The Jewish Green Business Network connects North American and Israeli green business professionals in order to accelerate climate solutions across the Jewish world and beyond.

Many of us are living with intense anxiety amid the recent Iran attacks against Israel, political violence, antisemitic acts, and the climate crisis. 

Adamah’s core value of Jewish Peoplehood, building bridges for the Jewish people—from Israel and the Diaspora—to build a more sustainable future together, is more important now than ever. We stand with all those who yearn for peace and pray for the safety of innocent victims of violence.

In this moment, we need to mobilize the full power of the Jewish people in the face of existential crises. We need all hands-on deck to find our way through this moment, for our people and our planet—and that must include the tremendous brilliance, innovation, resourcefulness, and strength of the Jewish green business demographic.  

That’s why we are excited to launch the Jewish Green Business Network, a new Adamah program with massive impact potential moving forward. We are deeply grateful to our friends at the Jewish Climate Trust for believing in Adamah and in the power of this vision.

What will the Jewish Green Business Network do? 

• Local gatherings, business tours, climate week events, career panels, and networking events 
• A supportive multi-generational community of Jewish professional leaders driving innovation, and showing up to share, learn, mentor, and collaborate with one another
• Unique opportunities for business development, partnerships, and strategic connections between the North American and Israeli green business worlds

Click here to join the network! 

And here’s to the great strength of the Jewish people, and the power of community to see us through difficult times.

B’Shalom, 
Or Katzman & Talya Herring   
Co-Directors, Adamah Jewish Green Business Network 

Or Katzman is an impact strategist, entrepreneur, and community builder focused on climate, business, and social change. He co-directs the Jewish Green Business Network at Adamah and has led initiatives such as SDGIsrael, the Ecological Benefits Framework, and the Transformative Impact Summit. With expertise in climate science, water management, circular economics, and impact strategy, Or helps translate bold ideas into practical solutions for a more just and resilient world. 

Talya Herring Esq. is a strategic communicator, environmental advocate, and community organizer with a legal background and deep experience across climate tech, sustainability, and Jewish communal life. Talya brings her passion for the planet and people as Co-Director of the Jewish Green Business Network at Adamah. She has a strong background in environmental action, including managing marketing and research at PLANETech, practicing environmental law at Lipa Meir & Co., and founding a zero-waste business and podcast, Zevel Rebel.  

The post Launching the Jewish Green Business Network appeared first on Adamah.

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.

Since February, I’ve had the honor to study at the Arava Institute for Environmental Studies in Ketura, Israel. Here, I have had the opportunity to study with incredible peers and professors, and have made connections which will last far beyond the conclusion of the semester.

I think it is critical to start this post by explaining a bit about my background. I am a Modern Orthodox Jew who grew up in Baltimore and New York. I was raised in a Zionist home and community which instilled within me a love for the Jewish people and a desire to learn more and contribute to the Jewish state. I was also raised on the values of environmentalism and sustainability. My maternal grandfather was a climate scientist who was one of the first advocates for greenhouse gas emissions research and policy at Exxon before they eliminated his research team. From a young age, my parents taught me the importance of caring for a sustainable world. I always felt passionate about being an environmental leader.

These passions which I developed early in life led me to study both Near Eastern Studies and Environmental Studies at Princeton University for my undergraduate degree. Prior to beginning my degree, I would not have seen such an intersection between these fields. I began to conduct research as an undergraduate on the transformation of a river in Northern Israel. Without going into too much detail, what I discovered in my research was that in order to understand environmental policy and change in Israel, it was critical to learn more about the conflict and the geopolitical and historical context from which it began. This inspired me to study abroad for a summer in Jordan, where I was able to become relatively proficient in Arabic. I cherished the opportunity to speak with Jordanians of Palestinian descent about their lives and family histories and discovered how meaningful the power of storytelling and dialogue can be. 

When I first heard about the Arava Institute, I was shocked that there could be an academic institution which was so catered to my interests. Despite Princeton’s pushbacks in studying in Israel because of security concerns, I pushed them to grant me permission to study at the Institute for a semester. I was ultimately successful, and have been enormously satisfied with the decision to study here this semester.

The institute is constantly challenging what environmental stewardship can look like in a world bound by political borders and unrest. I learned here that while the basic mantra of the Institute is that “nature knows no borders,” the reality of the Middle East is far more complex. Different actors in this region need to understand when the environment transcends political borders, and also when nature is anthropogenically differently altered across varying political borders. Every class that I’ve had here, whether more focused on science or politics, has included that complex conversation which is critical to the work which the Institute does. I have really appreciated the honesty and humility with which the professors who I’ve been lucky to study with conduct themselves, which is hard when attempting to enact ground-breaking work to combat simultaneous political and environmental crises. As someone who is aspiring to be a change-maker in this field, hearing and understanding these nuances from professionals has opened my eyes to the practical work of well-grounded applied research.

Furthermore, it has been such an honor and privilege to have met the diverse student population which the Institute brings together. As one of very few international students this semester, it has been incredible to connect with students and interns who I would have never met otherwise. I have developed meaningful relationships with my roommates and peers while utilizing both my Hebrew and Arabic in the process. It has been critical for me to hear the stories of my peers both in and out of the official dialogue space. In addition to allowing me to deepen relationships, this has allowed me to widen my perspective of the different truths which people who live in and out of this region experience. Throughout the hardships and traumas which we discover here at the Institute, we are building deep channels of support and comfort to face the challenging realities which we face. 

Moreover, as one of very few religious students on the program, it has been so important for me to both share my lifestyle with others and connect with Muslim peers. On a recent trip to an Arab village in the Negev, one of my Muslim friends invited me to pray with him at the local Mosque during the fajr services at the crack of dawn. It has been so spiritually moving for me to be able to connect with others in this realm, simultaneously while being surrounded by the uplifting atmosphere of the still and vast Arava desert.

I must express again how grateful I am to have had this experience so far. It has been such a unique experience for an American university student. In a time in which our world is being plagued by toxic, extremist ideological battles, it has been so critical for me to hear the real-life stories of those experiencing this conflict. I have come to understand how critical social and environmental change are for our ever-changing reality, and how we need to ground such work in the nuances which our world includes. I will forever cherish the time I have spent here. I hope that this semester is only the beginning of engagement in this incredibly critical, meaningful, and complex work.

May we see more peaceful and sustainable times.

About the Author
Davi Frank is a junior at Princeton University studying Near Eastern Studies with minors in Environmental Studies and Religion. He founded and co-led the Adamah on Campus Chapter at Princeton for two years. In that role, he helped create meaningful events on campus, including a Jewish Learning Fellowship centered around Jewish ethics during a time of climate change, reverse tashlich events to cleanup nearby streams, and an environmentally themed Shabbat including a panel of activists, clergy, and professors in the field of environmental ethics and protection.

The post A Semester at the Arava Institute appeared first on Adamah.

Mission highlighted Israel’s achievements in fighting climate change.

I was invited by the National Adamah group to join their staff and 30 other climate activist lay leaders from around the country, England and Canada, to learn more about our joint Israeli-Diaspora mission to help fight climate change. 

I am deeply grateful to Adamah for the opportunity to experience Israel in a way unlike any of my previous visits. This was not a sightseeing tour; it was about peoplehood, planethood and problem-solving — focusing on one of the greatest challenges of our time: climate change.

My fellow travelers on this journey were leaders in their Jewish communities, working to bring this crucial work to others, regardless of religious, cultural, political or national differences. Their dedication should be recognized and celebrated.

Upon landing in Israel, I immediately felt as though I were entering a house of shivah. From Ben Gurion Airport to the streets, roundabouts, stores, restaurants, Tel Aviv boardwalk and train/bus stations, reminders of the country’s ongoing trauma were everywhere. Yellow ribbons and the faces of the dead and hostages lined the streets, making it impossible to forget the pain that lingers. This feeling was crystalized by a visit to Hostage Square in Tel Aviv, where I spoke with kibbutz survivors and Nova Festival attendees who shared their harrowing experiences.

This trauma brought me back to my first trip to Israel as a 17-year-old in the summer of 1974, just eight months after the Yom Kippur War. At that time, Israel was still reeling from the trauma of war, struggling with the weight of heavy losses. Ceasefire agreements with Egypt and Syria had been signed only a month before my arrival with Camp Ramah Canada for an eight-week journey across the country. It is deeply saddening that throughout my entire life, this land has known so much war, hostility and trauma.

A Start-Up Nation Amidst Growth and Innovation

Despite its challenges, Israel remains a “start-up nation” — a beacon of resilience and innovation. 

People often forget that, with all its advancements in technology, agriculture, mass transit and booming construction, Israel is still a young nation — just 77 years old, nearly four times younger than the U.S.

The post Reflections on the Adamah Leadership Mission to Israel appeared first on Adamah.

Monday, March 3

By: Jakir Manela

I arrived in Israel a few days ago, and today joined over 40 Adamah leaders for our first-ever Adamah Leadership Israel Mission.

Read More from Monday…

I am so grateful to these wonderful people—Adamah staff, board members, committee members, donors, organizational partners, and allies—for stepping up to be here, to learn, to cultivate relationships, and to build bridges for our people and our planet. It is going to be an amazing week: follow along with our daily blog.

My heart is moved by all I cannot save: so much has been destroyed
I have to cast my lot with those who age after age, perversely, with no extraordinary power, reconstitute the world.
― Adrienne Rich

This is my second time here since October 7th: I was here last April on one of our Adamah Israel Farm Volunteering Missions as well. There are so many realities about Israel that remain hidden from us as we view Israel through the American media, seemingly impossible to convey yet so important to understand in this moment, especially for those aligned with Adamah’s values and mission. I share just two such observations here:

1. The land and people of Israel are heart-achingly beautiful. Mountains and hillsides, wildflowers and beaches, birds and porcupines and wild boars, rain and wind, sunsets and stars. The Carmel forest, Hof Habonim, Ein Kerem and the Jerusalem forest, and a thousand other places to connect with nature, Creation, community, and ourselves. This past beautiful weekend saw many thousands of Israelis enjoying the outdoors, hiking and picnicking and many other things, connecting with friends and family, enjoying life and each other. To be here, on this land with our ancestral memories and connections embedded within us—even with all the pain—is truly a gift. The vast majority of Jewish history has unfolded without our ability to set foot on this sacred ground. Even now, amidst this trauma, it is a miracle to be alive and to be here at this time.

2. Israel is a family. To see so many parents and children enjoying themselves outdoors, to see their smiles and hear their laughter, is a testimony to both Jewish and human resilience and the healing power of love and nature connection. As I walk on a trail or sit on a beach here, I feel the tender hearts of everyone around me, and weep silently in awe of their strength, their fierce love for their children, for life, and for this tribal family national experiment: the Jewish homeland. I went into the old Haifa shuk (market) yesterday with friends, and stopped into a store where the savta (grandma) in charge not only tried to sell us some of her wares, but also tried to convince my friends to leave their sleeping 1-year-old baby with her while they go have some quiet time in the shuk as a couple. The haggling over the baby was at least as arduous as any sale that might have occurred. That savta is the norm not the exception, emblematic of the Israeli ethos, reflected last week when over 100,000 Israelis lined the streets nationwide to watch the heartbreaking funeral of the Bibas family.

Over these next few days, our group will be meeting with closely aligned allies here, “cousins” you might say: Israelis and Palestinians invested in peacebuilding through environmental cooperation, Israeli environmentalist leaders of all ages and backgrounds and organizational kinds, climate tech entrepreneurs, municipal sustainability leaders from Tel Aviv and elsewhere, partners from Birthright and the Jewish Agency, and many more. There is no shortage of news highlighting our more distant Israeli “cousins” with whom we may profoundly and angrily disagree, but we cannot and will not allow our minds and hearts to give into despair.

There must be another path forward, and Adamah is committed to helping blaze that trail. We will invest in building bridges and partnerships, for our people and our planet.

“There will not be a victory of light over darkness as long as we do not recognize the simple truth, that instead of fighting the darkness, we must increase the light.” ― A. D. Gordon

L’Shalom – In Peace,
Jakir Manela
Adamah CEO

Tuesday, March 4

By: Jackie Victor

As a long time progressive activist/entrepreneur in Detroit with a deep love of Judaism and lifelong connection to Israel, the opportunity to travel to Israel at this emotional, tenuous and complicated time is balm for my soul.

Read more from Tuesday…

Adamah’s statement of its relationship with Israel describes my heart and my kavannah (intention) for this week:

One of Adamah’s seven core values is Peoplehood & Planethood: building bridges for the Jewish People from Israel and the Diaspora to create a more sustainable future together…We connect like-minded Diaspora Jews and Israelis, fostering cross-cultural connections and collaboration. We believe in peace building through environmental cooperation, aiming to support peace, justice and sustainability for Israelis and Palestinians. We know that there are many viewpoints on this issue; we are committed to empathy, listening and inclusive community as we remain committed to moving forward in this direction.

We never know how our small activities will affect others through the invisible fabric of our connectedness. In this exquisitely connected world, it’s never a question of critical mass. It is always about critical connections.
― Grace Lee Boggs

Today’s theme Peacebuilding Through Environmental Cooperations (PEC) was a profound place to start and a reminder of the power of connections, both regional and global. Our first stop, Wadi Atir, is a hub of innovation in farming, animal husbandry and resource management. which combines the ancient heritage and lost knowledge of Bedouins with research and technology of the future. It is a revolutionary model of sustainability and self-sufficiency, True to today’s theme, it is also a model of building sustainable relationships, as between Muhammed El. Nabari, the visionary of Wadi Attir, Ben Gurion University, and committed Jewish Israelis and Bedouins from the surrounding area in the Negev.

Looking out into the fields of Wadi Attir, with planes from the nearby air base flying overhead, the Director of Wadi Attir shared one example of the significance of these relationships. Following October 7, the olive trees were heavy with ripe olives that need to be picked. Out of desperation and a belief in the relationships that have been forged, a call was made for volunteers to harvest the trees. During this terrifying and painful time, they dared to hope that twenty people might answer the call. In late October 2023, in an event labelled “Harvest of Hope”, 200 volunteers, Jewish and Muslim, showed up to work the land, side by side for the olive harvest. “Working in the ground together, we don’t care where partners come from, their religion nor their politics,” he explained. “Rather, it is through the act of working the land together, that critical connections deepen and new opportunities emerge.”

Our twelve hour day continued in the Negev, to the Al-Furaa Off-Grid Hub: the first off grid school in the country and an innovative project of sustainable water purification and self-determination in partnership with the Arava Institute. From machines which turn air into drinking water (literally!), to self standing units where moss covered sheets help filter human wastewater into water suitable for irrigation, we witnessed the efficacy and large scale potential of these pilot projects as acts of collaboration, sustainability, self determination and local empowerment.

Our day ended with a delicious (kosher!) Iftar (the meal eaten after sunset during Ramadan) dinner and powerful conversation with alumni and staff from the Arava Institute Peacebuilding through Environmental Cooperation (PEC) and the Dialogue Forum about the challenges and potential of dialogue between Jewish, Palestinian, Jordanian and international youth. The legacy of over 1900 graduates throughout the decades of this program is inspiring, while it is clear that this is a moment of even more profound challenges for dialogue and understanding.

Exhausted, inspired and left with more questions than answers, the message of Wati Attir Founder Muhammed El Nabari leaves me both humble and inspired. After decades of seemingly impossible collaborations in sustainability throughout the world, El Nabari challenged “Describing problems is an easy way to release energy. The work of solutions, is removing obstacles.” It is my hope and prayer that the visionary people, projects and collaborations we encounter this week, and the connections that we make with them and one another will continue to move us through the invisible fabric of our connectedness…in this exquisitely connected world.

-Jackie Victor, Israel trip participant

Wednesday, March 5

The Promise of Youth
By: Anya Kamenetz

I came to Adamah last year through my passion for the intersection of climate justice and youth mental health, starting with the Shamati program. The second full day of the Adamah Leadership Israel Mission required us to traverse an almost impossibly steep emotional terrain.

Read about the group’s visit to Nova including a poem inspired by the experience here.

Thursday, March 6

Pivot to Tech in Tel Aviv
By Rob Frier

Today, we traveled to Tel Aviv to learn about the climate tech, adaptation and innovation for which Israel is well known.

Read more from Thursday…

Starting with a walking tour of Park Mesila with Dr. Boaz Kedar, Sustainable Planning and Energy Manager for the Municipality of Tel Aviv – Yafo. Park Mesila, formerly a gritty street of parking lots and garages was transformed into a vibrant pedestrian walk/park that leads to the beach. We ended the walk at a public water sports facility on the beach. Most of that facility is below grade with a public space above. The public space is covered with the largest pergola in Israel. The coolest part is that the pergola is covered with an integrated 68kW solar array making the facility net positive (i.e. it generates more energy than it uses).

We were hosted for lunch by Fanta Prada, an Ethiopian Jew and entrepreneur, at her restaurant, Balinjera. We were joined by our sister City representatives in Israel – Sigal for Baltimore/Ashkelon and Eliad from Atlanta/Yokneam.

After lunch, we met with Rotem of Planetech for a stroll through the port of Yafo. Planetech is a network of close to 400 climate tech startups. Through their ecosystem, they match startups with investors and corporate partners as well as identify market needs that startups can address. Rotem is particularly focused on the startups deploying their proof of concept locally. At the port, we saw the demonstration projects for EcoWave Power and ECOoncrete. EcoWave is a grid connected wave energy array. The company recently went public. ECOconcrete is a resilient material that protects marine flora and fauna.

Next we proceeded to the Tel Aviv city hall to meet (by zoom) with Noah Efron, a former member of the Tel Aviv City Council, academic, writer and host of The Promised Land podcast. Noah explained the dramatic evolution of climate adaptation and mitigation in Tel Aviv over the past decade. Tel Aviv has made world class progress in almost every metric including: less cars, more bike lanes, air quality, tree canopy, renewable energy, etc.

After a debrief, we boarded the bus to travel to our next hotel, Maale HaChamisha in the Jerusalem Hills.

-Rob Frier, Israel trip participant

Friday, March 7

By Sarah Davison

We woke on Friday morning at Ye’erim Hotel which is adjacent to Kibbutz Maale HaHamisha. This hotel site is situated quite high on the mountain.

Sunday, March 9

Reflections from Daniella Hirschfeld

Adamah is my Jewish and my environmental home as it weaves together two integral parts of myself. It’s peoplehood and planethood efforts further bring together other layers of me. As such these final two days, dedicated to reflection, represent the culmination of an amazing journey and the beginning of something beautiful and new.

The post Peoplehood & Planethood: Adamah Leadership Israel Mission appeared first on Adamah.

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.

The post Strengthening Jewish Climate Leadership Through Adamah’s Israel Journeys appeared first on Adamah.

As I’m warming up inside after being out in the snow (sheleg), I thought it might be nice to share a few thoughts about snow from our Jewish tradition, along with a beautiful story and Israeli song.

Our sages taught us about the special blessing of snow. In the Talmud (Taanit 3b), Rava says: “Snow on the mountains is worth five rains on the ground.” This is because snow melts slowly, and the water is gently absorbed into the soil, deeply nourishing it.

The special whiteness of the snow reminds us of the words of the prophet Isaiah: “Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow.” There is something purifying and calming about the sight of falling snow.

I’d like to share with you one of my favorite stories from our tradition – about Hillel the Elder. In his youth, Hillel was very poor and worked as a day laborer. Half of his meager daily wages would go to the guard at the study hall so he could enter and hear Torah from the sages Shmaya and Avtalyon. One day, when he couldn’t find work and had no money to pay, he climbed onto the roof of the study hall on a cold winter Shabbat night and listened through the chimney to words of Torah. The snow fell and covered him until the sages discovered him in the morning and rescued him. This story reminds us not only about the importance of making learning accessible to everyone, but also about how our study halls need to stay connected to their surroundings and social justice.

And while we’re staying warm inside, I’d love to share with you this beautiful song by Naomi Shemer, performed last winter at the peak of Mount Hermon. The song is performed by soldiers Assaf Moscowitz and Yehonatan Ashkenazi, who dedicated this performance to their platoon and to all those who lost their lives on October 7th, 2023.

These days, as I look at the white snow covering the farm, my heart is with Israel.

Avihay Aharoni

Born and raised in Jerusalem, Avihay is our Pearlstone Shaliach (Israeli Emissary), and enjoys making connections to Israel through songs, stories and music. He will be leading our farm-to-table Rosh Hashanah seder, designing the Israel Connection & Meditation Space, as well as leading a session teaching melodies from traditional Rosh Hashanah piyutim (poetry).

The post From the Hermon to Pearlstone: Snow, Stories, and a Song of Longing appeared first on Adamah.

We’ve just finished two outstanding Rosh Hashanah retreats, both great successes. These heartfelt gatherings were even more important this year, because they lead up to today, October 7^th.  This is a day of profound grief and sorrow for many people.

One year ago on this date, Hamas massacred over 1,200 Israelis and took over 250 hostages, including dozens of Americans and people from around the world. It was the deadliest day in Jewish history since the Holocaust. One full year later, 97 hostages have still not come home, and many of them are now presumed dead. One full year later, the war sparked by that massacre still rages on, with almost 42,000 Palestinians dead and more than 97,000 injured in Gaza. This massacre and the ensuing war has dramatically diminished the potential for and progress towards peace across the region, and has sparked demonstrations at hundreds of college campuses, including both legitimate messages of empathy and protest against the loss of innocent life, as well as hateful antisemitic messages defending or even supporting or celebrating Hamas’s evil as legitimate “resistance by any means necessary.” This past year has brought about great trauma and turmoil in Israel, across the Jewish world, and for all those who care about peace, humanitarian values, and universal human rights. Too often, it is difficult for many to acknowledge the suffering and rights of both Israelis and Palestinians, and seemingly impossible to find a better path forward. Amidst such tragedy, today we can give ourselves space to grieve over this year of pain and sorrow.

For Adamah, this year has represented progress and momentum on many fronts, despite these broader challenges. And amidst this storm all around us, we have worked collaboratively to cultivate a culture of listening and empathy.

We have also worked over this past year to establish clarity around Adamah’s Relationship with Israel. One of our core values is Peoplehood & Planethood: building bridges between Israel & the Diaspora to create a more sustainable future together. We believe in peacebuilding through environmental cooperation, and we work to build relationships and partnerships with Israeli leaders and organizations aligned with our mission and impact through immersive experiences, Jewish environmental education, leadership development, and climate action. That work continues to move forward, now more important than ever.

Wherever you are today, however this date and this past year impacts you, I want to encourage us all to find time for quiet and stillness, to express your grief in whatever ways work for you: go for a walk outside, take some deep breaths, talk with family or friends, or find other ways to slow down, unplug, and connect to what’s most important in your life. This is a profoundly sad day for many people, and events continue to unfold with great uncertainty as to what lies ahead. So let’s all continue to hold empathy and compassion for one another—as a Rosh Hashanah guest said to me before leaving yesterday, “It’s so clear how much this team cares about and supports one another. That’s not a given, and it makes a huge difference.”

Sending love, and praying for peace

Jakir Manela
CEO, Adamah

The post October 7 – One Year Later appeared first on Adamah.

On the eve of this new year, the Middle East faces unprecedented tumult, danger, and sorrow. The latest climate disaster, Helene, wreaked death and destruction across the American southeast. An imminent election holds profound potential consequences for our nation, our people, and our planet. And yet our lives unfold not on the grand scale of history, but in the humility of home. We meet the needs of the day on our own or with our partners, we support our families and friends, and we make countless choices every single day—individually and collectively—that define our communities, our cultures, our ecosystems, our countries, and our trajectory through time.

And now we enter a new year. How will you and I fare in 5785? How will the Jewish people do? What will happen in Israel? Or America? Will the Earth and its inhabitants evolve towards greater harmony and balance, or further apart?

If ever there were a Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur to pour out our hearts in prayer, this is it. The traditional liturgy works for some of us. Others gather and raise our voices in song. Some daven (pray) in quiet meditation, whispering and crying in the corner. Others seek discussion, learning from and with our Rabbis and educators. Embodied practice is essential for many of us: exercise, yoga, and tai chi help us connect. Meditation can help us feel the embodiment of prayer. And there’s always the old-fashioned walkabout, where we take time to go visit and say hello to our home, the earth. Put away the phone and listen to and learn from the trees and flowers, plants and animals, and what they evoke inside of us. Adam and Adamah. People and planet.

Whatever works for you, however you best find a way to open your heart and soul: now’s the time. We need the full soul power of the Jewish people right now, and if we come together maybe somehow, we can help see things to a better place. So, when you feel the weight of sorrow these next few days and weeks, or when you feel that moment of awe, remember you are not alone, but rather spiritually attuned with and strengthened by people from all walks of life, all across the globe, who every day seek tikkun-repair in the world. Know that you are not alone, and that together, somehow, we will get through this.

May peace prevail.

May democracy endure.

May all those suffering find safety and solace.

And may we turn the tide.

L’Shana Tova U’Metukah

A good and sweet year for us all

Jakir Manela
CEO, Adamah

Bring Adamah to Your Rosh Hashanah Table

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The post A Prayer for 5785 appeared first on Adamah.

Know this: We are witnesses, and we will never forget. There is no door in the world on which your beloved family did not knock for you, for your rescue and well-being. There is no stone they left unturned, no prayer or plea they did not cry out – from one end of the world to the other – in the ears of God and man. – Isaac Herzog, President of Israel

Hersh, we failed you. We all failed you. You would not have failed you…Maybe your death is the stone, the fuel, that will bring home the 101 other hostages.

– Jon Polin, Father of Hersh Goldberg-Polin z”l

Dear Friends,

The American Jewish community is the strongest diasporic Jewish community in all of history. But in this moment, we feel helpless in the face of overwhelming tragedy. Trauma, pain, grief, and outrage unfolding day after day for countless innocent Israelis and Palestinians.

We now enter the month of Elul, when we say “the King is in the field” as we spiritually prepare ourselves for the days of awe drawing near: Rosh Hashanah – the New Year, the call of the shofarot, and Yom Kippur – the Day of Atonement. In just a few weeks, we face a great reckoning between G!d and humanity—and these preparatory days of Elul are already as solemn and desperate as ever before.

We are called to repent, now. We do not wait for the new year; we add extra prayers of repentance—selichot—every day this month, confronting our sins both individually and collectively, searching to find the will and wisdom to chart a different path forward. Teshuvah (returning) is deeply challenging work. It is holy service: avodah. When it is real, it is often transformative: personal and communal, spiritual and emotional, embodied and real. But amidst this calamity? Where do we turn now? And how can we hope to transform our lives and our trajectory, facing such utter tragedy?

I do not have answers. But I do know this: we are not helpless. Each of us, all of us, our choices do matter, and we can do something. We must.

So in this spirit, we are proud to announce our January 2025 Adamah Israel Leadership Mission.

This trip builds upon the relationships and lessons learned during our Israel Farm Volunteering trips earlier this year in March and April. Now, with gratitude to our supporters, we aim to catalyze culture change on a broader scale by bringing a significant group of amazing leaders to Israel for one week immersed in a Peoplehood & Planethood experience. Our group will include Adamah constituents from across the country, community members and leaders, Adamah staff and volunteers, partners, and allies—and together we will connect with Israeli leaders in the fields of environmental education, youth empowerment, green business, climate action, and peacebuilding through environmental cooperation. We will volunteer, learn from Jewish and Palestinian environmentalist peacebuilders, meet Israeli climate tech leaders and climate justice activists, connect with our sister cities, and cultivate partnerships with some of the largest Israeli environmental organizations and Jewish peoplehood organizations in the world.

We do this because at Adamah, we believe in building bridges for the Jewish People from Israel and the Diaspora to create a more sustainable future together.

Click here to learn more and apply to join us.

Wherever you are this Elul, find a forest or a sunset. Go for a walk. Breathe. If ever there were a time for all of us to pray together with all our might, this is it. And somehow, may we find love, healing, joy, and hope. Community and belonging. Peace.

Chodesh Tov. The King is in the field. May we find our way there, together as one.
 
Acheinu kol beit Yisrael. 

We are brothers and sisters, all the Jewish people.

Jakir Manela
Chief Executive Officer

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“Resilience: the capacity to withstand or to recover quickly from difficulties; toughness“

Tonight, we step into Shavuot, our early summer celebration of the wheat harvest and the giving of the Torah on Mount Sinai. Both Adamah centers—Pearlstone and Isabella Freedman—are welcoming a diversity of participants for retreats filled with deep learning, soulful singing, and vibrant community. We come together amidst great ongoing trauma in Israel and Gaza, rising antisemitism worldwide, and great uncertainty as to what may happen next.

Two months ago in Israel, I had a profound conversation with a deeply respected partner, sharing together the pain flowing through Israel and the Jewish People right now, and the many challenges facing our people and our planet.  We wondered together: how do we cultivate resilience in this moment? I have been thinking about it a lot lately, and what a Torah of Resilience might be.

Much of the resilience literature focuses on emotional and mental well-being, but as the Jewish philosopher Philo teaches us, “the body is the soul’s house”. At our Pesach at Pearlstone retreat, we learned from our wonderful health and wellness educator, Debra Fertig, that our top priority health practices should be ensuring quality sleep, nutrition, and exercise. The benefits of these practices come about through ongoing choices, patterns, rhythms, and habits—and Jewish tradition overflows with the scaffolding of daily practices that we can choose to leverage into healthy resilience. These past 49 days of Counting the Omer are a powerful example, slowing down to make every day count. At Adamah, these seven weeks have embodied our blossoming spring season, filled with daily resilience practices: prayer and gratitude, hitbodedut– nature meditation, Torah learning, and daily exercise aligned with shmirat haguf- the commandment to care for our bodies.

Beyond physical health, research now clearly shows that strong relationships are the most powerful factor in helping us live longer, happier (more resilient) lives. And on a societal scale, Climate Resilience efforts focus on our infrastructural preparedness for the ongoing planetary changes all around us. For example, how did you and your school-camp-etc respond to last summer’s wildfires and dangerous air quality days? Were you able to access climate resilient indoor air filtration systems? And in that sense, how do we prioritize resilience not only as a health and well-being practice, but also as a public safety and justice issue in the age of climate change?

And what about the question of when we focus on resilience? Depending on whether we are investing in before or after we need it, our resilience perspectives and priorities may be quite different—preventative vs recovery, strengthening vs healing. Surely, we have an obligation to do both now that we see how many forms of resilience we all need, especially our young people. Because as our sense of Polycrisis grows, we must ask ourselves how we can work together to maximize the resilience of the Jewish People—individually and collectively—to find our way through this storm? 

Through the lens of resilience, Torah and Jewish tradition can be seen not only as a gift from G!d, but also as the precious Resilience Toolkit given to the Jewish People. First received at the beginning of our great national liberation journey, we piloted resilience as we found our way through the desert, then more fully implemented the framework in ancient Israel, after which it was radically transformed after exile, and has thereafter continuously evolved through the millennia, tweaked by its rabbinic stewards in response to the resiliency needs of each generation and the challenges of their time.

Now, in our time, the need for resilience calls forth a Torah of the Earth, reconnecting us to the joy and beauty and balance of the physical source of all life, the earth, from where we come and to where we return.

This is the groundbreaking Torah of Resilience we seek to learn and teach at Adamah, that we hope to embody this Shavuot, so that our participants at Pearlstone, Isabella Freedman, and in Adamah Shavuot programs nationwide. Our goal is to help people experience this Torah of the Earth, feel more resilient, connect with our people and our planet, and ground ourselves together in joy, belonging, love, and hope- so that we may help build a more sustainable future for all people.

Wishing you and yours a holiday—and a summer—filled with emotional, physical, individual, and collective resilience.

Chag Sameach, and Happy Shavuot,

Jakir
Chief Executive Officer

The post The Torah of Resilience appeared first on Adamah.

In G!d’s first encounter with Moses, G!d says:

“Take your shoes off of your feet.”

Shemot/Exodus 3:5

The words in Hebrew for “shoes” (na’alecha) and “feet” (raglecha) are also the words for “locks” and “habits/patterns”. So, the very first sentence G!d says to Moses could be read as: “Take the locks off of your habits/patterns.” This could be a poetic way of instructing us to get out of our familiar ruts! And this is where Adamah’s arrow is aiming — on Lag B’Omer, today, and every day — and we invite you to join us.

One way you can experience this Adamah magic is at our upcoming Shavuot retreats! Come learn, sing, pray, feast, connect and explore….

At Isabella Freedman, in the Connecticut Berkshires, join our Partnership Orthodox minyan or our ALEPH: Jewish Renewal minyan, sing at our all-night niggun bonfire, and see the first fruits at the Adamah Farm Bikkurim Parade!

At Pearlstone, outside of Baltimore, Maryland, join our traditional Mechitza minyan or an Egalitarian minyan, stay up all night listening to incredible scholars including Rabbi Dr. Shmuly Yanklowitz, Joey Weisenberg, Rabbi Avram Mlotek, Dr. Melissa Klapper, and many more!

So, on this Lag B’Omer which falls on Sunday May 26, I encourage you to take your shoes off, feel the grass between your toes, and take the locks off any habitual ruts.

Shabbat Shalom and happy Lag B’Omer!

Yoni Stadlin
Chief Immersive Program Officer

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