Hazon Blog

Special Recent Posts

In the News: Styrofoam Bans, Paw Paw Trees, and a Home for the Chickens

August 14th, 2017

Across the country, over forty Jewish organizations are committing to making a better world through the Hazon Seal of Sustainability. Local papers nationwide have highlighted Seal organization's innovative sustainability initiatives. Read on for stories about planting of paw paw trees, building[...]

When a Donkey Speaks Truth to Power | D'varim HaMakom: The JOFEE Fellows Blog

July 14th, 2017

Hannah Slipakoff, Jewish Farm School - Philadelphia, PA Parashat Balak In this week’s Parasha, Balak (Numbers 22:2- 25:9), we read a tale about the ways in which kindness and gratitude contribute to justice and G-dliness, and an allegory relating systemic patterns of oppression[...]

Make an investment in happiness

July 13th, 2017

by Judith Belasco July 13th, 2017 | 19 Tamuz 5777 Dear All, On Tuesday, we began what is known on the Jewish calendar as "the Three Weeks." This is a time of decreasing happiness which culminates in Tisha B'av, a commemoration of the destruction[...]

Reflection on Returning to Detroit

July 10th, 2017

by Zoe McCoon, Hazon Detroit Summer 2017 Rabbinic Fellow After finishing my first year of rabbinical school, I had mixed feelings about leaving Jerusalem – a place I found filled with spiritual energy and fervor… and yet, I was counting down[...]

When It Rains It Pours | D'varim HaMakom: The JOFEE Fellows Blog

July 6th, 2017

Ryan Kaplan, Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta Parshat Chukat “Moses made a copper serpent and mounted it on a standard; and when anyone was bitten by a serpent, they would look at the copper serpent and recover.” Numbers 21:9 As I write this[...]

Sign | Seal | Deliver

June 29th, 2017

from Judith Belasco June 29th, 2017 | 5th of Tamuz, 5777 Dear all, Last year, from the bimah at Greenburgh Hebrew Center, a shul outside NYC, there was a reminder to attend the annual meeting and vote to approve the budget. I overheard[...]

How to Build a Community in Two Not-So-Easy Steps: A Lesson from Shelach | D'varim HaMakom: The JOFEE Fellows Blog

June 23rd, 2017

Chelsea Stephens - Hazon - Teva Parshat Shelach When we pulled up, the gate was locked. We didn’t have anyone’s number. We didn’t really know if we were in the right spot. Luckily though — for me and the two co-workers (and best[...]

Calling the Congregation - D'varim HaMakom: The JOFEE Fellows Blog

June 20th, 2017

Jacob Weiss - Hazon at Isabella Freedman Jewish Retreat Center Parashat Beha’alotcha “Make thee two trumpets of silver; of beaten work shalt thou make them; and they shall be unto thee for the calling of the congregation... And when they shall blow with[...]

Cutting our waste - with compostable knives

June 19th, 2017

The Oshman Family JCC in Palo Alto, CA is a haven for green-focused Jewish community. Already OFJCC’s campus is Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver Certified for its environmentally progressive features, and they’ve continued their environmental leadership with[...]

A few first words from me, as Hazon's acting CEO...

June 13th, 2017

From Judith Belasco June 13th, 2017 | 19th Sivan 5777 Dear All, I joined Hazon in July 2007 as the Associate Director of Food Programs. I was a vegan and my first day on the job, Nigel mentioned that I needed to organize our first-ever[...]

Walking Behind Kindess: Parashat Naso | D'Varim HaMakom: The JOFEE Fellows Blog

June 9th, 2017

Jaclyn Kellner - Coastal Roots Farm; Encinitas, CA “I’d like to go to the fields and glean among the ears of grain behind someone who may show me kindness.” This statement, from Ruth to Naomi in the Book of Ruth, holds so[...]

The Paris Accords – Now What?

June 2nd, 2017

From Nigel Savage June 2nd, 2017 | 8th Sivan 5777 Dear All, Jewish tradition isn’t just for kids and it isn’t just for synagogues and it isn’t just about bagels or dressing up on Purim. This last week, across the Jewish world, we celebrated Shavuot,[...]

I hope to see you this Sunday at the Celebrate Israel Parade...

June 2nd, 2017

From Nigel Savage June 2nd, 2017 | 8th Sivan 5777 Dear All, It’s the 100th anniversary of the Balfour Declaration this year. When Lord Balfour wrote to Lord Rothschild, on behalf of the British government, neither of them knew that, thirty years later,[...]

Parsha Behar - D'Varim HaMakom: The JOFEE Fellows Blog

May 25th, 2017

Parsha Behar By: Emily Blustein - Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta - Atlanta, GA Rest for the land, rest for the people, all will be provided. This week we are reading Behar which tells us about shmitah and jubilee. Shmitah is during[...]

"Time Is So Precious..."

May 25th, 2017

From Nigel Savage May 25th, 2017 | 29th Iyar 5777 | Erev Rosh Chodesh Sivan | 44th day of the omer | gevurah she’b’tiferet "Time Is So Precious..." Dear All, That’s a lot of dates on the dateline above. And we’re also: three days after[...]

Recycling at Adat Shalom

May 22nd, 2017

During their first year, Adat Shalom Synagogue in Farmington Hills, MI has proven itself to be a real asset to the Hazon Seal of Sustainability Cohort 2016! From their efforts towards implementing better recycling policies, to using only recyclable paper[...]

Old Stones, New Ripples - Reflections on the Close of JOFEE Fellowship Cohort 1 | D'varim HaMakom: The JOFEE Fellows Blog

May 18th, 2017

by Yoshi Silverstein - JOFEE Fellowship Director May 18th, 2017 | 22nd Iyar 5777 | 37th day of the omer | gevurah she’b’yesod 16 Organizations. 17 Fellows. Over 500 programs. An estimated 37,000 participants in Jewish Outdoor, Food, Farming & Environmental Education[...]

Changing the world, one (JOFEE) Fellow at a time…

May 18th, 2017

From Nigel Savage May 18th, 2017 | 22nd Iyar 5777 | 37th day of the omer | gevurah she’b’yesod Changing the world, one (JOFEE) Fellow at a time… Dear All, 16 partner organizations. 17 JOFEE Fellows. Over 500 discrete programs. And an estimated 37,000[...]

Green Kiddush at Shaarey Tzedek

May 17th, 2017

Congregation Shaarey Zedek in Southfield, MI is setting the bar for sustainability high with their excellent work as a member of the Hazon Seal of Sustainability Cohort 2016! Between planning their first Green Kiddush, to using only glass mugs and[...]

Learning Limits - D'Varim Hamakom: The JOFEE Fellows Blog

May 11th, 2017

Learning Limits - Parasha Emor By: Leora Cockrell; Camp Tawonga - San Francisco, CA This week’s Parsha, Emor, discusses priests, purity, prioritization and perfection. The specifics of which are either largely outdated (I haven’t recently checked to make sure my livestock’s legs[...]

Composting as a Community at B'nai Jeshurun

May 8th, 2017

As a member of the 2016 Hazon Seal Pilot Cohort, B’nai Jeshurun (New York, NY) is going above and beyond with their sustainability practices! As one of their projects for the first year, B’nai Jeshurun implemented Green Kiddush practices each Shabbat.[...]

Halachah and Aggadah

May 4th, 2017

From Nigel Savage May 4th, 2017 | 23rd day of the omer; gevurah she’b’netzach | 8th Iyyar 5777 Halachah and Aggadah Dear All, Let me start at the end. Shavuot this year falls midweek. It is one of the most glorious times of the year[...]

Parsaha Acharei Mot - D'Varim HaMakom: The JOFEE Fellows Blog

May 3rd, 2017

Parasha Acharei Mot By: Becca Heisler; Wilderness Torah - Berkeley, CA Parshat Acharei Mot, in the book of Vayikrah (Leviticus), brings a follow-up to the deaths of Aaron’s sons, Nadav and Avihu, who were consumed by fire before G-d for offering an[...]

Parasha Tazria-Metzora - D'Varim HaMakom: The JOFEE Fellows Blog

April 25th, 2017

Parasha Tazria-Metzora By: Margot Sands; Ekar Farm - Denver, CO This week’s Torah portion, Tazria-Metzora, continues to outline specific laws of purification for newborns, mothers, and sufferers of leprosy such as circumcision, immersing in the mikvah, and solitary confinement. Leprosy? Why is this disease[...]

Shemini: For the Love of the Earth

April 22nd, 2017

April 22, 2017 | Earth Day By Ellen Bernstein www.ellenbernstein.org In this week’s Torah portion, Aaron’s sons, Nadav and Avihu, are consumed by God's fire for a seemingly innocuous error, as they attempt to perform the ritual of the mishkan. Many readers are[...]

47 years... and the next ten days

April 20th, 2017

From Nigel Savage April 20th, 2017 | 24th Nisan 5777 | 9th day of the omer; gevurah she’b’gevurah Dear All, Nearly half a century ago, on April 22, 1970, twenty million people took to the streets for the first Earth Day – which[...]

Parasha Sh'mini - D'Varim HaMakom: The JOFEE Fellows Blog

April 19th, 2017

Parasha Sh'mini By Ren Feldman; Eden Village Camp - Putnam Valley, NY Last week many of us made a trek to our family’s, friend’s or parent’s home. Exiled from our ‘normal’ lives, we may have felt like slaves to the lurking particles[...]

Composting our Way Through Life at Ramah in the Rockies

April 14th, 2017

By Zach Goldberg, JOFEE Fellow at Ramah in the Rockies and Bonai Shalom Ramah in the Rockies started a Bokashi composting system as part of their participation in the Hazon Seal of Sustainability, a roadmap for Jewish institutions to become more[...]

This Passover, Take Action for the Climate – D’Varim Hamakom: The JOFEE Fellows Blog

April 13th, 2017

Rachel Aronson - JOFEE / Sustainability and Community Engagement Fellow, Hazon Jews across the world this week commemorated leaving Egypt to become free people for the holiday of Passover. Friends and family sit around the table together for the seder, celebrating freedom with[...]

This year in Jerusalem…

April 6th, 2017

From Nigel Savage April 6th, 2017 | 10th Nissan 5777 This year in Jerusalem… Dear All, The last year in which I didn’t set foot in Israel was 1984. My visits have encompassed the days of the asimonim, the devolution of the currency, and[...]

Parasha Tzav - D'Varim Hamakom: The JOFEE Fellows Blog

April 5th, 2017

Parashat Tzav By: Rose Chernoff; Abundance Farm - Northampton, MA In this week’s parsha, Tzav, we learn about the rules for how a priest/priestess is to keep the sacrificial fire burning. The instructions are to keep the fire burning all day and[...]

Parashat Pikudei - D'varim HaMakom: The JOFEE Fellows Blog

April 3rd, 2017

Parashat Pikudei By: Tzachi Flatt; Oshman JCC, Palo Alto, CA Parashat Pikudei tells the story of the construction of the Mishkan, built by the Israelite community under supervision of the Levites. While wandering in the desert, it became a source of comfort[...]

Significant news from Isabella Freedman…

March 23rd, 2017

From Nigel Savage March 23rd, 2017 | 25th Adar 5777 Significant news from Isabella Freedman… Dear All, How do we maintain balance in the 24/7 news cycle? How do we mediate social media and real life – and does the latter need airquotes (“real[...]

Biking around Boulder with MoHoBo

March 15th, 2017

Moishe House Boulder set up three community members with bikes and helmets as part of their participation in the Hazon Seal of Sustainability. Already a force in the Moishe House platform as one of the most sustainable and intentional communities, Moishe[...]

Parsha Ki Tisa - The Mitzvah of Tzedaka - D'Varim Ha'Makom: The JOFEE Fellows Blog

March 10th, 2017

The Mitzvah of Tzedakah By: Nicole Cruz; Peninsula JCC - San Francisco, CA This week's Torah portion, Ki Tisa, tells the story of Moses receiving the Ten Commandments from G-d (not once but twice) at Mount Sinai. The first set of Ten[...]

Yom hafuch / eating treif…

March 9th, 2017

From Nigel Savage Dear All, “Hafuch” means something like “upside down.” If you order a “café hafuch” in Israel you’ll get the Israeli version of a cappuccino. One of my favorite phrases, from the same root, is “mamash l’hefech” “exactly the opposite.” So[...]

Parsha Terumah and Passover in the Desert - D'varim Ha'Makom: The JOFEE Fellows Blog

March 7th, 2017

Parsha Terumah and Passover in the Desert: The Holy Gift of Service By: Daniella Aboody - Wilderness Torah, Berkeley California This week's Torah portion is Terumah, which translates to "offering", "gift", or "contribution". In this parsha, God instructs Moses to build the Mishkan (tabernacle),[...]