20 | AUGUST 8 • 2024 
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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.

