Fourth Jewish Climate Action Conference
The activism of the Jewish Climate Action Network of Massachusetts is rooted in the Jewish values of Tikkun Olam (repair of the world) and Shomrei Adamah (guardians of the earth). We invite the participation of anyone who holds these same values, regardless of faith. And if we’re going to reach our global climate goals by 2050, we need everyone to do the work right now.
The Fourth Jewish Climate Action Conference will focus on inspiring participants with the ongoing successful collaborative efforts underway and offer strategies for living a resilient and hopeful life in these troubled times.
WHO SHOULD ATTEND?
We are offering both live and remote sessions, allowing local climate activists to gather together along with others from across the country for the purpose of strengthening community. Sessions will be presented by secular and Jewish climate organizations, members of synagogue green teams, public employees, private citizens, and others interested in sharing their challenges, successes, and commitments.
WHO IS JCAN-MA?
Since 2013, the Jewish Climate Action Network, Massachusetts (JCAN-MA) has worked with synagogue Green Teams and Social Action Committees to reduce their carbon footprint. JCAN-MA networks in a loose ‘ecosystem’ of at least 30 different climate organizations. JCAN-MA runs webinars to educate people regarding electricity rates, heat pumps, decarbonization programs, radical residential retrofitting, divestment, and benchmarking energy use. The ‘Legs And Regs’ group of JCAN-MA leads meetings to evaluate policy issues and make recommendations. Rabbis and teachers in JCAN-MA hold spiritual resilience classes and webinars for writing and reflecting on climate change, the Gaza War, Yom Kippur, the month of Elul, Tish B’Av Lamentations, and more. These programs help integrate climate change into participants spiritual and intellectual approach to Judaism, forming a foundation for pursuing climate activism along with social justice and their personal spiritual/religious path.
JCAN-MA has mounted three one-day conferences, with informative speakers and vendors, geared toward action solutions and strengthening the national Jewish climate action network.
- The First Jewish Climate Action Conference in 2015 was at Hebrew College. Attendance was about 100 people.
- The Second Jewish Climate Action Conference (Time is Short, Task is Great) in 2019 was at Temple Reyim and was attended by about 250 people
- The Third Jewish Climate Action Conference(Everything is Connected) in 2021 was a virtual conference held during the pandemic.
