For the past 20 years, Adamah and its predecessors have been using Jewish tradition as the basis for a series of Jewish Environmental teachings, which we now call Torah of the Earth. Here you can find pieces relating sustainability, Jewish nature traditions, and shmita to the weekly parsha.
JOFEE Fellows: From 2016-2018, a series of JOFEE Fellows (Jewish Outdoor, Food, Farming, Environmental Education) were placed at Jewish institutions in a one-year fellowship. During that time, Fellows wrote a weekly blog post with reflections on their experiences, successful programs they planned and implemented, and connections to the weekly Torah portion. Views expressed are the author’s and do not necessarily represent Adamah.
Shmita: For two years leading up to and during the most recent Sabbatical year (2020-2022), a series of guest authors wrote pieces of Torah connecting the weekly parsha to various elements of Shmita.
Bereishit
Shmita 2021: Revisioning our Relationship to Creation, by Natan Margalit
Shmita 2020: The Sabbatical Paradigm by Jeremy Benstein
JOFEE Fellows 2016: In the Sukkah We Trust (by Rachel Binstock)
Noach
Shmita 2021: Finding Our Rest, Building Our Ark, by Rabbi Robin Damsky
Shmita 2020: In Search of Balance by Hannah Henza
JOFEE Fellows 2016: Grappling with the Ark of Responsibility (by Bailey Lininger)
Lech Lecha
Shmita 2021: Treating Both the Land and the Stranger with Empathy and Kindness, by Rabbi David Seidenberg
Shmita 2020: Environmental Refugees by Rabbi Nina Beth Cardin
JOFEE Fellows 2016: Going Forth (by Eli Goldstein)
Vayera
Shmita 2021: Training in Hospitality, by Dr. Irene Lancaster
Shmita 2020: The Shaping of the Land by Eliezer Weinbach
JOFEE Fellows 2016: What’s Mine is Yours, and What’s Yours is Yours (by Michael Fraade)
Chayei Sarah
Shmita 2021: Chesed in Jewish Tradition by Dr. Richard H. Schwartz
Shmita 2020: What does it mean to “own” land? by Nigel Savage
JOFEE Fellows 2016: Upholding our Covenant for a Brighter Future (by Bailey Lininger)
Toldot
Shmita 2021: Releasing Our Attachment To Dominance, By Akiko Yonekawa
Shmita 2020: What Will We Eat in the Seventh Year? Shmita, Lack, and Abundance by Justin Goldstein
Vayetze
Shmita 2021: Jacob’s Ladder Through a Geocentric Lens, by Dr. Allen Katz
Shmita 2020: The Meaning of Seven by Aharon Ariel Lavi
Vayishlach
Shmita 2021: Wrestling Awaits even in the Shmita Year, By Bruce Spierer
Shmita 2020: Rename and Renew by Rabbi Joshua Ratner
JOFEE Fellows 2016: Returning Home (by Nicole Cruz)
Vayeishev
Shmita 2021: Equal Social Dignity, By Rabbi Nina Beth Cardin
Shmita 2020: Entitlement and Creation by Hannah Elovitz
JOFEE Fellows 2016: Honoring the Darkness (by Shani Mink)
Miketz
Shmita 2021: Learning from Joseph’s Mistakes, By Rabbi David Seidenberg
Shmita 2020: Run Wild by Judry Subar
JOFEE Fellows 2016: Renewing Our Connections (by Bailey Lininger)
Vayigash
Shmita 2021: Feeding the World, By Shoshana Michael Zucker
Shmita 2020: We Need Emotional Shmita Now by Rabbi Shoshana Friedman
JOFEE Fellows 2016: Truth, Light and Forgiveness (by Mira Menyuk)
Vayechi
Shmita 2021: E Pluribus Unum? by Judry Subar
Shmita 2020: Brotherly Love by Eli Weinbach
JOFEE Fellows 2016: by Rachel Aronson
Shemot
Shmita Dec 2021: Building A Society That Rejects Decadence And Oppression, By Rabbi Binyamin Zimmerman
Shmita Jan 2021: Talking with God by SooJi Min-Maranda
Va’era
Shmita Dec 2021: What Gives Me Hope? By Dr. Barak Gale
Shmita Jan 2021: Our Plagues and Our Plans by Ann Hait and Rabbi Gabe Greenberg
JOFEE Fellows 2016: Power from the People by Liora Lebowitz
Bo
Shmita 2022: In Times Of Darkness, Can We Share Our Light? By Yali Szulanski
Shmita 2021: Hyssop – The Paintbrush of Liberation, by Rabbi David Seidenberg
Beshalach
Shmita 2022: The Knowledge Of Water, Fire And Clouds By Rabbi Gila Caine
Shmita 2021: Redemption Song by Rabbi Isaiah Rothstein
JOFEE Fellows 2016: Blessings, on Blessings, on Blessings: Faith and Wonderment in Beshalach and Tu B’Shvat by Shani Mink
Yitro
Shmita 2022: The Ten Commandments As A Guide To A Sustainable Society, By Dr. Jeremy Benstein
Shmita 2021: The Operating Manual by Deirdre Gabbay
JOFEE Fellows 2016: by Tzachi Flat
Mishpatim
Shmita 2022: Shmita, By Rabbi Dr. Bradley Shavit Artson
Shmita 2021: We All Live Downstream by Adriane Leveen
JOFEE Fellows 2016: by Danielle Smith
Teruma
Shmita 2022: Cultivating The Trait of Generosity, by Rabbi Micah Peltz
Shmita 2021: Good Neighbors by Judry Subar
JOFEE Fellows 2016: Passover in the Desert: The Holy Gift of Service by Daniella Aboody
Tetzaveh
Shmita 2022: Portable Holiness, Global Jewishness by Elyssa Hurwitz
Shmita 2021: Good Neighbors by Judry Subar
Ki Tisa
Shmita 2022: Breaking God’s Tablets? Way To Go, Moses! by Rabbi Jessica Fisher
Shmita 2021: Believe in Equality and Leave the REST to G-d by Dvir Cahana
JOFEE Fellows 2016: The Mitzvah of Tzedaka by Nicole Cruz
Vayakel
Shmita 2022: Some Striking Shabbat And Shmita Parallels by Rabbi Jack Bieler
Shmita 2021: Work on Your Connection by Eli Weinbach
Pekudei
Shmita 2022: Combining Laws And Generosity by Josh Weiner
Shmita 2021: Work on Your Connection by Eli Weinbach
JOFEE Fellows 2016: by Tzachi Flatt
Vayikra
Shmita 2022: Stepping Back, Drawing Close By Rabbi Daniel Raphael Silverstein
Shmita 2021: Call Them In, by Rabbi Gila Caine
Tzav
Shmita 2022: Shmita As An Expression of Gratitude By Shoshana Michael Zucker
Shmita 2021: Hiddur Mitzvah – Are My Hands Clean? by Shoshana Gugenheim Kedem
JOFEE Fellows 2016: by Rose Chernoff
Shemini
Shmita 2022: Energizing The Ultimate Source Of Energy, by Judry Subar
Shmita 2021: Respecting the Sanctity of Life, by Rabbi Miriam Midlarsky Lichtenfeld
JOFEE Fellows 2016: by Ren Feldman
Tazria
Shmita 2022: Release, Respect, Renew by Rabbi Arthur Waskow
Shmita 2021: Seedtime, by Sue Salinger
JOFEE Fellows 2016: by Margot Sands
Metzora
Shmita 2022: Illness And Recovery, Then And Now by Mira Potter-Schwartz and Rabbi Ariel Milan-Polisar
Shmita 2021: Seedtime, by Sue Salinger
JOFEE Fellows 2016: by Margot Sands
Acharei Mot
Shmita 2022: You Can Be Too At Home by Abe Mezrich
Shmita 2021: Love is a Clean Slate, by Anna Dubey
JOFEE Fellows 2016: by Becca Heisler
Kedoshim
Shmita 2022: How To Be Holy Now?, by Rabbi Atara Cohen
Shmita 2021: Love is a Clean Slate, by Anna Dubey
Emor
Shmita 2022: Making It All Count, by Rabbi Jon Kelsen
Shmita 2021: Holidays For The Haves – And The Have-Nots, by Dr. Jeremy Benstein
JOFEE Fellows 2016: by Leora Cockrell
Behar
Shmita 2022: To Dwell Within Them, by Arthur Green
Shmita 2021: Letting the Land Rest, by Rabbi Yonatan Neril
JOFEE Fellows 2016: by Emily Blustein
Bechukotai
Shmita 2022: Why Land is Different, by Rabbi Dr. Bradley Shavit Artson
Shmita 2021: Letting the Land Rest, by Rabbi Yonatan Neril
Coming soon
Coming soon