Hello, reader! My name is Sam Sobel, and I am the inaugural Baltimore Climate Action Coordinator for Adamah.
Adamah is the leading Jewish environmental organization in North America, formed in 2023 from a merger of Hazon and Pearlstone (Baltimore’s own retreat center that now serves as headquarters of Adamah).
Adamah’s mission is to cultivate vibrant Jewish life in deep connection with the earth, catalyzing cultural and systemic change. One of the many ways in which this is pursued is through Adamah’s Jewish Climate Leadership Coalition. Open to any Jewish nonprofit at no cost, the coalition (adamah.org/coalition) is made up of community organizations that recognize the existential threat and moral urgency of climate change.
The coalition began with 20 founding partners (including The Associated: Jewish Federation of Baltimore) in September of 2022, and has grown to more than 330 members in less than two years. The greater Baltimore area boasts 11 dedicated members, with five joining in 2024 alone.
In my role, I work with organizations in Baltimore and the wider Maryland area to join the coalition and fill out and implement their climate action plans.
The Associated played a monumental role in launching the coalition, and their support has continued to uplift this important work.
Mark Smolarz, chief operating and financial officer for The Associated, has been a long-time advocate for increased sustainability work within the Baltimore Jewish community. While promoting the work of the coalition, he saw the opportunity for a broader community sustainability initiative.
Mark brought this idea to myself and Rabbi Nina Beth Cardin, a native Baltimorean and longtime local environmental activist, inviting us to help him create a sustainability network for local Jewish organizations and individuals.
