Jewish Climate Nonprofit Opening Atlanta Hub

Adamah, North America’s leading Jewish environmental organization, is launching Adamah ATL, a regional community impact hub. In partnership with Georgia Interfaith Power and Light (GIPL), and with the support of the Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta, Adamah ATL will mobilize the local Atlanta community around Adamah’s areas of national programming while leveraging GIPL’s expertise engaging faith communities in practical climate solutions and advocacy in Georgia.

Jewish institutions across Atlanta will have access to the resources of Adamah’s Jewish Climate Leadership Coalition—a network of Jewish community organizations that recognize the existential threat and moral urgency of climate change and are committed to taking action. Adamah ATL will work with synagogues, Jewish day schools, camps, and other organizations by offering hands-on, regionally informed support in identifying and implementing climate solutions. Jewish institutions will also have access to award-winning Jewish environmental programs and events.

Furthermore, Adamah’s youth empowerment initiatives will provide unique opportunities for Jewish high school and college students to engage with climate action while strengthening their Jewish identity.

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“Adamah is thrilled to be expanding our work to Atlanta,” said Jakir Manela, Adamah CEO. “We are tremendously grateful to our partners at the Atlanta Jewish Federation for their visionary support for this work, and to our allies at GIPL for their leadership in sparking a powerful local Jewish voice for environmental justice and climate action. We look forward to working in deep collaboration with these partners, and many others, to ignite and inspire vibrant Atlanta Jewish life in deep connection with the Earth.”

GIPL has a longstanding relationship with the Jewish community in Atlanta and beyond. Rabbi Laurence Rosenthal of Ahavath Achim Synagogue currently serves as vice chair of GIPL’s board of directors and many of the organization’s most active Green Teams are in Jewish congregations in Atlanta.

“We believe the Jewish voice for environmental justice is one vital to curbing our present climate crisis,” says Codi Norred, executive director of GIPL. “It is our belief that Georgia Interfaith Power and Light and Adamah may do more for our climate and Atlanta together than apart.”

Adamah ATL’s founding director is Joanna Kobylivker, who became GIPL’s first Jewish community organizer in May 2021. At GIPL, Kobylivker established the Jewish Climate Action Network of Georgia to grow Jewish engagement around climate advocacy in Georgia. Many synagogue leaders have participated in GIPL’s campaigns to ensure a cleaner future for all.

Going forward, Kobylivker will work across the two organizations in a joint position, both as the Adamah ATL director and GIPL’s organizer for Jewish communities. Locally, Adamah ATL and GIPL will work together to grow GIPL’s annual Jewish community engagement opportunities, such as the Reverse Taschlich river clean up in September, as part of the Jewish New Year/Rosh Hashanah, and Tu B’Shvat tree plantings in January, in honor of the Hebrew birthday of the trees.