Climate Shabbat
On the Shabbat of November 18 2023, thousands of Australian Jews gathered to celebrate the inaugural Climate Shabbat, an initiative of the Jewish Climate Network.
Inspired by the late Chief Rabbi Jonathan Sacks (z"l), who in 2009 urged synagogues across the Commonwealth to dedicate a Shabbat towards environmental stewardship, the aim of Climate Shabbat is to interweave our Jewish tradition with a profound call to take responsibility over our shared future.
Climate Shabbat presented an opportunity for Jewish organisations and shules across Sydney and Melbourne to host Shabbat panels and talks with inspiring Jewish climate experts, allowing our community to learn, feel empowered, and get more active in response to the climate challenge.
Simultaneously, it offered an opportunity for all Jewish households to experience a sense of hope and unity around the Shabbat table, and a sense of empowerment that we have an important and effective role to play in this ‘Critical Decade’.
Rabbi Jonathan Sacks said it simply:
“Let's not play roulette with our children's future.”
Instead, let's embody the spirit of Shabbat as a day where we dedicate ourselves “l'ovdah u'leshomrah”: to cultivate and guard the Earth, and reaffirm the Jewish value of environmental stewardship.
Part 1. Community
Climate Shabbat was embraced by the Australian Jewish community with strong engagement, attendance and enthusiasm - a testament to the passion and commitment we share towards social and environmental causes.
In partnering with synagogues, minyanim, and community organisations, JCN orchestrated:
19 climate talks
1475 attendees
These talks formed the centerpiece of the Climate Shabbat’s celebration within the community: connecting Jewish climate experts with diverse audiences.
Events took place across the complete religious spectrum, from Orthodox to Conservative, Reform to Humanistic.
JCN facilitated the pairing of organisations with guest speakers that matched their needs. The result was a series of engaging and insightful events, ranging from Friday night Kabbalat Shabbat with climate-themed Divrei Torah, to sit-down dinners, Oneg Shabbat gatherings, Kiddush talks, and a Seudat Shlishit discussion on Shabbat afternoon.
To assist Rabbis and service leaders in crafting a drasha exploring the Jewish link to climate change, we created a D’var Torah guide on Parshat Toldot.
This guide - created in partnership with Rabbi Danny Avraham - served as a valuable resource for Rabbis, helping them integrate environmental themes into their sermons and discussions.
D’var Torah Resource
For our youth movements partners, we developed a chevrutah-style study guide, complete with texts and discussion questions, to foster deep engagement with the Jewish imperative to act on climate change.
Chevrutah Study Guide
Part 2.
Home
The Climate Shabbat at home was marked by a meaningful integration of Jewish tradition and environmental awareness. Central to this observance was the Climate Reading (link for download below), a powerful message inspired by a Midrashic tale that we asked families to read out at their Shabbat tables.
The reading emphasised our shared, and specifically Jewish, responsibility to work towards a safe climate future for all.
