JANUARY 6 • 2022 | 17

TOP: Choreographed dancers will dance around the four elements with the movements representing 
each element.

Big Bold 

Jewish 

Climate Fest 

The Big Bold Jewish 
Climate Fest, a free, 
(mostly) online, collab-
orative festival, returns 
for a second year from 
Jan. 10-14.
The Fest is an inter-
national Jewish climate 
festival reflecting a 
cross-collaboration of 
hundreds of Jewish 
organizations committed 
to making climate action 
a central priority of the 
Jewish community. 
The core planning 
team includes creators 
of the 2019 Urgency of 
Now: Seattle’s Jewish 
Climate Festival, and 
leading Jewish orga-
nizations Hazon and 
Dayenu. 
The second-annual 
Fest is a combina-
tion of curated virtual 
MainStage events and 
a groundswell of com-
munity-produced events 
from Fest partners and 
experts. 
Anchored in the holi-
day of Tu b’Shevat, the 
Fest combines theory, 
practice and action that 
participants can carry 
forward into their per-
sonal, professional and 
volunteer lives.
To register and learn 
more, visit www. 
jewishclimatefest.org. 

bringing together 15 artists from all over 
the country who will offer their interpreta-
tion of how they see the climate crisis. The 
exhibition will run until March 3 (look for a 
story about it in next week’s JN). 
Hazon Detroit Director Wren Hack says 
the two programs are completely separate, 
though “Environmentally Speaking” spurred 
Hazon to create its own program.
“When they told us what they were doing 
and we had a meeting with one of the 
curators of the exhibit, it was like, wow, we 
could do something that complements what 
they’re doing that’s Tu b’Shevat-based,” Hack 
said. 
Hazon Detroit had artist Laura Earle 
take the four elements, earth, wind, fire 
and water, and create interactive sculptures 
emblematic of each. 
Hazon Detroit also had a clothing design-
er make one-of-a-kind designs based on 
the elements, made from all-natural fabrics. 
Each element has its own design that will be 
worn by a dancer and that dancer’s moves 
will be choreographed in such a way that 
will be emblematic of that element. 
“You’ll move around the Berman Theater 

coming to each sculpture, and each sculp-
ture will come to life with lighting, music, 
choreography and dancers, and then you’ll 
move through the four elements,” Hack says. 
“All of it ends at the Tree of Life.”
For Hazon, this is a big step away from 
what it typically does, now using arts and 
culture to illustrate that a tree may not be 
able to grow when the elements are affected 
by climate change. 
“What we’re talking about is climate 
change in a very different, powerful and 
emotional way. A way of beauty and hope 
and through the arts,” Hack said. “We hope 
and believe the message comes through 
strongly that we are the caretakers of the 
Earth, and if we want our trees to grow to 
their full potential, then we must make sure 
the seed has all that it needs.”
The program is funded through the 
William Davidson Foundation, D. Dan & 
Betty Kahn Foundation and other donors.
Tickets are $18 to attend the Tu b’Shevat 
Seder performance. Call the Berman Box 
Office at (248) 432-5990 or visit theberman.
org. 

