Tu b’Shevat – Judaism and the Environment

Rabbi Michael Cohen is a faculty member of the Arava Institute for Environmental Studies and Bennington College. He teaches courses on conflict resolution, the Bible, and the environment. He has worked for the Arava Institute since its doors opened in 1996 while on sabbatical from his congregation in Vermont. Since then, he has divided his time between Vermont and the Kibbutz Ketura campus of the Institute. He also works for the Friends of the Arava Institute. Rabbi Cohen has been a Policy Advisor to the Office of the Special Envoy for Middle East Peace, U.S. Department of State and a Speechwriter Adviser to the Office of the White House Speechwriters. He sits on the Advisory Board of the Middle East Peace Partnership (MEPPA) and the Board of Trustees of the Mount Equinox Preservation Trust and co-founded the Green Zionist Alliance. Rabbi Cohen is an active member of the Alliance for Middle East Peace (ALLMEP). He is a regular contributor to the Jerusalem Post.

Rabbi Fred Scherlinder Dobb is Rabbinic Advisor for the Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life (COEJL.org), and an eco-Jewish troubadour. After nearly three decades serving Adat Shalom Reconstructionist Congregation in Bethesda MD (AdatShalom.net), he is now their Rabbi Emeritus; he’s also visiting interim rabbi for Temple B’nai Israel of Easton MD, and High Holy Day rabbi for the Jewish Community of Kauai, HI. Fred writes, speaks, educates, motivates, and consults around climate justice, often with a focus on Eco-Mussar (and he’d happily be in touch about visiting, virtually, and/or for shabbatonim). A contributor to Moment, past president of the Washington Board of Rabbis, and a Wexner Graduate Fellow, Fred’s top volunteer commitment is as national board member of IPL, InterfaithPowerAndLight.org. Together with Minna Scherlinder Morse, his pride and joy and key projects are Gilad Martin (10th grade) and Sara Penina (sophomore at Spelman); they live in DC.