Jewish Youth Climate Movement
We are proud to support the Jewish Youth Climate Movement. Please contact us if you are a teenager (7th-12th grade) and want to learn how to get involved in the JYCM Colorado Kvutzvah (chapter). Click below to hear JYCM leader Lexie Miller sing a song that was composed for our 2022 Passover fossil fuel divestment rally.
Adamah on Campus
Adamah on Campus is a program of Adamah, designed by and directed towards Jewish college students passionate about Jewish environmentalism. Adamah on Campus is actively building a joyful, resilient generation of Jewish environmental leaders through education, climate action, and community building. Led by a staff team and National Student Leadership Board, we work with students from around the US to form chapters at their Hillels/campuses and connect with national opportunities. Our work ensures the Adamah values of peoplehood and planethood are embedded within Jewish communities on college campuses everywhere.
Climate Action Mitzvah Project Workshop
CJCA has designed an experiential workshop to introduce climate mitzvah projects to your b’nai mitzvah students. The workshop (45 minutes to 1 hour in length) frames the climate crisis in relation to Jewish values and introduces a list of climate action project ideas to your students. We can also facilitate a parallel program for parents that introduces CJCA and provides more specific details about prospective projects.
Please contact us to schedule a workshop for your congregation!
Direct Action or Fundraising Campaign
Dayenu is building a dynamic, multi-generational movement of American Jews to courageously confront the climate crisis. Dayenu Circles—small groups of people working on climate action—gather, train, and organize to advance bold solutions to the climate crisis.
Project description: Start a Dayenu circle or join the planning committee for a Dayenu action. You can also start a fundraising campaign to raise money for Dayenu’s climate action work.
Age: 12 and up
Contact: Moshe Kornfeld, 585.330.4949
Letter Writing and Advocacy Campaign
Jewish Earth Alliance is a grassroots network of communities working together to enable Jews to engage in the policy process at the Federal level.
Project description: Mitzvah students can attend JEA’s monthly meetings to learn about climate advocacy. They can then participate by encouraging others to write letters and by engaging with their members of Congress. Jewish Earth Alliance can help you come up with a specific plan.
Age: 12 and up
Contact: Mirele Goldsmith, jewsforcleanenergy@gmail.com
Tree Planting Campaign
Boulder JTree supports sustainable reforesting and rewilding projects that are ecologically and ethically sound. JTree partners with the National Forest Foundation because they have a proven track record of doing just that. JTree is a call and an invitation to every Jewish community to play its part in planting.
Project description: Mitzvah students will raise funds for sustainable tree planting while joining a network of Jews from across the world who are working to plant trees. Natalie Portman-Marsh, who leads a local JTree chapter, can offer support and advice.
Age: 12 and up
Contact: Natalie Portman-Marsh, npmconsults@gmail.com
Video: https://vimeo.com/701399262/76f23f0446
Resource sheet: JTree Mitzvah Steps.docx
Food Waste Awareness Campaign
We Don’t Waste is a food rescue organization. Eliminating food waste is an important climate solution. Rather than sending food to the landfill, We Don’t Waste believes that good food should feed people. It’s a relatively simple concept, with a big impact! When we save food, we get to protect the planet and feed people!
Project description: Conduct an in-home waste audit for your home, community, or synagogue. We Don’t Waste provides information packets, directions, videos, and tracking sheets.
Age: 12 and up
Biking Advocacy Campaign
Bicycle Colorado is a nonprofit advocacy organization championing the interests of all bicycle riders statewide.
Project description: Coordinate with Bicycle Colorado Bike School to bring a program to your school or synagogue that will encourage others to start commuting by bike. Fundraising may be required to cover program costs.
Age: 12 and up. Those under 18 require a signed parent waiver and parental supervision for in-person projects.
Environmental Filmmaking Project
The Colorado Environmental Film Festival (CEFF) is a celebration of the power of film to inspire, educate, and motivate audiences to protect and preserve the environment. CEFF presents films that raise awareness about a wide variety of ecological, social, and economic topics.
Project description: Create, direct, and submit a short educational film about an environmental topic/problem that you are passionate about (e.g. an endangered species, pollution, forest fires, water scarcity, waste diversion, clean energy, etc).
Next Festival – February 22-March 4, 2024
Age: 12 and up
Sustainable Farming and Increasing Food Access Project
Sprout City Farms builds educational urban farms to engage communities, strengthen neighborhood resiliency, and root farmers in the city. Their farms serve as a platform for education, health, food justice advocacy, ecological stewardship, community wealth building, vocational training, and neighborhood resiliency.
Project description: Volunteer at their three urban farms throughout the planting, growing, and harvesting season to understand the lifecycle of the urban farm. Then fundraise to sponsor several CSA shares to help minimize food insecurity in Denver. You could also organize a community volunteer day at one of the farms.
Age: 12 and up
Urban Garden Project
Denver Urban Gardens is a non-profit that works to support Denver residents in creating sustainable, food-producing neighborhood community gardens.
Project description: Raise money to start an urban garden at your synagogue or in your community. Volunteer at your local urban garden or attend their educational training.
Age: 12 and up
Trail Maintenance/Stewardship Project
Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado (VOC) is the state's oldest outdoor stewardship nonprofit organization. Their mission is to motivate and enable people to become active stewards of Colorado's natural resources.
Project description: Volunteer with VOC and help restore trails around the state.
Age: 12 and up (all children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult)
Community Garden Project
Ekar Farm and Community Gardens is a communal urban farm in Denver, inspired by Jewish values. They work to build community, provide experiential and environmental education, and grow sustainably produced fruits and vegetables, expanding access to those in need.
Project description: Organize a group of volunteers to do a day of service on the farm. Then spend several days volunteering at the distribution sites to help increase food access in the Denver-metro area. You could also apply for a community garden plot and donate the produce you grow to one of the distribution sites.
Age: 12 and up
Boulder JCC Milk and Honey Farm
Milk and Honey Farm is a 2+ acre educational sustainable farm located on the campus of the Boulder Jewish Community Center (JCC). The farm brings the community together for experiential programs and activities grounded in Jewish heritage, tradition, and values. The farm provides a place for individuals to connect on the simplest level with soil, plants, animals, and people.
Project description: Spend the growing season regularly volunteering on the farm. You could also sign up for a regular volunteer shift at the goat co-op to learn about how sustainable farming incorporates animals.
Age: 12 and up
Bike Streets Denver Project
Bike Streets is working to accelerate the transition to post-carbon mobility and to create cities with robust bike networks for riders of all backgrounds. This bicycle activity will fuel local economic growth (people who ride bikes find it easier to hop off and patronize local businesses), create virtuous circles (whereby bicycling as a normalized behavior begets even more riders), and help create a more symbiotic relationship between humans and the natural world.
Project description: Write letters to local candidates and organizations about the importance of building bike friendly cities. Then organize a community bike ride to promote the use of Bike Streets Denver’s low-stress bike maps.
Age: 12 and up
Reducing Quick-Fashion Waste Project
Research quick-fashion, organize an educational clothing drive at your local Synagogue and donate to a local consignment store. You could also organize a clothing exchange event within your community.
Age: 12 and up