Shalom Friends,

If Elul and Tishrei are the alarm clock for humanity and the Jewish people, then Cheshvan is that for clergy! #RabbisLoveCheshvan

As my mother always says (any day of the year): “It’s you this year!” We should be blessed to realize that it is true in every way.

• As it relates to Environmental Teshuva, it is you this year!
• As it relates to believing in yourself, your dreams and what you are capable of, it’s you this year!
• As it relates to your own personal and professional health and the sustainable choices you make, it is you this year!
• As it relates to the needs of your loved ones, friends and community, it is you this year!
• As it relates to you being more engaged in climate action by taking a look at the Hazon updates below, it is you this year!

SAVE THE DATE: MAY 15TH-18TH
Isabella Freedman Jewish Retreat Center
Family Friendly • Subsidies Available • All. Are Welcome. Always

We hope you will join us. Register here before 8th day of Chanukah and use code earlybird for a 15% discount.

“Building the Ark” by Rabbi Nate Degroot, Hazon Detroit

Indeed, while Cheshvan is a rabbi’s time to reflect and recharge, it is also the time that Noah’s flood started raging and we are reminded of our climate contract with God.

“What could Noah have been thinking, we wonder, as he built his ark, watching the people go by, knowing full-well God’s intent to wipe out land and flesh alike, and yet never reaching out to his neighbors or peers. No warning of what God has told him. No encouraging them to build their own arks. Or work together. No impetus to petition God?” 
Read more.

We understand how busy you are, this will only take a few minutes!

The Rabbinical Council is a platform for rabbis and spiritual leaders to pledge their institutions interest and commitment toward living sustainably by supporting Hazon, an organization that does this work on a national level for the Jewish community daily. Become a member and receive a 15% discount to all of our programming. Read more. 

We would love to have you get involved:

1. We are growing our work with rabbis. Take a look at our webpage: hazon.org/rabbis.  We welcome Rabbis Robin Damsky and Aaron Philmus as our co-chairs for the Hazon Rabbinic Advisory Board (RAB). If you are interested in getting more involved email me at isaiah.rothstein@hazon.org 

2. We declared 5780 the Year of Environmental Teshuva by acquiring a billboard ad in Time Square for a day this August. See Nigel’s article on Environmental Teshuva in the Jerusalem Post and be sure to engage with our Environmental Teshuva webpage to find ways to get involved in sustainability efforts this year.

3. Jonathan Safran Foer’s new book We are the Weather came out on September 17th. We sent out a few hundred copies to rabbis and spiritual leaders on our Rabbinical Council and beyond because we believe that is directly aligned with Hazon’s work around food systems and climate justice. Check out the Hazon We are the Weather discussion guide here.

4. We co-founded the Jewish Climate Coalition along with the Marlene Meyerson JCC of Manhattan, Jewish Theological Seminary and Jewish Climate Action Network as an organizing strategy for strengthening our greening efforts as a Jewish community. The coalition has over 35 organizations to date; you should join! Take a look at Hazon’s signature signs and pictures from the Global Climate Strike.