Climate Action is a Moral Imperative of the Jewish Community

This letter has been drafted by Rabbi Sharon Brous and Rabbi Rachel Nussbaum

in support of the goals of The Big Bold Jewish Climate Fest.

Thank you to the Jewish Emergent Network for leading the effort on this letter.

All are are invited to sign in support below.


We, Jewish clergy and leaders from across the globe, from every background and denominational stripe, are joining together to make our voices heard in response to the climate crisis.

The climate crisis is the most pressing moral issue of our time. We believe that we have a moral imperative to care for and protect the natural world and all who are vulnerable to the effects of climate change. Years of faltering and insufficient action have brought us to the tipping point, and yet it is not too late for us to take meaningful action.

For decades, the consensus in the scientific community has been that we are barreling toward climate catastrophe. Nevertheless, we, as a collective human community, failed to take the call seriously.

Over the past year, the Covid-19 pandemic has awakened us to the reality that in our global society, all of humanity is interconnected and our fates are inextricably linked. We acknowledge that we must address the climate crisis collaboratively and creatively.

Jewish tradition firmly roots us in the belief that we human beings are intended to be the caretakers of our precious earth. Nearly a thousand years before the Industrial Revolution, our Rabbis wrote an astonishing midrash about the preciousness and precariousness of life on earth. In it, God leads Adam around all the trees of the Garden of Eden, and says to him: “’Look at My works—see how stunning and magnificent they are! Know this: everything I created, I created for you. But be mindful that you not degrade and destroy My world, for if you spoil it– אין מי שיתקן אחריך– there will be no one after you to repair it.'” (Kohelet Rabbah 7:13)

It has been our sacred responsibility from the start to honor and sustain the natural world: to see trees as the life sustaining miracles they are, to protect our biodiversity, and to be responsible stewards of all we have been entrusted. But now, reckless human action has led to the degradation and destruction of God’s world, exactly what the midrash cautions us against.

The climate crisis presents a calamity in the making, not only for our natural world but also for humanity. We can already feel its effects, and we’re just beginning to understand the resulting cascading catastrophes: a climate refugee crisis, global economic destabilization, devastating pandemics, and more. These will continue to cause disproportionate harm to low-income communities and communities of color, both in the United States and around the world. Addressing climate change is, simply put, the most important social justice issue of our time. 

The climate crisis is complex, and as such, our response will need to be multi-pronged. We commit ourselves not only to education and to prayer, but also to meaningful action and advocacy. We must consider this issue in all of our decisions, whether personal, familial or organizational, as we consider what and how we eat, how we build space, how we travel, how we spend and invest our money, what leaders and policies we support, and more. We must harness our collective social, economic and political power, together with the broadest possible coalitions, in support of a more sustainable future.

As a Jewish community, we have always dedicated ourselves fervently to the future. Often, this interest has led us to invest in building a vibrant Jewish future. Now, we must pause to recognize that the rich and beautiful Jewish future we dream of is predicated on a vibrant and sustainable human future, and a future for our planet. We who are so committed to ensuring Jewish continuity must double down on our commitment to the cause of human continuity.

The climate crisis is here, and there is no one after us to repair our world. We (the undersigned) commit to addressing the climate crisis in earnest, together, with the immediacy and seriousness it requires.

Joel Abramovitz, The Kitchen, San Francisco, CA

Melissa Balaban, IKAR, Los Angeles, CA

Jeff Cahn, Romemu, New York, New York

Rachel Cort, Mishkan, Chicago, IL

Rabbi Deena Cowans, Mishkan, Chicago, IL

Jessica Emerson McCormick, Jewish Emergent Network

Rabbi Lizzi Heydemann, Mishkan, Chicago, IL

Rabbi David Ingber, Romemu, New York, New York

Rabbi David Kasher, IKAR, Los Angeles, CA

Shira Kline, Lab/Shul, New York, New York

Rabbi Noa Kushner, The Kitchen, San Francisco, CA

Rabbi Amichai Lau-Lavie, Lab/Shul, New York, New York

Rabbi Keilah Lebell, IKAR, Los Angeles, CA

Naomi Less, Lab/Shul, New York, New York

Rabbi Scott Perlo, Romemu, Brooklyn, New York

Rabbi Aaron Potek, Sixth & I, Washington DC

Katie Quinn, The Kitchen, San Francisco, CA

Rabbi Mira Rivera, Romemu, New York, New York

Kohenet Aliza Rivka, Romemu, New York, New York

Sarah Sokolic, Lab/Shul, New York, New York

Rabbi Shira Stutman, Sixth & I, Washington DC

Liz Thompson, Kavana, Seattle, WA

Rabbi Ronit Tsadok, IKAR, Los Angeles, CA

Rabbi Josh Weisman, Hillel at the Univ of WA, Seattle, WA

Lisa Colton, Darim Online, Seattle, WA

Ingrid Elliott, Board member, Kavana, Seattle, WA

Victoria Kaplan, Dayenu: A Jewish Call to Climate Action, Glendale, CA

Rabbi Sharon Anisfeld, President, Hebrew College, Newton, MA

Richard Amend, Member, Makom Solel, Lakeside, Highland Park, IL

Avi Shapiro, Member, Kavana, Seattle, WA

Diane Rayor, Board of Trustees, Congregation Ahavas Israel, Grand Rapids, MI

Marla Becker, Lay leader, Peninsula Temple Beth El, San Mateo, CA

Shana E. Dukettem, Staff & Member, Ahavath Achim Synagogue, Atlanta, GA

Julie Rockowitz, Educator, Beth El Day Camp, New Rochelle, NY

Adam Horowitz, Co-Founder, USDAC / Nuns & Nones / Taproot, Albuquerque, NM

Sonia Jaffe, Seattle, WA

Kaya Stern-Kaufman, Rabbi, Temple Israel, Portsmouth, NH

Zoe Eisenberg, Tel Aviv, Israel

Rabbi Michael Cohen, Arava Institute for Environmental Studies & Israel Congregation, Manchester Center, VT

Stacey Rose-Blass, Member, Leyv Ha-Ir, Philadelphia, PA

Juliet Jensen, Judea Reform Congregation, Durham, NC 

Shira Sergant, Temple Akiba, Culver City, CA

Barbara Weisman, Education Director, Or Hadash, Plymouth Meeting, PA

Ellen Hollander, Beth El Synagogue Center, New Rochelle NY

Ron Marans, member, Lab/Shul, New York, NY

Susan Oliff, Romemu, Demarest, NJ

Rebecca Rindler, Board member, Lab/Shul, Brooklyn, NY

Rabbi Jessy Dressin, Executive Director, Repair the World, Baltimore, MD

Rabbi Mimi Micner, Watertown, MA

Jeremy Kagan, Professor, University of Southern California, Venice, CA

Rabbi Julie Bressler, Temple Beth Shalom, Needham, MA

Rabbi Eliot Baskin, Greenwood Village, CO

Rabbi Shifra Weiss-Penzias, Temple Beth El, Aptos, CA

Brit Stamey, J&J Editorial, Garner, NC

Puckmaren Glass, Fort Worth, TX

Rabbi David L Kline, NAORRR, Brooklyn, NY

Meredith Hobart, Member, Lab/Shul, New York, NY

Rabbi Julie Saxe-Taller, California Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, Berkeley, CA

Rabbi Chai Levy, Congregation Netivot Shalom, Berkeley, CA

David Krantz, President, Aytzim: Ecological Judaism, New York, NY

Sarah Cohn, member, Temple Beth Israel, Northfield, IL

Maya Green, Member, Temple Beth Or, Everett, WA

Briton Camphouse, Arlington, VA

Hunter Duryee, Director of Student Life at Hillel UW, Seattle, WA

Rae Nathanson, Bend the Arc, Portland, OR

Emma Tuttleman-Kriegler, Coastal Roots Farm, San Diego, CA

Joan Copperman, member, Belchertown, MA

Linda Glick, Member, Temple Sinai, West Hartford, CT

Pamela Grutman, New York, NY

Paris Franklin, Tacoma, WA

Rachel Kann, Kohenet, Realize Paradise, Los Angeles, CA

Nancy Snyder, Olympia, WA

Tessa Fischer, member,  Jewish Reconstructionist Congregation, Deerfield, IL

Jane Sobo, Member, Ikar, Silver Lake, Los Angeles, CA

Tammy Morales, Seattle City Councilmember, Seattle, WA

Daniel Alexander, Rabbi Emeritus, Cong. Beth Israel, Charlottesville, VA

Shawn Landres, Co-founder, Jumpstart Labs, Santa Monica, CA

Brad Lander, City Council Member, New York City Council, Brooklyn, NY

Tina Lieberman, Chair, City of Albany Sustainability Advisory Committee, Albany, NY

Paul Adam אדם Kobylarz Bongiorno, Partner, Lab/Shul, New York, NY

Adrienne Wald, Associate professor, Mercy College, High Falls, NY

Rabbi Salem Pearce, Executive Director, Carolina Jews for Justice, Durham, NC

Rosalyn Tauber Scheidlinger, New York, NY

Benjamin Weiger, Board Member, Cong. Beth Shalom, Arlington, TX

Rabbi Jeff Stombaugh, Executive Director, The Well, Royal Oak, Michigan

Howard Shapiro, Albany N.Y.

Brett Hanscom, member, Kavana, Seattle, WA

Julie Burg, Member, Kavana, Seattle, WA

Jeffrey Sprung, Member, Kavana, Seattle, WA

Deborah Brandt, Member, Romemu New York, NY

Perry Spring, educator and leader, Bet Shira, Port Townsend, WA

Rabbi Emily Cohen, West End Synagogue, Brooklyn, NY

Rabbi Shayna Rhodes, Hebrew College Rabbinical School, Newton, MA

Rabbi Arthur Green, Rector, Hebrew College, Newton, MA

Rabi Alison Adler, Temple B'nai Abraham, Beverly, MA

Rabbi Shoshana Friedman, Roslindale, MA

Rabbi Jen Lader, Temple Israel, West Bloomfield, MI

Rabbi Jesse Paikin, Toronto, Ontario

Rabbi Jessica Shimberg, Holding the Fringes, Nashville, TN

Jamie Stolper, Student Rabbi, Hebrew College, Newton, MA

Lauren Henderson, Rabbi, Congregation Or Hadash, Sandy Springs, GA

Devora Kimelman-Block, Founder and CIO, KOL Foods, Silver Spring, MD

Sharon London, Board President and Member, Kavana, Seattle, WA

Rachel Strickman, member, Kavana, Seattle , WA

Deirdre Gabbay, member, Congregation Beth Shalom, Seattle, WA

Philip Bressler, Rabbi, Beit Am, Corvallis, OR

Bruce Kochis, member, Kavana, Seattle, WA

Nancy Schneider, Social Justice Committee, Peninsula Temple Beth El. San Mateo, CA

Julie Kohl, Member, Kavana, Seattle, WA

Louise Lipsey, Member, Congregation Kol Shofar, Tiburon, CA

Harli Strauss-Cohn, Winston Salem, North Carolina

Danielle Fernández, Hixson, TN

Deni Marshall, Aleph Rabbinical Student, Elk Grove, CA

Terri Albert, Ottawa Hills, OH

Micah Lesch, Engagement Associate, Berkeley Hillel: Jewish Student Center, Berkeley, CA

Katie Lyon, Berkeley Hillel, Berkeley, CA

Sarah Rohr, Educator, Congregation Neveh Shalom, Portland, OR

Sheri Allen, Cantor, Fort Worth, TX

Tammy Shoshana Lianu, Jewish Educator, Lake Forest Park, WA

Jane Horwitz, Board Member, Beth David Reform Congregation, Gladwyne, PA

Julie Gumpert, Member, IKAR, Los Angeles, CA

Annette Rotter, Romemu, Sisterhood of Salaam Shalom, Bet Am Shalom, White Plains NY

Steffi Shapiro, member, Bnai Or, Boston, MA

Ron Lieberman, Demarest, NJ

Astraea Bella Davidson, Member, Romemu, Delaware Water Gap, PA

Nina Edwards, New York, NY

Josine Shapiro, member, Romemu, New York, NY

Lisa Phillips, member, Romemu, New York, NY

Rabbi Seth Goldstein, Temple Beth Hatfiloh, Olympia, WA

Rabbi Moshe Givental, West Bloomfield, MI

Meital Hoffman, Cambridge, MA

Joyce Friedman, Member, Waban, MA

Rabbi Lev Friedman, Azamra Minyan & Cong. Mishkan Tefila, Waban, MA

Joe Kreiter Charlottesville, VA

Elliot Figman, Member, Romemu, New York, NY

Howard Katz, member, Romemu, Teaneck, NJ

Jesse Fosheim, Interfaith Partner, Golden, CO

Caren Fried, Board member, Romemu, New York, NY

Rabbi Jay Perlman, Temple Beth Shalom, Needham, MA

Rachele Huennekens, member, Dayenu, Gualala, CA

Benjamin Lehman, Member, Kehilat Hadar, New York, NY

Rabbi Jill Borodin, Congregation Beth Shalom, Seattle, WA

Adeline Ellison, San Rafael, CA

Paris Franklin, Member, Temple Beth El, Tacoma, WA

Samantha Cutts

Michael Dorf, CEO, City Winery, New York, NY

Rabbi Todd Markley, Temple Beth Shalom, Needham, MA

Jane Green, Retired attorney and civic activist, Durham, NC

Maddie Hansen, Seattle, WA

Anu Ristola, President, The International Jewish Center, Brussels, Belgium

Bekah Starr, Kohenet, Beacon, NY

Susan Silverman, Executive Director, GARDEN, Inc., Tucson, AZ

Barbara Holtz, Member, Temple Shir Tikva, Wayland, MA 

Mark Benjamin, Massachusetts

Daniel Anson, Member, Chavurah B'Yachad, Congregation Kol Ami, Salt Lake City, Utah

Stacey Hammer, Orlando, FL

Carla Ellern, Member, Tifereth Israel, Washington, D.C.

Evelyn Maldonado, Gaithersburg, MD

Martin Himeles, Pikesville, MD

Brenda Berry, New York, NY

Shimona Hirchberg, Toronto, Ontario

Katherina Grunfeld, Community member, New York, NY

Steven Gelb, member , Temple Beth Am, Seattle, WA

Adriane Leveen,  JTREE USA, New York, NY

Robert Schloss, Member, Romemu, Briarcliff Manor, NY

Peggy J. Printz, Member, Temple DeHirsch Sinai, Seattle, WA

Aaron Myracle, Tacoma, WA

Ben Peerless, Member, Beachwood, Ohio

Nuri A, Member, Halifax, Nova Scotia

Bill Weininger, Member, Temple Israel White Plains, White Plains, NY