac Agree Downtown Synagogue (IADS), Adamah Detroit, Repair the World Detroit, The Well and Congregation T’chiyah gathered at the Samantha Woll Center for Jewish Detroit (home of IADS) in Downtown Detroit.

Tu B’Shvat started as a date for marking the tax status of trees and became known as the New Year of Trees, a minor festival. It gained significance in the 1500s during the Kabbalist period of Jewish mysticism with the development of the Tu B’Shvat seder. Early Zionists adopted the seder to celebrate Jews’ connection to their ancestral homeland by enjoying the wine and produce of Israel.

In recent years, Tu B’Shvat has become a way to note the natural connections between trees and agriculture and the environmental movement, with an emphasis on conservation. The Detroit Tu B’Shvat seder organizers noted that it takes seven or eight mature trees to produce enough oxygen for one person for one year.

Celebrants enjoyed four cups of wine (or grape juice), starting with all white, representing winter. The second cup was half white and half red, the third cup one-quarter white and three-quarters red, and the final cup all red with just a drop of white. Corresponding fruits are those with shells and peels (in this case, nuts), those with inedible pits and seeds (oranges and dates), entirely edible fruits (blueberries), and those that offer spiritual sustenance with a pleasant smell (rosemary).

Leaders included Rabbi Arianna Silverman, Jaime Bean and Jeremy Soper from IADS, Rabbi Rabbi Jeff Stombaugh from The Well, Julie Rosenbaum from Adamah Detroit, Rebecca Steinman-DeGroot from Repair the World Detroit and Carly Sugar from Congregation T’chiyah.

Guest speakers Naim Edwards and Stathis Pauls from the Michigan State University Extension discussed their project, the Detroit Partnership for Food Learning and Innovation in northwest Detroit. The 3.5-acre site, on Lamphere Street near McNichols and Grand River, which combines plantings and innovative conservation methods, is open to the public.

Photos by Jamie Feldman

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by Jennifer Laszlo Mizrahi

Feb 21, 2025, 7:22 PM

For millennia, Jewish tradition has recognized the deep, sacred connection between people (Adam) and the earth (Adamah). As the climate crisis accelerates, this connection has never been more urgent. Jewish communities worldwide must step up—not only to safeguard the planet but also to strengthen the bonds between Jews in Israel and the Diaspora through a shared commitment to sustainability.

That’s why Adamah, a large Jewish environmental organization, is leading a transformative effort to bridge these worlds. Through immersive experiences, leadership development, and climate action, Adamah has built a movement that engages tens of thousands of people each year. Now, with two life-changing trips to Israel in 2025, Adamah is deepening its impact—bringing together Jewish environmental leaders to learn, collaborate, and take action. It combines missions of peoplehood with a sustainable planet.

Last Year: Farming and Solidarity

In 2024, Adamah led two 25-person volunteer trips to Israel, with a focus on farming and land restoration. These trips, funded by the Maimonides Fund, brought young Jewish farmers and environmentalists to work the land, providing hands-on support to Israeli agricultural communities. Participants engaged directly with regenerative farming techniques, strengthening their understanding of the deep ties between Jewish tradition, the land, and sustainability.

This Year: Two Groundbreaking Israel Journeys

In 2025, Adamah is expanding its vision with two distinct Israel trips, each designed to foster environmental leadership, cross-border collaboration, and Jewish climate resilience.

March 3-9, 2025: Adamah Israel Leadership Mission Funded by the Crown Family Philanthropies and the Jim Joseph Foundation
This weeklong mission will convene Adamah’s leadership, key stakeholders, and JOFEE (Jewish Outdoor, Food, Farming & Environmental Education) educators for a deep dive into Israel’s environmental challenges and solutions. Participants will:

• Meet with leading Israeli organizations, including the Jewish Agency, Birthright, the Arava Institute, and the Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel.

• Explore the role of youth activism and climate tech in building a sustainable future.

• Learn from environmental allies in Israel, forging new partnerships that will shape Adamah’s programs in the US.

This trip is about strategy and action—bringing together top Jewish environmental leaders to build a stronger, more united climate movement.

May 12-18, 2025: Roots and Resilience – Adamah NY Environmental Journey to Israel Funded by UJA-Federation of New York
This fully funded study tour is designed for Jewish professionals in the climate sector—scientists, investors, activists, nonprofit leaders, and entrepreneurs working in sustainability, ag-tech, and green finance. Participants will:

• Engage with Israeli, Arab, and Palestinian climate experts, learning from scientists, policymakers, and innovators at the forefront of sustainability.

• Explore Israel’s climate tech revolution, from water desalination and solar energy to sustainable food systems.

• Examine environmental peacebuilding, discovering how shared environmental challenges can foster cooperation.

The itinerary includes a powerful mix of experiences—from visiting the off-grid El Fura school in an unrecognized Bedouin village to exploring Gaza Envelope communities rebuilding with green energy. Participants will also engage with climate entrepreneurs, policymakers, and regional leaders, creating lasting professional and personal connections.

Adamah Israel 2024 group farm. Photo credit Sarah VanderWalde and courtesy of Adamah.

Why This Matters

Too often, Jewish professionals in the climate movement feel isolated—facing anti-Israel hostility in academic, nonprofit, and activist spaces. These trips offer more than just education; they provide a supportive network where Jewish environmental leaders can connect, collaborate, and find strength in shared purpose.
Moreover, Israel is a global leader in climate innovation. With expertise in water security, renewable energy, and sustainable agriculture, Israel has solutions that the world—and particularly cities like New York—can learn from. These trips will not only help participants gain critical knowledge but also create professional linkages that could drive real-world impact.

Get Involved

If you are a Jewish professional in the climate sector, this is your chance to learn, connect, and lead. The May trip is currently recruiting participants, and applications are open.

Jewish tradition teaches us: “You are not obligated to complete the work, but neither are you free to abandon it.” Adamah’s Israel journeys are about answering that call—to protect our planet, strengthen Jewish environmental leadership, and build a future rooted in both Peoplehood and Planethood. For more details or to apply, contact Dr. Shahar Sadeh at shahar.sadeh@adamah.org.

Adamah Israel 2024 kale farm Photo credit Sarah VanderWalde and courtesy of Adamah.

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by Barbara Grady

February 13, 2025

Religious groups around the U.S. are raising alarms and stepping up action as President Donald Trump’s administration has quickly moved to gut environmental regulations and federal programs for reducing climate pollution during his first weeks in office.

While some evangelical leaders have backed Trump’s dismissal of climate science, most faith leaders say the teachings in the Bible, the Torah, the Quran, and other sacred texts compel people to be good stewards of the Earth and care for each other.

“Each of us must feel in some way responsible for the devastation to which the Earth, our common home, has been subjected, beginning with those actions that, albeit only indirectly, fuel the conflicts that presently plague our human family,” wrote Pope Francis, leader of 1.3 billion Catholics around the world, in a papal message released January 1, 2025, reiterating the call in his encyclical – a formal letter – known as “Laudato Si’: Care for Our Common Home.”

“At the beginning of this year, then, we desire to heed the plea of suffering humankind,” the pope wrote in his January message.

Faith groups pledge action

On Day One of his new administration, Trump began steps to pull the United States out of the Paris Climate Agreement. Some 839 faith communities joined with 2,978 businesses, 428 universities and colleges, 175 major investors, 362 local governments, 10 states, and 13 tribal nations in declaring they will continue the work of fulfilling the U.S. pledge to the Paris Agreement to reduce climate emissions to levels that would limit average global warming from rising more than 2 degrees Celsius.

The faith communities that signed onto the “America is All In” declaration include the Jewish Climate Action Networks of New York and Massachusetts, Methodist, Congregational, Lutheran, and Unitarian congregations all around the country and the large Roman Catholic Archdioceses of Anchorage, Cheyenne, Cleveland, Fort Wayne, Jackson, Mississippi, Louisville, Lubbock, New Orleans, and Newark, New Jersey, St. Augustine, Savannah, and Toledo, as well as many others. In late January, two U.S. Catholic organizations called on Trump to reverse the anti-environment executive orders he had issued, describing their “alarm at the extensive reversal of U.S. domestic and international climate policies.”

What religious groups are doing about climate change

Some religious coalitions are already taking steps to fill the void expected to be left by the federal government abandoning programs for renewable energy and environmental justice.

“We see the challenges ahead and we intend to bolster up,” said Codi Norred, executive director of Georgia Interfaith Power & Light, which counts hundreds of churches, synagogues, mosques, and spiritual groups as members or affiliates.* “We are in a mode of expansion,” he said.

The group is asking the state public service commission to encourage the state utilities to build out more clean energy. They’re building resilience centers for people hurt by extreme weather disasters and bolstering funding to help more congregations install solar.

Read: Trump and his allies could kill funding for lifesaving resiliency hubs

Religious groups are also mobilizing around other issues, such as protecting immigrants, health care for poor and working-class people, and others in the crosshairs of Trump’s policies.

The Jewish Climate Action Networks in Massachusetts, New York, and Maryland are galvanizing members to act at the state level.

“The Jewish Climate Action Network works through education, activism, and spirituality to add an urgent and visionary Jewish voice to the climate crisis,” explained the co-presidents of the Jewish Climate Action Network of Massachusetts in an email, adding that the organization focuses on decarbonization, advocacy, and spiritual resilience. “In the absence of federal leadership, we’re going to keep Massachusetts leadership honest (in fulfilling climate commitments) and pursue opportunities to work with municipalities” as well as promote personal responsibilities for individuals, they said. Deb Nam-Krane, one of the co-presidents, added that the group is looking to collaborate with other groups and to be advisers and helpers to “the next generation of climate activists.”

Pressure in the form of shareholder resolutions

On another front, the pension boards of mainstream protestant denominations and the Reform Jewish Movement, as well as dozens of congregations of nuns, are preparing to file or vote for climate-related shareholder resolutions at major corporations this year, according to the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility, whose members include hundreds of faith-based organizations.*

If they’re like past years, these faith-based investment groups will ask major companies in which they are shareholders to report on how they are reducing climate emissions, how the companies are meeting their stated climate goals, how they are protecting water resources, and if their policy lobbying matches their public statements on climate and water.

“Members certainly feel the change. They are watching with shock and awe” as the federal government under the new administration rolls back policies on renewable energy, environmental justice, and protecting water resources, said Tim Smith, senior policy adviser of the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility.

“However, the major faith communities we work with are declaring forcefully that they are doubling down on climate work to protect God’s Earth and on diversity and human rights,” Smith said. “If you are stewards of God’s Earth, then you are compelled to actively try to do God’s work.”

Most denominations carry out climate work through multiple activities, he noted, from public policy advocacy to helping houses of worship become more sustainable to corporate engagement and shareholder advocacy: “People might get battered and tired,” in the current political environment, “but at least at this point what we are hearing is that people are deeply committed.”

He said the investment arms of religious denominations, or ICCR members, “have filed dozens of climate-related shareholder resolutions,” this year that will be voted on at corporate annual meetings. Such filers include the pension boards of denominations or investment managers of congregational endowments.

Mercy Investment Services, the investment arm of the Sisters of Mercy, filed a resolution asking a major food company to report on its water pollution. “Water sustainability remains a priority for Mercy Investment Services and will be a focus of shareholder engagements during the upcoming advocacy season,” it noted on its website.

And Friends Fiduciary Corp., which manages investments for Quaker houses of worship and schools, has filed a resolution at a major bank asking it to set emissions reduction goals for its operations, lending, and investments that are aligned with the goals of the Paris Agreement.

Many investors generally do not make their resolutions public before the annual meetings. But even investment managers who are not affiliated with any faith group “have a fiduciary duty to address climate change,” Smith noted, and in each of the past few years, there have been more than 100 climate-related shareholder resolutions filed by investors generally.

The financial risks of climate change are well known – and demonstrated in the losses resulting from the Los Angeles wildfires and the North Carolina floods. For investment managers “it is not just a ‘nice to do’ but it is your legal duty to address climate risk” when making investment decisions for beneficiaries, he said.

Alarm at reversal of climate policies

Pastor Rev. Jeff Courter of the First Presbyterian Church of Forest Hill, New York, and Imam Muhammad Shahidullah, chair of the Queens Imam Council, wrote to readers of their Queens, New York, neighborhood newspaper last year that “the climate crisis is the moral crisis of our time.” The clergymen reminded readers that “The Bible is filled with verses that celebrate the beauty of the natural world and instruct humans to care for the Earth (Genesis 1-2) as well as our neighbors (Matthew 22:39). The Quran tells us that we are custodians of the planet (Surah Al-Baqarah 2:205) and that we have an obligation to plan for the future (Surah Al-Kahf 18:24).”

The two Catholic groups that called for Trump to reverse his executive orders were the Catholic Climate Covenant and the Laudato Si’ Movement. They described their “alarm at the extensive reversal of U.S. domestic and international climate policies” and added in a statement that “Scientists have been warning us for many years that our continued burning of fossil fuels is heating the atmosphere and creating current and future chaos for decades to come.”

They added, “Rather than embrace and advance this country’s essential role in domestic and global responsibilities to confront this existential crisis, this new administration has chosen to relinquish scientific and economic potential, freeze U.S. commitments, and abdicate leadership on climate policies.”

The groups urged the faithful to act: “As Catholic institutions working within the U.S. to ensure that all human life is protected and justice for all is promoted, we urge our fellow citizens – and especially those in power – to take a serious look at not only our own carbon and resource-intensive lifestyles, but our impact on all of God’s creation, human and nonhuman.”

Their words echoed those of the Jewish Climate Leadership Coalition issued in its founding statement two years ago that still define its mission:

“The overwhelming global scientific consensus confirms what we see with our own eyes: hurricanes, superstorms, wildfires, drought, dangerous air quality for months at a time – each year worse than the last. The impact does not affect us all equally. Those in our society with less power and fewer resources, already more vulnerable, are hit hardest by the traumatic impact of climate change. Jewish values compel us to confront this crisis, and our commitment to Jewish community compels us to do so together,” said the coalition, which represents Jewish organizations across the world.

And even Evangelicals have spoken about their faith-based responsibility to care for the earth and work to halt climate change.

“As a Christian, I believe that God created this incredible planet we live on and gave us responsibility over every living thing on it. And I further believe that we are to care for and love the least fortunate among us, those already suffering the impacts of poverty, hunger, disease, and more,” said climate scientist and author Katharine Hayhoe, distinguished professor at Texas Tech University and chief scientist for the Nature Conservancy, said on a recent TED talk. “I truly believe, after thousands of conversations that I’ve had over the past decade or more, that just about every single person in the world already has the values they need to care about a changing climate. They just haven’t connected the dots.”

*Editor’s note: This sentence was updated in February 2025 to correct a name.

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By Asaf Elia-Shalev February 13, 2025 8:00 am

A new Jewish climate initiative says it has secured $18 million in philanthropic commitments for grants and advocacy work in the United States and Israel. 

The idea behind the Jewish Climate Trust is that the American Jewish community has a responsibility to do more on climate, especially under a new president who is hostile to the issue, according to the group’s founding CEO Nigel Savage. 

In his first weeks in office, President Donald Trump has frozen federal funding for clean energy and withdrawn the United States from global climate accords, reneging on commitments to reduce the country’s greenhouse gas emissions.

“The actions of the new administration on climate … will do great damage,” Savage said. “But the actions and inactions of the U.S. government cannot preclude us from acting. As a Jewish community, we need to raise our game on climate.”

To some degree, Jewish philanthropists and communal groups have already started focusing on climate in recent years after long neglecting the issue. Hundreds of Jewish institutions have published climate action plans, several have pledged to divest their endowments from fossil fuels, and the Schusterman Foundation, which was built on oil wealth, recently made its first grant to a climate group. 

The Jewish Climate Trust represents the largest initiative of this wave so far. 

Launched on Thursday to coincide with Tu Bishvat — a holiday celebrating the renewal of nature, the planting of trees and the Jewish connection to the environment — the group has announced two sets of grants.

The environmental group Adamah will receive $3 million over three years to support its climate advocacy within the Jewish community, bolster its interfaith work, and create a networking and community-building effort for Jewish green business leaders. (Savage is the founder of Hazon, one of the two nonprofits that merged to create Adamah in 2021.) 

Another $3 million will go toward Israeli environmental nonprofits to promote sustainability principles in the rebuilding of communities near Gaza that were targeted in Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack. 

“We aim to harness the strength and ingenuity of Jewish people around the world and the State of Israel to address the climate crisis,” Stephen Bronfman and Michael Sonnenfeldt, the two philanthropists behind the initiative, said in a joint statement. 

Bronfman is the son of Birthright Israel founder and Seagram magnate Charles Bronfman and works as a close adviser of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. In 2023, he and his sister pledged $9 million to Birthright in honor of their father’s 90th birthday, designating some of the money to make the program more environmentally friendly.

Sonnenfeldt is the founder of the Israel Policy Forum, a think tank promoting the two-state solution, and head of Tiger 21, a network for high-net-worth investors with $6 billion in cryptocurrency holdings. He recently donated $20 million to Ben-Gurion University. 

The money pledged to the Jewish Climate Trust includes personal donations from Bronfman and Sonnenfeldt, who are the group’s founding co-chairs, as well as commitments from other donors such as the Diane and Guilford Glazer Foundation.

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