Each year in the spring, students from the Jewish Communal Leadership Program open up our social work and Judaic Studies learning to the community.

Second-year students in the program first need to choose a key Jewish communal issue to focus on — something we can explore with both burgeoning and established leaders, activists, scholars and everyone in between. The aim is to host a powerful community-wide gathering of intergenerational (often interfaith) learning and community building.

Given the increased urgency of climate change and attention toward climate justice, our cohort felt that this was a critical issue that not only affects the Jewish community, but all people in our country and in our entire world. We wanted to explore how the Jewish community can come together to pursue climate justice and do our part in helping propel the current movement toward achieving a more environmentally-just future for us, our children and our grandchildren.

Climate Justice and the Jewish Community: A Call to Action Through Dialogue

Sunday, March 27th, from 1-3:30 p.m. via Zoom

Since the start of working on last year’s program, our cohort was passionate about bringing together a panel of dynamic voices with extensive knowledge on how Jewish communities can respond to growing calls for climate justice across the country and around the world.

We invited six speakers — differing in age, vocation, climate work history and personal viewpoints — to join us and share their rich and diverse perspectives on what we can do to combat this crisis as Jews.

Rabbi Ellen Bernstein, Eco-theologian & Spiritual Leader

Rabbi Isaiah Rothstein, Rabbinic Scholar and Public Affairs Advisor at Jewish Federations of North America

Kristy Drutman, Founder of Brown Girl Green

Sophia Rich, National Leadership Board Member of the Jewish Youth Climate Movement

Vicki Kaplan, Director of Organizing at Dayenu

Ariel Mayse, Assistant Professor of Religious Studies at Stanford University

They will speak in pairs moderated by members of our cohort. We will share a resource list with both Jewish and non-Jewish organizations engaging in this important work. We hope you will join us and bring your own thoughts and questions to the table.

Addressing issues pertinent to and involving the Jewish community is a pillar of JCLP, and our cohort is so proud to be able to hold this event despite pandemic restrictions. Everyone in Southeast Michigan and beyond is invited to join us for what is sure to be a thought-provoking afternoon.

To RSVP for the event and receive the Zoom link, visit https://ssw.umich.edu/r/jclpcc22.

Thank to sponsors The Jean & Samuel Frankel Center for Judaic Studies; U-M Hillel; U-M Trotter Multicultural Center; U-M School of Social Work Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion; U-M School of Social Work Student Union; Temple Beth Emeth of Ann Arbor; Beth Israel Congregation of Ann Arbor; The Jewish Federation of Greater Ann Arbor; Repair the World Detroit; U-M American Culture Department; U-M School for Environment and Sustainability; Ann Arbor Reconstructionist Congregation; The Well; and The Amir Project.