Adamah NY
Cultivating vibrant Jewish life in deep connection with the earth in New York
Adamah NY implements Adamah’s national mission on a local scale: connecting people and planet in New York through climate action, youth empowerment, and Jewish environmental education.
Together with UJA Federation of New York, and our municipal and regional community partners, Adamah NY is strengthening our communal resiliency in the face of global uncertainty and responding to the existential crisis of our time with the full power of the Jewish spirit.
Adamah NY is poised for tremendous impact in the months and years ahead – catalyzing vibrant 21st century Jewish life at the intersection of Jewish values and sustainability.
Meet Our Team
Miriam Ehrlich
JYCM NY Kvutzah Cohort Coordinator
Miriam is passionate about Tikkun Olam, and has over five years of experience working with non-profits and on political campaigns. She earned her Master of Social Work at Columbia University and was born and raised in New York City.
212.908.2514
New York, NY
Shahar Sadeh
Director, Adamah NY
Dr. Shahar Sadeh is a scholar practitioner with an extensive experience in strategic planning, program management and community engagement and a diverse background in environment, Jewish communal affairs, academic activism and peacebuilding.
914.893.4122
New York, NY
Jessie Rothfleisch
Climate Action Coordinator – Adamah NY
Jessie graduated from the University of Virginia with her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in urban and environmental planning. She likes learning about climate policy in cities and enjoys taking long walks and painting in her free time.
New York, NY
New York Community Events
Explore upcoming events in the Greater New York area or explore our Full Calendar for national programs.
PAST Events
Adamah NY Climate Action Fund Info Session | July 31, 2024
Adamah is teaming with UJA-Federation of New York to offer $130,000 in matching grants to support energy efficiency in Jewish day schools, yeshivot and synagogues in New York City, Long Island and Westchester.
Jewish Climate Leadership Coalition
Powered by Adamah, the Jewish Climate Leadership Coalition is a network of Jewish community organizations who recognize the existential threat and moral urgency of climate change and are committed to taking action.
The Adamah NY team works with local Jewish institutions to develop and implement organizational Climate Action Plans that both reduce institutional emissions and mobilize the broader New York Jewish community around climate action.
In July 2024 Adamah NY launched a local Climate Action Fund for day schools, yeshivas, and synagogues located in Adamah NY and UJA-Federation of NY catchment area (NYC’s five boroughs, Long Island, and Westchester). Matching grants of $5,000-$10,000 are available to support efforts to get to net-zero GHG emissions through projects that source clean electricity, increase electrification, or enhance energy efficiency. Organizations need to join the Coalition to be eligible to apply. The next application deadline is Friday, November 8, 2024, at 5:00 pm ET. Click here to learn more about the Adamah NY Climate Action Fund, that was made possible thanks to the support of UJA Federation of New York.
Other interest-free loans of up to $100,000, with a five year pay-back, and matching grants of up to $10,000 are available through Adamah’s North American Climate Action Fund.
For more information about the Coalition in New York, please contact Dr. Shahar Sadeh, Adamah NY Director, at shahar.sadeh@adamah.org.
Jewish Youth Climate Movement
The Jewish Youth Climate Movement (JYCM) is a Gen Z-led movement integrating Jewish identity and leadership development with community building and climate action. JYCM supports and empowers the next generation of Jewish youth to be leaders in the work to build a sustainable and equitable world for all.
Adamah NY supports and works to expand the impact of JYCM chapters in the Greater New York area.
For more information about JYCM in New York, please contact Miriam Ehrlich, JYCM NY Kvutzah Cohort Coordinator at miriam.ehrlich@adamah.org.
Adamah on Campus
Adamah on Campus is building a joyful, resilient generation of Jewish environmental leaders through education, action and community building.
Adamah NY supports and works to expand the impact of Adamah on Campus, and establish more chapters in New York-based university and college campuses.
For more information about Adamah on Campus in New York, contact campus@adamah.org.
Isabella Freedman
Situated on 400 acres just two hours north of New York City in the Berkshire Mountains, Isabella Freedman has served as a cornerstone for nature immersion, transformative retreats, and inspirational educational experiences for over 130 years.
Join one of several retreats offered year-round focused on Jewish holidays, farm-to-table food, music, meditation, yoga, and more. Or let us host your synagogue, professional group, wedding, b’nei mitzvot, or other private events!
Adamah NY Advisory Council
Jessica is Secretary of the Board of Adamah, after serving as Vice Chair of the Board of Hazon for over a decade. At Adamah, she was founding Chair of the Climate Action Committee and the Advocacy Advisory committee, among others. She is formerly the Executive Director of The New Majority NYC, an organization building political power for women in NY. In her varied experience, Jessica was a candidate for NYC council on a sustainability platform, co-founded a Fin-Tech start-up, and co-founded a climate-tech start-up with a NASA climate scientist. She has an M.P.A. in environmental science and policy from Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs and the Earth Institute and a B.S. in Economics and Information Management from the Wharton School of Business. She is a Leader with The Climate Reality Project, trained and charged by Al Gore to speak publicly on the climate crisis. Jessica serves on the Board of JCRC-NY and the Riverdale Nature Preservancy. Jessica has been honored with the 2022 Jewish Week’s 36 to Watch and 2023 City & State Magazine’s Bronx Power 100 and Power of Diversity Women 100. Jessica lives in the Bronx with her husband and four children, two of them are pictured on the posters at Isabella Freedman.
Lisa is the Head of Institutional Partnerships for the Columbia Climate School, overseeing development strategy and partnerships with funders and other stakeholders. She joined the Climate School from RMI where she was the Director of Development. With projects in the United States, India, China, and the Global South, her work at RMI focused on reducing fossil fuel emissions and increasing the uptake of renewable, low-carbon energy sources to mitigate the effects of climate change. Previously, she served as Executive Director of the Lenfest Center for Sustainable Energy at the Earth Institute, Columbia University, where she led program strategy, operations, and development for innovative research projects focusing on sustainable energy technologies and carbon management. Lisa is a proud alum of the Hazon New York Bike Ride and the Israel Ride.
Tracy obtained her law degree from the University of Virginia, and began her career in commercial litigation in NYC. After a hiatus to raise her three children, Tracy obtained a Master’s of Science from NYU on global energy and environmental policy. She currently serves as a Visiting Lawyer with Environmental Law Institute where she has spearheaded studies and policy papers on international environmental peacebuilding and policy. She also serves as Chair of the Board of TheatreWorks USA and is a board member of Earth Day Initiative and Friends of Chappaqua Performing Arts Center. Tracy has been involved with UJA for over a decade. She currently serves on the Board of Directors, and has served in numerous other executive committees, including a member of UJA’s Green Policy Task Force, the Network Department, and chair of Women of Westchester.
Alexandra is a Sustainability Manager at Acme Smoked Fish Corporation. Alex brings her passion for sustainability and social impact to her professional work in the food industry and to her philanthropic endeavors. Through her engagement with Adamah NY, she seeks to bridge the urgent work of climate action with the teachings of justice and tikkun olam in the Torah. While she considers herself a lifelong
Michael retired after a 25-year career on Wall Street, and now devotes the majority of his time and energies toward non-profit & impact-related enterprises. Prior to retiring, Michael spent most of his career at the asset management firm BlackRock, where he was Managing Director overseeing Structured Mortgage & Derivative Products trading and acted as advisor/portfolio manager for the Federal Reserve’s Global Financial Crisis-related managed assets. Michael is a Board Member/Trustee of: Taub Center for Social Policy Studies in Israel, American Friends of Ogen, Israeli Forum for Impact Economy, the Baron de Hirsch Fund, Jewish Community Relations Council of NY, Columbia/Barnard Hillel, the Hillel International Office of Innovation, AJC-NY, and Congregation Shearith Israel. Michael is a graduate of Columbia College, Columbia University, and is Adjunct Professor of Finance at NYU | Stern School of Business, and a Lecturer at the College for Management Academic Studies in Rishon LeZion/Israel, the Academic College of Tel Aviv-Yaffo, and the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, teaching fulltime elective courses for MBAs in Fixed Income, Capital Markets, and Impact Finance. Michael serves on the Board of GigaWatt Global (the Israel-based solar energy company that built the first large-scale grid-connected fields in East Africa [with more in-process!]), jiritsu.network, and Nature Growth (a new AgriTech Incubator in Sderot, Israel), as well as maintaining several other corporate Advisory & Board positions through his Impact and Technology-focused investments. He has curated several exhibits at The Society of Illustrators and is a Licensed NYC Sightseeing Guide. Michael is the author of JFN’s Greenbook, A Guide to Jewish Impact Investing. He lives in Manhattan with his wife Rachel, and their three wonderful children.
In 2023, Emily retired from a 27-year corporate career, most recently at OUTFRONT Media, where she served as its SVP and Head of New York Real Estate. At OUTFRONT, she was primarily responsible for identifying and spearheading new business opportunities, managing key landlord relationships, developing new real estate and telecom assets, and handling complex zoning, permitting and compliance related matters. Prior to joining OUTFRONT in 2014, Emily spent seven years at Van Wagner Communications, LLC as a senior member of its Real Estate and Development team, and nearly five years at the NYC Economic Development Corporation in its Client Coverage group.
For more information, contact newyork@adamah.org
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