20 | AUGUST 8 • 2024
J
N
L
ater this month, Adamah
Detroit, a Jewish envion-
mental group, is launch-
ing the “Jewish Environmental
Education Cohort.
”
The cohort will offer a com-
prehensive, enriching experi-
ence designed to deepen par-
ticipants’ connection to Jewish
environmental education and
empower them with the tools
and inspiration to integrate
environmental stewardship into
their classrooms, camps and
Jewish institutional life more
broadly.
Carly Silverman, Adamah
Detroit’s community engage-
ment manager, says the cohort
is for anyone who creates edu-
cational experiences or works
within the community, includ-
ing educators in day schools
and camps and rabbis and
directors of community engage-
ment at other institutions.
Last year, Adamah Detroit
offered one full day of training.
This year, its cohort model will
provide a yearlong learning
experience and deepen the
impact for the participants.
Major program highlights
include four quarterly in-per-
son training and professional
development sessions modeling
experiential instruction rooted
in Jewish environmental values.
The cohort launches Sunday,
Aug. 18, with a flagship event
— a full-day training held at
the Stage Nature Center in
Troy. The day will be filled with
immersive learning experiences
and interactive workshops, cul-
minating in a deep dive into the
connections between Judaism
and the natural world.
Participants will leave with
inspiration and confidence to
integrate Jewish and environ-
mental content into their pro-
grams, a better understanding
of the intersection of Judaism
and ecology, and a feeling of
connection to other educators
with similar values. A kosher
lunch will be provided.
For educators who participat-
ed in last year’s full-day training,
there will be an afternoon-only
option with distinctive break-
out sessions crafted to enhance
immersion in various facets of
Jewish environmental learning.
Three additional in-person
sessions will take place on the
afternoons of Sunday, Nov. 17;
Sunday, March 30, 2025; and
Sunday, May 18, 2025. These
sessions will explore key themes
and provide opportunities for
networking and collaboration.
Another program highlight is
a monthly email newsletter for
participants. Throughout the
year, participants will receive
the newsletter packed with
resources, curriculum materials
and inspiration tailored to the
season. These resources will
support ongoing learning and
provide fresh ideas for inte-
grating Jewish environmental
education into programs and
teachings.
Another program highlight
cohort members is the oppor-
tunity to schedule one-on-one
meetings with Adamah educa-
tors to workshop curriculum
ideas, brainstorm programming
strategies and receive personal-
ized support tailored to specific
needs and goals.
Silverman says the overall
ambition for the cohort is to
inspire educators to bring a
sense of environmental con-
sciousness into their teaching
and community involvement.
“Our long-term goal is to
create this ripple effect where
educators who participate in the
cohort go on to influence their
students or colleagues in the
broader community,
” Silverman
says.
“We want to equip them
with tools and inspiration so
they feel empowered to imple-
ment sustainable practices and
environmental awareness and
make that integral into Jewish
education.
“We hope to help them with
their curriculum development,
camp programming, commu-
nity initiatives. Whatever it is
they’re working on, we hope to
see this integration of this value
into what they do.
”
Registration for Adamah
Detroit’s 2024-2025 Jewish
Environmental Education
Cohort is now open. Two slid-
ing scale registration prices are
being offered. Learn more and
register at adamah.org/event/
jewishenvironmentaledco-
hort-24-25/.
Jewish Environmental
Education is the Focus
Adamah offers programs including quarterly in-person
training and professional development sessions.
DANNY SCHWARTZ SENIOR STAFF REPORTER
OUR COMMUNITY
PHOTOS COURTESY ADAMAH DETROIT
Adamah Detroit staff Julia
Cunnien and Carly Silverman
during a training session
Educators gather
for discussion in the
woods during the
2023 training day.