>> ... Next Generation ...
Planting A Seed
Young Jewish adults unite to help Keep Growing Detroit.
BECKY HURVITZ I SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS
M
ore than 60 young adults met at
the Repair the World Workshop
in Detroit on Thursday, March
12, for Seeds, Snacks & Six
Packs, an event held in partnership with
Federation's NEXTGen Detroit and Repair the
World Detroit.
The event, which was the first in a series
of events planned by the new NEXTGen
Volunteers Committee, was an opportunity
for attendees to pack seeds for Keep
Growing Detroit and learn about the Jewish
community's involvement in the city's urban
garden movement.
Keep Growing Detroit is a nonprofit
organization that offers programs, educational
opportunities and services to promote food
sovereignty in the city of Detroit. The seeds
packed at the event will be distributed to local
gardeners and farmers throughout Detroit as
they prepare for this year's growing season.
"I was so happy to see so many groups
of young people come to our workshop in
Southwest Detroit," said Abby Rubin, Repair
the World Detroit fellow. "The turnout and the
energy made it clear that service is important
to this community, and I was thrilled that we
were able to facilitate an event like this."
According to Sarah Snider, NEXTGen Detroit
community outreach associate and lead staff
for the event, "NEXTGen Detroit has been so
fortunate to be able to work with fantastic
community partners to build up our volunteer
programming. We are especially grateful to
Repair the World for partnering with us on
this event as well as our upcoming Do it For
Detroit: Food Justice micro-grant event in
conjunction with Yad Ezra on May 27."
Representatives from the Downtown
Synagogue and Chabad of Greater Downtown
Detroit spoke to attendees about their
community gardens and how the seeds
provided by Keep Growing Detroit help them
to not only grow fruits and vegetables but also
grow connections and create opportunities for
people to get involved in their community.
"Many of our members tap into their
Judaism through the growing process. There's
nothing more Jewish than watching the seeds
you plant become nourishment for the mind,
body and spirit," said Anna Kohn, program
director of the Isaac Agree Downtown
Synagogue. "Creating these gardens is a
community effort, and Keep Growing Detroit
has been a valuable resource for places like
the Downtown Synagogue, Eden Gardens
Farms and Chabad of Greater Downtown
Detroit as we all work to bring growing
opportunities to our community members."
Also in attendance were the residents of the
Motor City Moishe House, the Ramah Fellows
and a large group of Detroit Community
Birthright alumni, illustrating the collaborative
and supportive nature of the young Jewish
community in Detroit.
"This was a great kickoff event for us. The
turnout was more than we'd hoped for, and
many of the volunteers were new faces to
NEXTGen events," said Seth Fisher, NEXTGen
volunteers chair.
"Several people shared with me that
they were particularly impressed by the
organization and collaboration, and they
appreciated the fun, social atmosphere. Most
importantly, we did some good, and we know
this is the first of many events that will give
our NEXTGen community the opportunity to
do good and have fun doing it." ❑
Volunteers pack seeds in the Repair the World Workshop.
42
March 26 • 2015
JN
is
Alumni from NEXTGen's most recent Detroit Community
Birthright trip
Repair the World Fellow
Abby Rubin and NEXTGen
Detroit board member Rabbi
Ariana Silverman
Ramah Fellow Darrien
Sherman and Moishe House
residents Jordan Rosenbaum
and Josh Stewart
City Director of Repair the World Detroit
Ben Falik shows a group of volunteers the
art of seed packing.