Ever since I was evacuated on a raft from my home in the pouring rain during Hurricane Harvey, I have cared about climate action. When I was 15, I learned that climate change intensified the Category Four hurricane that decimated Houston, Texas in 2017. That same year, I joined the Jewish Youth Climate Movement as a climate activist.

Now, amid my regular high school activities, I devote several hours a week to writing about climate change, and planning and attending actions demanding a better future for me, future generations and the world. 

Throughout my activism, I have watched, with increasing anxiety, the climate clock tick and the world experience more and more climate change-fueled disasters. More recently, I have seen extreme hypocrisy from the federal government and major companies that backtrack on promises to lower emissions and fight the climate crisis. These decisions all but confirm that the choking wildfire smoke I face in my new home in Denver will get worse and that my activism has not been enough to single-handedly stop the crisis. 

This climate neglect by the current administration starkly contrasts with the start of my activism during the Biden administration. During his term, climate change was acknowledged (a low threshold), and combating it was even one of the administration’s goals, eventually leading to the signing of the Inflation Reduction Act, an imperfect but historically large climate spending bill.

The hope that this bill instilled in youth activists is now being undone by historic levels of climate denial, gutting clean energy initiatives and research and new federal investment in fossil fuel projects. This has left my peers and me dismayed and demoralized at a time when we most need the energy to protect our communities and our generation. 

Thankfully, for me and the other members of the Jewish Youth Climate Movement, having a Jewish focus to our activism can help prevent burnout and provide hope in a dark time for climate action. It’s easy for us to see climate work as inherently Jewish because our organizing seeks to repair the world and take care of the most vulnerable in our society, principles also instilled in Torah. Knowing that your faith supports and compels you to fight for a better future is motivating, and no lack of federal or corporate action can take that away. 

“Taking Jewish climate action enables young people to not only fight for their local geographic communities but for the continuity of a collectivist, environmental tradition at odds with the exploitation and consumption causing climate change,” said Madeline Canfield, one of the staff advisors with JYCM who herself was a youth organizer. “This crisis requires youth activists to see their Jewish identities as two-fold: something which links them to a community to strategically mobilize and gives them texts, rituals, ideals and histories from which to draw clarity and resilience amid existential uncertainty.”

JYCM, a program of Adamah, the Jewish environmental group, does this on an explicit level, building relationships between high school members of the National Leadership Board and drawing joy from community and Jewish ritual. Meetings include time to catch up on daily life, de-stress, discuss hopeful developments in the climate world, and focus on the things that we should be grateful for in the midst of our fight for a better future. There are divrei Torah (sermons) at retreats and online meetings, connecting our work to our Jewish roots and inspiring hope, which is central to all movement planning. Our activism is loving, friendship-based, fun, and incredibly Jewishly enriching.

We are bringing that same attitude to JYCM’s newest campaign, Underwrite Earth. In partnership with other climate organizations, the initiative targets insurance companies and calls on them to stop insuring new and existing fossil fuel projects. Fossil fuel projects cannot move forward without insurance, and recently, insurance companies have shown greater willingness to respond to public pressure than the current federal government, since they rely on the public’s trust when buying their plans. 

Underwrite Earth also specifically engages Jews who lead insurance companies. Part of the campaign strategy involves sending postcards to these Jewish executives pressuring them to stop insuring LNGs and to consider their faith and the climate in company decisions. Last month, in solidarity with the campaign, 110 rabbis, cantors, and clerical students sent a letter to the CEO of the insurer Chubb, making a similar Jewish appeal. 

This innovative use of shared faith as a strategic tool is a reflection of the Jewish spirit of JYCM. Jews have faced setbacks in their search for safety and freedom of religion, but they adapted and kept on practicing their religion. Similarly, the climate movement has faced setbacks and has changed its strategy to adapt to the times and meet the moment. Developing these new strategies to combat the climate crisis and drawing on our history as resilient people creates hope and sparks more motivation to continue the climate fight.

Teens Hope Adelson and Liora Pelavin, who serve with me on JYCM’s Leadership Board, also draw hope from Underwrite Earth. Due to pressure from many environmental organizations, “Chubb just recently ruled out insuring the East African crude oil pipeline, which is one of the biggest oil projects in the world,” said Adelson, 17, from Orlando, Florida, “We are seeing movement, and that’s inspiring, because it shows us that the world isn’t closing in on us.”

Insurance companies “have a big financial incentive to stop insuring fossil fuel projects, because their home insurance [rates] have to go up because there are more disasters,” said Pelavin, 17, from Teaneck, New Jersey, “If they want to actually make money from insurance, they have to fight the climate crisis.”

While pressure on insurance companies may provide a boost for climate activists, decreased governmental and corporate attention to climate change is causing burnout. Finding ways to keep up motivation in the climate fight is critical to youth activists outlasting this period of lackluster focus on climate change.

Adelson admits that living in a state whose government is highly averse to talking about or acting on climate change saps her motivation and energy for climate organizing. “It’s mind-boggling to me that my state has been hit with hurricane after hurricane, natural disaster after natural disaster, tornadoes, hail, and snow, which doesn’t happen in Florida, and yet our governor is doing nothing about it.” 

When frustrated with the lack of climate action in her state and on a federal level, Adelson leans on her Jewish faith. Her bat mitzvah portion discusses pe’ah, the commandment to leave a corner of your field unharvested so those who do not have food can take from it. Adelson reminds herself of this commandment when she feels herself losing hope or motivation. She remains grateful for all that she has and considers the ways that she can use what she has to help those who might not have the same resources. 

Pelavin said that “being in community is a way that I spiritually heal myself so that I can keep going in this fight… I burn out, and then I bring myself back up” by drawing strength from her community.

This cycle, she said, is fueled by “the Jewish community that I have, and the wisdom that I know.”

Climate activist Bekah Garlikov, 16, who served as a youth climate ambassador for San Mateo County, acknowledges that “activism as a whole, it’s hard. It’s really hard. The things you learn while becoming an activist are somewhat depressing and anxiety-inducing.” However, Bekah’s Jewish identity helps motivate him and avoid burnout. “Being a Jew, understanding that you have to rally behind your community, it’s a similar feeling of rallying behind climate action and making progress. The world and nature are our community, and we fight to protect them.”

My motivation comes from my community of Jewish climate activists. With them, I have attended protests, phone-banked, planned actions, established local JYCM chapters, and educated thousands of Jews intergenerationally about the climate crisis and its connection to Judaism. Throughout our work, we never lose sight of our Jewish roots, recognizing that we are supported by hundreds of generations of Jews who have cared for the earth before us. These Jewishly-rooted communal components of climate organizing help me avoid burnout and continue fighting for climate justice.

Reducing any amount of greenhouse gas emissions is a huge win and will prevent natural disasters from intensifying. If action had been taken earlier, then perhaps the climate-change-fueled hurricane that destroyed my home would not have been as extreme either. The stakes in this fight are not low; they affect everyone on Earth. 

With the continued intensification of the climate crisis, Jewish teen climate activists are not slowing down. We are coming up with new strategies to reduce fossil fuel consumption despite a lack of federal government interest and are drawing on our Jewish identities, communities, experiences and families to find the motivation to continue our work and avoid burnout. There is no excuse to stop fighting for climate action. Our fight is holy work that benefits all of humanity.

The post ‘Climate anxiety’ isn’t a fad. For Jewish teens like me, it’s our inspiration. appeared first on Adamah.

Written by: City & State

The transition to clean energy has entered a new phase in New York, as the state faces threats from new tariffs, economic headwinds and a pivot away from climate change policies in Washington, D.C. Yet renewable resources like solar and wind power as well as advances in battery storage and energy efficiency remain a key part of the energy equation, championed by public officials and industry executives alike. And even as federal subsidies for renewable energy dry up and climate goals come under scrutiny, there remains plenty of industry momentum behind major initiatives like offshore wind installations and upgraded and expanded transmission lines across the state.

City & State’s annual Trailblazers in Clean Energy puts a spotlight on the clean energy leaders of New York, including innovative industry figures, groundbreaking policymakers and notable environmentalists and conservationists.

Shahar Sadeh

Founding Director, Adamah NY

Shahar Sadeh is connecting the Jewish community to the clean energy and climate change movements in order to make progress toward a sustainable future. Adamah, North America’s largest Jewish environmental organization, is creating the Roadmap to Decarbonize American Jewish Life that incorporates sustainability practices within Jewish organizations. The roadmap is expected to launch in the later part of 2025. Adamah organizes an environmental education camp for Jewish children and the Jewish Youth Climate Movement to better involve Gen Z in sustainability issues.

The post The 2025 Trailblazers in Clean Energy appeared first on Adamah.

February 12, 2025
Once again, it’s the new year of the trees (see below for context on the holiday).  On the one hand, Tu b’Shvat is about hope.   Our tradition notes that even at the height of the global north’s winter, when deciduous trees are decidedly bare and spring feels so very far off, the process toward new verdancy is unfolding as it should.  The trees, bare now, will shortly bear fruit.  Deep within each tree, the sap is already rising.  And so are we.

On the other hand, Tu b’Shvat 5785 comes in the chaotic early weeks of a new U.S. Administration which has already pulled us out of the global climate accords, fired numerous scientists and experts, eliminated the justice and equity divisions within the EPA and Department of Energy, and celebrated the return of plastic straws, among numerous other back-sliding steps.  Dayenu’s Rabbi Jennie Rosenn aptly calls this “nothing less than an assault on the Tree of Life.”  For people of faith and conscience — who appreciate what a threat climate change poses to us, the globally vulnerable, our descendants, and Creation – it’s a long cold lonely winter, indeed.

Hope can feel hard to come by, as so much that we hold dear gets wiped away by executive fiat (some of it constitutional).  But however thin or far off the hope may feel, it’s real, and we must name and celebrate and grasp it.  Right now, I find hope:

•      in the multifaith coalitions within which COEJL does its best and most important work – like the many congressional meetings that a Quaker, a Catholic, a Lutheran and I are now scheduling to jointly defend clean energy tax credits, urging thoughtful Republican House members to lift up the good things the Inflation Reduction Act has brought to their districts and their constituents. 
•      just today, in a Jewish Earth Alliance Tu b’Shvat lobby day Zoom room with two senate staffers, two rabbis, and multiple policy wonks, where the unquestioned leader was Izzy, a remarkable Adamah-trained Colby College student active with the Jewish Youth Climate Movement.  Go Izzy!  Go Jewish youth!  Go Adamah!  
•    in the growth of the Jewish environmental movement (which I’ve followed since the creation of Shomrei Admah in 1988 and of COEJL in 1993). Today its advocacy efforts are often led by Dayenu, with thoughtful national offerings and local activist Dayenu Circles doing great work all across the country.  Plan now to join their March 18th (8:30pm ET) Mass Call: Rising to Meet the Moment.  Rising, like the sap.
•       through the many multi-faith religious organizations (including the Conservative, Reconstructionist, and Reform movements) who just joined a lawsuit to stop Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials from entering houses of worship (as the new Administration just  authorized them to do).  Note:  a huge percentage of today’s refugees are in motion courtesy of climate change, with more extreme weather and more widespread migration already locked in ahead of us.  Immigration and climate are profoundly intersectional; and both in turn profoundly intersect with racism, now running rampant.  Let us remember, religiously: we are all in this together.

And perhaps above all, I feel hope in the expansion of Adamah’s Jewish Climate Leadership Coalition (JCLC), where numerous national Jewish organizations are joined by literally hundreds of synagogues and other local groups in crafting, committing to, and publicizing their own respective climate action plans.  Now in just its third year, the JCLC has already had a catalyzing effect on our national community, and it’s setting a high bar that many communities are now rising to meet.  Rising, like the sap. 

Adamah.org’s Liore Milgrom-Gartner wrote this in a Tu b’Shvat email blas,t earlier this evening:  “Instead of counting the age of trees, today we’re counting our carbon emissions…. we now have over 400 climate action plans from organizations spanning 42 different states. Individually, [each is] a snapshot of one organization’s journey of climate action and resilience.  Collectively they are a testament to our commitment to a livable, beautiful planet for future generations.” 

Do please look up the JCLC – and plan for your group to join it this year, if it hasn’t done so already.  There you’ll see, among other inspiring examples:  “a Los Angeles Hillel that’s focusing on a rooftop solar campaign as fires surround them; an Asheville, North Carolina synagogue that’s creating a space for climate dialogue and action amidst flooding; and an Atlanta synagogue that’s tapping into Adamah’s support to reduce emissions, save money, and lead nature-based Jewish programs.” 

Liore wrapped up her message by affirming that “this Tu B’Shvat we can start anew with the power of community binding us together in action and resiliency.”  Ken y’hi ratzon – may it be so.  May we rise, like the sap, and make it so.

​Context on the holiday:
​
              The Mishnah tells us of four different New Years, with Rosh Hashanah (1 Tishrei) being just one – animals have their own a month earlier (Elul 1); kings and infrastructure are commemorated just before Pesach (Nissan 1); and trees’ timing turns over in winter, at the full moon, on the 15th of Shvat. 
​
            (In alpha-numerics, the number 15 should be rendered as10+5, but that would yield Yod-Hey, Yah, a Divine name – so we substitute 9+6, Tet-Vav, and pronounce it “tu.”  Thus our Jewish Arbor Day, in the middle of this month, is known as “Tu b’Shvat”.).

             This may seem odd, but a certain wisdom inheres here.  We are those who take the long view, who faithfully affirm that the barren branches before us will yet re-grow greenery, and songbirds absent now will again alight upon them.  Leo Tolstoy supposedly said, “there’s hope for a people who celebrate trees in the middle of a Russian winter!” 

              The Mishnah is most concerned with tithing cycles, so originally, Shvat 15 was akin to April 15.   The medieval mystics made hay of this holiday, since in Kabbalah, divinity gets diagrammed as a tree (truly, a tree-shaped set of ten spheres of godly emanation, the s’firot).  Early Zionists embraced Tu B’shvat anew; as they made tree-planting a (sometimes controversial) core practice in Israel, it became rooted as a modern mitzvah world-wide.

              In recent decades, awareness has grown of our interdependence with trees and with all the biosphere – and Tu B’Shvat has by now become more of a Jewish Earth Day than a Jewish Arbor Day.  So this season, Jews around the world are tuning into what tradition tells us about stewardship and sustainability.  But of course, as with the aspirational slogan “every day is Earth Day,” we must ensure that our consciousness and commitment only continue to expand, season by season, day by day. 

The post COALITION on the ENVIRONMENT and JEWISH LIFE appeared first on Adamah.

by Sam Sobel

February 12, 2025 

Hello, reader! In case you missed the previous Baltimore Environmental Sustainability Network blogs, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Sam Sobel, and I’m the Baltimore climate action coordinator for Adamah.

The BESN is a collection of Jewish organizations and individuals working to promote a more sustainable Jewish Baltimore. This network is a partnership between The Associated and Adamah, initiated by Mark Smolarz and guided by the leadership of Rabbi Nina Beth Cardin.

While the BESN focuses on community collaboration, I also work with local Jewish organizations on their own climate efforts through Adamah’s national Jewish Climate Leadership Coalition. Open to any Jewish nonprofit at no cost, the Coalition is made up of community organizations that recognize the existential threat and moral urgency of climate change.

There is only one requirement for Coalition members — to submit a Climate Action Plan once a year in time for Tu B’Shvat, the Jewish new year of trees that starts this year at sundown on Wednesday, Feb. 12

An organization’s CAP details actions taken over the past year while setting goals for the coming year. More than 400 organizations internationally — primarily based in the United States and Canada — have joined the Coalition since its inception in September of 2022. Last Tu B’Shevat, there were eight Coalition members in Baltimore. By Tu B’Shevat this year, Baltimore can proudly claim 21 Coalition members.

The Coalition Climate Action Plan is broken down into a variety of categories focused on expanding impact and the path toward net-zero greenhouse gas emissions. While members are asked to share their progress in all categories, organizations often excel in one category more than the others. These strengths are apparent in our own community and are worthy of being spotlighted.

Energy Efficiency

The energy efficiency section of the CAP asks, “What steps have you taken and/or are you going to take to reduce energy use at your facilities?”

To begin to answer this question, an energy audit is often a useful first step. Several Coalition members in our community have gone through this process in the past year, including Baltimore Hebrew Congregation. The audit assessed the age and condition of all mechanical and other systems, and provided a list of energy conservation measure recommendations, which BHC plans to prioritize for implementation.

Having all-electric efficient equipment is a cornerstone for becoming a net-zero emissions building, a fact reflected in the opportunities of Adamah’s Climate Action Fund. One of these opportunities is the North American Climate Grant Fund, which has provided matching grants for projects that involve sourcing clean electricity, going electric and energy efficiency.

The Edward A. Myerberg Center in Northwest Baltimore was recognized for its climate goals with a grant award to replace its nearly four-decade-old refrigerator with a new and efficient model. When hearing about the Myerberg Center receiving this grant, one community member was inspired to donate a new freezer to complete the efficient set.

The Myerberg Center kitchen is far from complete however, as they plan to replace their ice machine and gas oven as well with efficient electric models, and share their experiences and the climate impact of their actions.

Fuel Switching to Electric Appliances

The goal of all-electric efficient appliances often requires switching over from fossil fuel-powered appliances to electric powered appliances. The Associated is engaging with this process by conducting a comprehensive inventory of fossil fuel-dependent equipment and infrastructure across their 19 buildings.

By carefully mapping out the natural replacement cycles of appliances, equipment, and vehicles, The Associated is creating a strategic roadmap for transitioning to electric alternatives. This methodical approach ensures both environmental and financial sustainability, setting an example for how organizations can make systematic progress toward climate goals.

Food We Serve

There are many intentional food choices that can be made to reflect a more sustainable way of eating. For Chizuk Amuno Congregation in Pikesville, a new grant from the Center for Jewish Food Ethics will allow them to model sustainable food choices for their community.

The synagogue and school will move toward more plant-based foods, starting with school lunches. To start, each Friday the meal is plant-based, with no meat or dairy. A caring committee of teachers, parents and synagogue members is brainstorming ways to help bring more plant-based options to other parts of programming, whether it’s the kiddush after services, meals and treats for the faculty and Shabbat/community dinners.

Food We Waste

As highlighted in a previous Jmore blog, food donation is a meaningful method of limiting food waste while also benefiting the community. When possible, the Towson University Hillel works with “The Hub,” the campus food resource organization. Through this partnership, Towson University Hillel aims to ensure that students in need have access to their food surplus, whether or not they are a part of the Hillel community.

Nature-Based Solutions

Nature-based solutions encompass climate action in natural spaces, such as lawns, forests, waterways and more. With 180 acres of land at the Pearlstone campus in Reisterstown, nature-based solutions are a priority.

This past year alone, 70 very rare Giant River Canen Arundinaria Gigantea — which used to be a major part of Maryland’s ecosystems but now are entirely gone — were planted onsite. Fourteen were also donated to other nurseries in the community to restore the species’ presence in the state.

But an organization doesn’t need to have a sprawling campus to make a difference with nature-based solutions. At Pikesville’s Beth Tfiloh Congregation, a stream restoration project in partnership with the Environmental Protection Agency began in 2019.

The restoration of the Moores Branch runoff adjacent to Beth Tfiloh’s property has focused largely on future resiliency, installing components to protect from future erosion. In addition, a new footpath through the area was built so that anyone using the path as a shortcut for services would be gently steered onto a trail rather than disturbing the natural vegetation.

Education & Nature Connection

A central focus for many organizations is engaging communities through programming, celebrations and learning moments connecting people to the Earth, educating them about climate change and inspiring collective action

The Owings Mills Jewish Community Center exemplifies this approach with its pending grant proposal to create an educational nature trail featuring artwork highlighting native species. The project has actively sought community input throughout its development.

While this initiative represents a permanent installation, impactful environmental education can also occur through special events. One example is Chevrei Tzedek Synagogue’s upcoming “Green Mitzvathon” at The Myerberg Center (3101 Fallstaff Road).

This weekend-long event on May 2-4 will explore the Jewish principle of Earth stewardship (shmirat ha-adamah) while offering practical guidance for environmental action. Activities will include nature walks, services, plant-based meals and an environmental fair featuring educational demonstrations and eco-friendly vendors.

The 21 current Coalition members in Baltimore are deeply connected to our community, and the impact of their actions resonates far and wide. This is work to be proud of, and it’s only just beginning. Let us keep this important work up, growing and learning in our community climate solutions.

May we have peace on a healthy Earth. And go Orioles!

Feel free to reach out to Sam Sobel and the BESN at besn@associated.org. For questions about the Jewish Climate Leadership Coalition, reach out to Sam at sam.sobel@adamah.org

The next BESN event, which will be open to all, will be on food waste prevention. Learn how to help the climate, your budget and the goal of greater sustainability at our food waste prevention gathering on Tuesday, Mar. 25 from 5-6:30 p.m. at the Myerberg Center, 3101 Fallstaff Road. Register here.

The post JMORE – Tu B’Shvat Climate Action appeared first on Adamah.

 February 4, 2025
WASHINGTON — Dozens of consumer protection, community development, environmental, climate, and racial justice advocates have joined together to form the Equitable & Just Insurance Initiative, a coalition that aims to develop solutions that can guide community leaders and policy advocates working to address the climate-driven insurance crisis.

As insurance premiums skyrocket, and as insurance companies continue to cut and limit coverage for individuals across the country, more than 30 groups will push policymakers to stand up for communities and adopt policies that put people over profits and hold the insurance providers accountable for the industry’s fossil fuel underwriting and investment. 

“The insurance crisis is a direct outcome of the climate crisis, and as the cost of insurance increases, hard-working people are left to foot the bill,” said Deanna Noël, climate campaigns director with Public Citizen’s Climate Program. “Instead of protecting consumers, insurers are hiking premiums, cutting coverage, and abandoning areas hit hardest by climate change—all while maintaining record profits. The Equitable & Just Insurance Initiative will demand bold, transparent, and community-driven solutions that prioritize people over corporate profits and pave the way toward a resilient and sustainable future.”

In 2024, 27 separate billion-dollar disasters tore through the U.S., causing over $2.9 trillion in damages and claimed lives, destroyed homes, businesses, and entire communities. Now, just weeks into 2025, the deadly LA fires have added another $250 billion to this mounting toll. As climate-driven disasters have racked up billions in damages across the country, major insurers are abandoning ordinary families while continuing to insure and invest in fossil fuels. 

“The Equitable & Just Insurance Initiative is an effort to reshape, reimagine, and lay out the blueprint of the world that we want to live in by working alongside experts and community groups to develop tangible solutions that address the profit-driven nature of insurance companies that delay, deny, and withdraw working people’s coverage because of climate change-driven extreme weather events while simultaneously financing and profiting off of fossil fuels,” said Moonyoung Ko, climate finance campaigns associate director for Americans for Financial Reform Education Fund.

“In the Gulf South, we are all too familiar with what unjust and inequitable insurance looks like.  Insurance companies operate with a blank check in our region, profiting from our need to protect our homes from climate disaster, and then pulling out once they have made their money, all with little to no intervention from our public officials. In our disaster recovery work, Louisiana Just Recovery Network sees time and again how little insurance, which should serve as a safety net, serves our communities. Homeowner after homeowner is met with high deductibles, lengthy assessment processes, and the added risk of losing their insurance if they file a claim. We are excited to engage with national partners and other frontline communities, through EJII, who want to see a change to the way we manage risk in a climate changing world and where we focus on real solutions that center people and communities,” said Toi Jean Carter, co-founder of Louisiana Just Recovery Network.

“In communities across Indiana, rural and urban, families are struggling with steep increases in homeowner’s insurance coverage. Because going without coverage puts the largest asset for most Americans at risk, families have no choice but to pay the prices, especially if they have a mortgage payment that requires continued insurance coverage. Families may be put into the position of having to sell their home, and the loss of long-term generational wealth, due to these increasing escrow costs. Those who pay have less of their monthly income available for other needs putting them at risk to financial hardship due to a health care need, vehicle repair, or other unexpected significant cost. Now more than ever, we need to make sure that all homeowners have access to affordable and comprehensive coverage,” said Amy Nelson, executive director of Fair Housing Center of Central Indiana.

The groups making up Equitable & Just Insurance Initiative include Public Citizen, Americans for Financial Reform Education Fund, Revolving Door Project, Better Markets, Center for Economic Justice, Center for International Environmental Law, Climate and Community Institute, Climate Defenders, Connecticut Citizen’s Action Group, Connecticut Coalition for Economic and Environmental Justice, Consumer Federation of America, Consumer Watchdog, Costa Rican Federation for the Conservation of Nature, Emergency Legal Responders, Extinction Rebellion San Francisco Bay Area, Fair Housing Center of Central Indiana, Freeport Haven Project for Environmental Justice, Greater New Orleans Housing Alliance, Green America, Gulf South Fossil Finance Hub, HousingLOUISIANA, HousingNOLA, Insure Our Future, Jewish Youth Climate Movement – Adamah, Living Rivers Movement, Costa Rica, Louisiana Just Recovery Network, National Coalition for Asian Pacific American, Community Development, National Community Reinvestment Coalition, National Housing Law Project, National Housing Resource Center, New York Communities for Change, Oil and Gas Action Network, People’s Action Institute, Rebuild by Design, Revolving Door Project, Rise Economy, The Greenlining Institute, Third Act, and Union of Concerned Scientists.

The post Jewish Youth Climate Movement helps launch new initiative appeared first on Adamah.

Kol Yisrael Areivim Zeh Bazeh. We are all responsible for one another.

Adamah family,

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.  

Working in Adamah’s Youth Empowerment Division, I’ve witnessed the resilience of young Jewish climate activists in our LA community and their passion for our environment. 

As I come to tears writing this, I am certain that we will return from this stronger, more prepared, and grateful for our ability to overcome adversity in these stressful times.  We alone aren’t responsible for the climate crisis, and together we can be instrumental in being part of the solution. I know our community will take time to heal and recover from this devastating fire, and it is important you know we are here to support you.   

May your strength shine through, 

Marissa Fink
Adamah on Campus California Coordinator

We are committed to building up our LA staff and programming in the months and years to come, helping engage, inspire, and mobilize vibrant Jewish life in deep connection with the earth, for our people and our planet—so that whenever these crises strike, together we know we will pull through. 

-Jakir Manela, Adamah CEO

The post Supporting our LA community appeared first on Adamah.

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.

…

Although I joined Shamati because I wanted to explore how environmental protection appears in Jewish texts, I did not expect to see the Torah portion from my bat mitzvah, B’har, during one of our sessions. This portion (Leviticus 25:2-5) talks about the importance of giving a year of rest to a person’s land every six years. I’d never fully understood this portion’s relevance to our modern lives, but reexamining this text through Shamati made everything appear obvious: everything needs rest. When the earth, like us, does not rest, it is weakened, placed into a vulnerable state. It suddenly made much more sense to me that our emotions regarding the climate reflect the conditions of nature. I learned so much about recentering myself with the earth, and feeling both the pain of the earth and its constant need to recenter itself through small acts of self-care.

Yoshi Silverstein’s session particularly spoke to me. He introduced us to “Seven Dimension Cosmology for Embodied Jewish Resilience,” a practice from his Mitsui Collective. Examining the seasons, cardinal points, moon cycle, and time of day as representative of the emotions of a group was so fascinating. I couldn’t get his lesson out of my head after we concluded our Zoom. After considering the relationship between noon (tzahar), summer (kayitz), and south (darom), it feels impossible to ever disassociate the concepts. Although I am still working through the relationship between my emotions and the Seven Dimension Cosmology, I loved learning about a part of Judaism which was so new to me.

In addition to the connection between the earth and our bodies, I found the history of antisemitism and the fossil fuel industries relevant to our current political climate and the blaming of Jewish people for many of the world’s problems. Our sessions on eco-futurism and the psychology of crisis also stood out to me as essential for understanding the true extent of the harm we are facing as the climate degrades. From these sessions, and the rest of Shamati, I would highly recommend anyone with even the slightest feelings about climate change to take this course.

At Brown RISD Hillel, my students are incredibly focused on taking action. They are actively working on campaigns to encourage voting in the national election, and lean towards rallies and protests to address climate change. These are fantastic methods to raise awareness, but 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. During a coffee chat, a student involved in Adamah on Campus mentioned to me that he tries to avoid thinking about the crisis altogether, as it is too overwhelming. As the results of the presidential election are intrinsically linked to the future of America’s policies on climate change, I plan to host a “wellness day” at our Hillel to give students an outlet on Election Day.

We will have bagels, snacks, and art stations set up around Hillel to provide a source of self-care. I’m hopeful that creating forms of art as creative resistance to feelings of anxiety will become a practice I can further utilize at future Adamah events and at general activities on campus.

Adelaide Gordon
Springboard Fellow, Brown RISD Hillel

The post Psychology of the Climate Crisis appeared first on Adamah.

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

The post Empowering Our Students appeared first on Adamah.

Lucy Targum, top right, hosts a letter-writing event at Concord Academy in Concord, Massachusetts where community members gather to write letters to voters in swing states. (Courtesy Lucy Targum)

This article was produced as part of JTA’s Teen Journalism Fellowship, a program that works with Jewish teens around the world to report on issues that affect their lives.

Even though they’re too young to vote, Shayne Cytrynbaum and Lucy Targum are running campaigns to get others to the polling booths.

Targum, 16, a junior at Concord Academy in Concord, Massachusetts, says her interest in community service comes from her Judaism. “The values that are really important to me about Judaism, like repairing the world, are really a driving force behind my interest in social justice,” she said.

While Targum and Cytrynbaum are just small parts of the larger get-out-the-vote movement, they see themselves as essential players in democracy. By organizing letter-writing events and recruiting poll workers, they hope to set an example for youth who may feel powerless.

A number of Jewish organizations have been running nonpartisan get-out-the-vote campaigns this year, including the National Council of Jewish Women, the Jewish Future Alliance and the Jewish Electorate Institute. The Jewish Council for Public Affairs sponsors “The Chutzpah to Vote,” an initiative to get Jews and their allies to the polls.

“We’re living at a moment when so much is at stake: the safety and rights of countless communities, including Jews, the future of our planet, and democracy itself,” said Amy Spitalnick, CEO of the JCPA. “Jewish teens, and all teens, are critical to the democratic process even if they’re not yet able to vote themselves.”

Along with her classmate Caroline Espinosa, Targum organized her first letter-writing event for her high school in mid-August. She partnered with Vote Forward, a non-profit organization that focuses on writing nonpartisan, handwritten letters to reach voters in swing states where former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris are head to head in the polls.

Since then, Targum has organized four more similar events, sending 400 letters to Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania.

“I wanted to do something and this was something that I could do,” she said. “I can’t vote in November, but I can write letters and I can encourage other people to vote.”

Cytrynbaum, 17, a senior at Golda Och Academy in West Orange, New Jersey, says the Jewish value of tikkun olam, or repairing the world, got him interested in the climate crisis, which led him to the get-out-the-vote movement. “Any social justice issue you care about is going to be impacted by how much people get out to vote,” he said. 

Cytrynbaum said the Jewish community has a long history as a relatively powerless minority, and flourished in pluralistic, democratic societies. “If you want to stay alive as a community and stay united, we need to respect diverse opinions,” said Cytrynbaum, who is a policy co-director with Jewish Youth Climate Movement.

This September, the Jewish Youth Climate Movement announced its 2024 election drive, “Shema Koleinu,” Hebrew for “hear our voices.” The drive mobilizes members to serve as poll workers, organize voter registration drives, call voters to get out the vote, and educate voters. 

Cytrynbaum has been focusing on voter education and poll work in the week leading up to election day.

While Cytrynbaum was too young to work the polls in the 2020 election, he made a promise to himself that once he turned 16, the minimum age in New Jersey, he would sign up. Now 17, he’s recruited 14 kids to work at the polls, up from eight last year. And, within the Jewish Youth Climate Movement, he has recruited 38 people to do poll workers.

“Our democracy is stronger when everyone votes,” Targum said, “and when more people make their voice heard.”

Article by Cooper Coughlin.

The post Too young to vote, these Jewish teens are getting others to the polls appeared first on Adamah.

Leaders from the Jewish Youth Climate Movement join the March to End Fossil Fuels in New York City in Sept. 2023 as part of NY Climate Week

Jewish organizations and leaders staunchly defend Gen Z when it comes to antisemitism. But when it comes to our well-being amid the climate crisis, those of us too young to vote are concerned by both a Jewish and national electorate that seems to have left climate somewhat by the wayside.

In June 2023, five months before the Oct. 7 attacks on Israel, a poll conducted by the Jewish Electorate Institute showed that among voting issue priorities for American Jews, climate change ranked fourth and Israel 10th. In the Institute’s April 2024 poll, climate change was ranked seventh, surpassed by Israel in fourth, immigration in fifth, and national security and foreign policy in sixth. This trend is visible beyond Jews: in a September poll by the Pew Research Center, climate ranked lowest on a list of issue priorities for surveyed Americans this cycle.

As a young Jew, I find this trend troubling, for the safety of both the planet and Jewish communities. Caring less about climate change especially harms teens, who face the most dire consequences if we fail to curb global emissions.

While climate has fallen as an issue of concern for voters since 2023, multiple polls suggest that the number one issue for Jewish voters in 2024 is the future of democracy. Young Jews know that protecting democracy is inextricably linked to climate action. Climate change destabilizes not just the physical environment that young people are inheriting, but also our democratic processes. In the short term, free and secure elections are increasingly encumbered by flooding, fires, extreme heat, and more. In the long term, climate change will instigate conflicts over resources, forcing people to flee conflict zones and potentially stirring up anti-immigrant backlash that can thrust anti-democratic governments into power.

Jews themselves have experienced the effects of climate change firsthand. Jewish populations in Florida and California have been hit hard by climate catastrophes like hurricanes and wildfires. Alongside New York and New Jersey, which have experienced heat waves exacerbated by climate change, the communities in these four states comprise the majority of the American Jewish electorate.

Swing states such as Arizona, Pennsylvania, and Michigan also have sizable Jewish communities, whose voters may play a critical role in the outcome of the presidential election.

So this election provides an opportunity for American Jews to help ensure the safety and well-being of their communities by voting for candidates who prioritize climate solutions. At a time when the federal government has begun to truly invest in clean energy, but the Supreme Court has also released pro-fossil fuel rulings, this election is a crucial chance for American Jews to see that the future of both their physical environment and their democratic structures is tied up with U.S. climate policy.

Jews must loudly and proudly declare that, for the sake of Jewish youth, they are voting for the future of democracy and climate in tandem because the political structure Jews hold most dear flourishes best in a liveable climate. Jewish voters must use their power in this year’s election to demand climate action, no matter the candidate. This is not only better for the world but also necessary for the stability of Jewish communal life — and for the young people who cannot yet cast votes for our futures.

Article by Ari Gelman and Dani Grinker.

Ami Gelman is the head of the writing group for Adamah’s Jewish youth climate movement and a member of its leadership board.

Dani Grinker is a member of Adamah’s Jewish youth climate movement writing group and leadership board.

The post This is a make or break election issue for young Jews appeared first on Adamah.

NEW YORK, Sept. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — The Charles Bronfman Prize celebrated its 20^th Anniversary this week honoring Prize Laureates of the last two decades, who work across a diverse set of areas—the arts, human rights, education, poverty, and the environment—aiding millions, driving impactful policy change, and creating new avenues and paradigms for humanitarian relief, as they respond to the most pressing issues of our time. The Charles Bronfman Prize honors young humanitarians driven by Jewish values who are creating a global impact, awarding $100,000 to a leader under the age of 50 each year.

Hosted at the Jewish Museum in New York City during the United Nations General Assembly Week from September 22^nd to September 25^th, The Charles Bronfman Prize convened the Laureates to collaborate—sharing stories about their efforts to drive change, curate solutions and meet needs globally, while also recognizing the added resilience required of humanitarian leaders today.

“Caring about something enough to truly dedicate yourself to help those in need and solve the problems of the world is no small matter,” said Charles Bronfman, philanthropist and the namesake of the Prize. “I continue to be in awe of all of the Laureates. Their shared connection and their desire to have meaningful impact in our complex world was moving beyond measure. I know they inspired me but more importantly, I believe their shared stories ignited new ideas and continue to inspire the next generation of humanitarians.”

Photo credit: Paulette Light

The extensive anniversary programming spotlighting Prize Laureates included: 

• A talk from Etgar Keret, author and 2016 Prize Laureate;
•  A conversation on disability rights with Eric Rosenthal, founder and Executive Director of Disability Rights International and the 2013 Prize Laureate;
•  Reflections on the mental health crisis in Israel from Dr. Amitai Ziv, founder of MSR, The Israel Center for Medical Simulation and the 2007 Prize Laureate as well as a Prize Judge, with an introduction by Dr. Ari Johnson, 2021 Prize Laureate and co-founder/CEO of Muso;
•  A conversation about forced migration moderated by the 2008 Prize Laureate and creator of the Solar Cooker Project Rachel Andres with Sasha Chanoff, RefugePoint founder and CEO and the 2010 Prize Laureate, Becca Heller, International Refugee Assistance Project co-founder and CEO and the 2015 Prize Laureate, and David Lubell, Chairman Emeritus of Welcoming America and the 2017 Prize Laureate;
•  A roundtable discussion with Jay Feinberg, founder and CEO of Gift of Life and the inaugural Prize Laureate in 2004; celebrating the 500th successful transplant because of the groundbreaking partnership between Birthright and Gift of Life;
• A conversation on young global leaders and social justice organizations introduced by Canadian jurist and Prize judge the Honorable Justice Rosalie Abella, and moderated by Amy Bach, CEO of Measures for Justice with the 2018 Prize Laureate with Jared Genser, a human rights lawyer and the 2010 Prize Laureate, David Hertz, Co-founder of Gastromotiva and the 2019 Prize Laureate, and Nik Kafka, founder and CEO of Teach a Man to Fish and the 2022 Prize Laureate;
• Professor Alon Tal, environmentalist and 2005 Prize Laureate speaking on mobilizing a global Jewish response to the climate crisis, sharing an overview of his book “Making Climate Tech Work: Policies that Drive Innovation” and opening a panel on the topic with Adamah CEO Jakir Manela, Adamah NY Director Dr. Shahar Sadeh, Michael Sonnenfeldt of the Jewish Climate Trust, and Columbia University Adamah campus chapter leader Claudia Sachs;
• And remarks from Karen Tal, Director General of Amal Education Network and the 2011 Prize Laureate alongside Israeli dignitary and Prize judge the Honorable Dan Meridor and Yotam Polizer, CEO of IsraAid and the 2023 Prize Laureate. Throughout the week, the Laureates’ stories and impact were also amplified through a dedicated exhibit in the museum.

“It was both humbling and heartening to witness the Laureate community come together this week. Being a humanitarian is a selfless commitment to make the world better, and the passion and dedication of these young leaders especially in today’s ever-challenging geopolitical environment, is awe-inspiring. This anniversary was a celebration of the immeasurable impact of the last two decades of laureates,” said Ellen Bronfman Hauptman and Stephen Bronfman, Charles Bronfman’s children who along with their spouses, Andrew Hauptman and Claudine Blondin Bronfman, established The Charles Bronfman Prize in 2004 to honor his legacy on his 70th birthday.

The Charles Bronfman Prize is currently accepting nominations for the next Prize Laureate, who will be announced in January 2025. From now through October 9, changemakers can be nominated through the Prize’s website, thecharlesbronfmanprize.org/nominate. 

About The Charles Bronfman Prize
The Charles Bronfman Prize is an award of $100,000 presented to a humanitarian under the age of fifty whose innovative work, fueled by their Jewish values, has significantly improved the world. The Prize was founded in 2004 by Ellen Bronfman Hauptman and Stephen Bronfman, together with their spouses, Andrew Hauptman and Claudine Blondin Bronfman, to honor their father on his 70th birthday. After hundreds of nominations from all over the world, The Charles Bronfman Prize has not just supported individual humanitarians, but it has created a fellowship that embodies the spirit, values and beliefs that have defined Charles Bronfman’s life.

Media Contact: CharlesBronfmanPrize@apcoworldwide.com

The post THE CHARLES BRONFMAN PRIZE CELEBRATES 20 YEARS OF GLOBAL HUMANITARIAN IMPACT appeared first on Adamah.

While I’m not old enough to vote in this upcoming election, voting is one of the most impactful actions anyone can take to effect climate change at a policy level. Voting is how we make our voices heard, and we need to be loud about this issue that’s getting little widespread attention, despite its widespread effects. One vote may not seem like much, but it is one vote out of many that will make a change. Vote for candidates who will prioritize climate friendly policies such as ending deforestation, increasing renewable energy capacity, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Make your voice heard and vote so that future generations will have the chance to thrive and experience all the beauty this earth has to offer.”

Roz Larsen
Member of the JYCM Leadership Board 

The post Get Out & Vote appeared first on Adamah.