Act Now on Climate

There are still powerful levers of action that we can pull to forestall climate disaster and build a future where all can thrive. Now more than ever, the growing Jewish climate movement, and the broader climate justice movement, must push for urgent action. And my organization, Dayenu: A Jewish Call to Climate Action, is poised to respond.

For well over a year, we’ve worked to get our Congress to pass bold investments in justice, jobs and clean energy for all, culminating in 16 rallies outside local Senate offices last year. After months of deadlock, negotiations are finally unstuck, so we’ll continue to offer hizuk, strength and encouragement, to our members of Congress to pass climate legislation through budget reconciliation (which requires only 50 Senate votes) without delay.

In time for the midterm elections, we are also launching Chutzpah 2022, a non-partisan get-out-the-vote campaign aimed at turning out Jewish and climate voters in key states, and making clear to our elected leaders and the public that nothing short of a just and livable future is at stake.

And, we’re continuing to push the financial enablers of climate inaction to redirect money from fossil fuels and toward climate solutions. I use the term “fossil-fueled” climate disasters because there is nothing natural or inevitable about these extreme weather events.

Writing for the dissent, Justice Elena Kagan writes, “Whatever else this Court may know about, it does not have a clue about how to address climate change. And let’s say the obvious: The stakes here are high.” Trust a Jewish woman to call it like it is.

From the Lilith Blog, July 2022. Read the full article here.