ALEPH: Alliance for Jewish Renewal is excited to announce a new initiative, Tikkun Ha’Aretz (Healing the Land We Share). Led by Rabbi Debra Kolodny, Tikkun Ha’Aretz has been conceived as a dual-pillared approach to address two of the most pressing challenges of our time: the climate crisis and the quest for peaceful co-existence in Israel/Palestine. Both of these issues align with ALEPH’s core values, and as existential threats, addressing them is essential to fulfilling the expectations of our community and the broader world. Rabbi Debra Kolodny will join ALEPH as the Project Director for this new initiative.

Rabbi Debra brings 47 years of experience as a national and local justice activist, with a particular expertise in securing sustainable outcomes through spiritual activism. Their works include five years facilitating the National Religious Leadership Roundtable for LGBTQIA+ Rights, founding and leading the Portland, OR Spirit Led Justice Alliance for two years, and founding and leading As the Spirit Moves Us for six years. 

Recent discussions within communities and amongst clergy and lay leaders revealed a deep desire and readiness for ALEPH to take collective action on both of these areas. Not only that, but there are intersectional opportunities to address the climate emergency’s devastating effects on Israel/Palestine. 

“We are ready to help our community meet the challenges of the current moment through collective learning, praying and action,” says SooJi Min-Maranda, ALEPH’s Executive Director. “Tikkun Ha’Aretz will not only help heal the land that we share but also strengthen the connective tissue that binds us together as a people.”

Tikkun Ha’Aretz will officially launch at ALEPH’s biennial gathering, the Kallah, where Jewish Renewal stakeholders from around the globe gather to pray, study, rejoice, heal and get inspired. Kallah will take place in Baltimore, MD from June 30 through July 6. For more information and to register, visit: https://aleph.org/kallah/.

Starting in August, Tikkun Ha’Aretz will support and engage ALEPH’s stakeholders in a variety of ways on climate care and Israel/Palestine peace-building. It will offer educational webinars; facilitate monthly conversations for networking on best practice sharing, problem solving, conflict resolution and planning; develop and distribute curricula for religious schools; and research effective campaigns that Renewal constituents can participate in, offering the movement’s concerted engagement to amplify the impact of the work.

Rabbi Debra Kolodny says of this effort: “We are living in scary, chaotic and dangerous times. But engaging the collective vision, passion, power, action and prayer of Jewish Renewal is a sure fire way to move our world towards compassion, sustainability, peace and justice. I am thrilled and honored to help ALEPH’s communities, clergy, clergy students and members in this work. Whether the work is greening our congregations, inspiring Jewish children and teens to be leaders on these issues, or joining co-existence environmental campaigns like ensuring just distribution of desalinated water in Gaza, we will be architects of the world we seek.”