High School Climate Activism Club Participates in JYCM Climate Activism Series

On February 12, the Golda Och Academy High School Climate Activism Club organized an in-person event to join together in the Jewish Youth Climate Movement’s 2023 Climate Activism Series. The Jewish Youth Climate Movement (JYCM), founded in 2019, is a Gen Z-led movement dedicated to combating climate change and environmental injustice from a Jewish lens. In less than three years, the organization has built a grassroots network of 50 Kvutzot (chapters), and last year JYCM established a Kvutzah at Golda Och Academy in the form of a revamped GOA Climate Activism Club.

Since mid-August of last year, teen activists at JYCM had been brainstorming, researching, writing, planning, promoting and training for the Climate Activism Series, which contained five main sessions covering many different aspects of climate activism: Intro to the Climate Crisis (science, solutions/policy, political history and messaging), Environmental Justice, Organizing for Collective Action, Training and Facilitation, and Action Planning. “Planning the Climate Activism Series made me feel like I was actually contributing to the fight against the climate crisis,” said Ria Lowenschuss, JYCM’s Director of Education and Writing and a high school senior in Michigan. “Often I feel hopeless, helpless, a small, insignificant blip in the world, but taking action, spreading awareness, and educating others helps mitigate these feelings. I really appreciate all of the positive feedback and encouragement that we’ve received, and I’m so proud of the work we’ve done.”

The Climate Activism Series was run on a hybrid model. The teach-ins were held via Zoom, and Kvutzot were encouraged to meet in person to learn and train together at Temple B’nai Or in Morristown. GOA students were also joined by youth from Temple B’nai Or and Congregation Agudath Israel in Caldwell who were eager to train to become real climate activists. “It was an interesting and rewarding experience to get together with my Kvutzah,” said GOA sophomore Marissa Jacobs. “[The Climate Activism Series taught me] about what we can do to advocate against climate change and injustice.”  

The Climate Activism Series is part of a carefully constructed, year-long campaign called the 2022-2023 Eytz Chaim (Tree of Life) Campaign. Based on the classic recruit-train-act cycle of organizing, the Eytz Chaim Campaign has three main sub-campaigns: Shoresh (Roots), Anafim (Branches) and Alim (Leaves). The Shoresh sub-campaign, which ran from September through November of 2022, was centered around the recruitment of new Kvutzot and the strengthening of bonds between Kvutzot in the same region. This culminated in a series of Days of Education and Action occurring in Boston, NY/NJ, Michigan, and Colorado. The Anafim sub-campaign ran from December 2022 through February 2023 and focused on educating Kvutzah members on key climate activism topics and further developing political consciousness for the movement. It culminates with the two Climate Activism Series in February and March, while the Alim sub-campaign runs from March through May, and in this finale to the whole Eytz Chaim Campaign, Kvutzot will mobilize to organize actions in their respective regions. These actions can include sit-ins, rallies, marches, and lobbying days, and may target certain policies to endorse or condemn fossil fuel corporations or financial institutions that fund the climate crisis or local issues within their own communities. 

“Throughout this [Alim] Campaign, we plan to support Kvutzot in organizing Direct Actions, connecting with other local groups, mobilizing their communities, and impacting critical climate fights across the country,” said JYCM Action Director Ava Trachtenberg, a current high-school senior in Houston. “These actions may be anything from big coalitions advocating for policy change to small groups of students demanding change from their school board. Whatever the action is, I hope Kvutzot feel empowered knowing that they are capable of organizing their communities to achieve real change.”

Here at GOA, our Climate Activism Club has been hard at work, focusing on change. The club doubled in membership this year and organized a trip to Manhattan to participate in the JYCM Day of Education and Action at Central Synagogue. It also held a Climate Tefillah program for the Upper School student body, a successful fundraising appeal that raised over $1100 in just two weeks, a brownie sale to raise money while simultaneously boosting engagement with students and teachers, and a meeting with the GOA Board of Trustees to discuss a gradual divestment from fossil fuel corporations for the school’s endowment. Club co-presidents Shayne Cytrynbaum ‘25 and Daniel Shapiro ‘23 are excited about the progress the club has made in just one short year. “The Climate Activism Club has given students an outlet for their desire to help the larger world face the issue of the climate crisis,” said Daniel. “This year we have put into practice several ongoing projects, such as looking into how the school profile is invested, as well as finding demonstrations outside the school that we can engage in. I think this club is one of the best things to ever happen to Golda Och, and should continue to be important in the school community for many years to come.”

With the knowledge and experience our GOA students have gained, they are well on their way to becoming real youth climate activists and are excited to work with other New Jersey-based Kvutzot to plan an action in the community. 

For more information about the Jewish Youth Climate Movement, visit jewishyouthclimatemovement.org or join the GOA Climate Activism Club (@jycm.goa on Instagram). JYCM is also running a second date for the Climate Activism Series on Sunday, March 12 from 1-6 PM via Zoom. Registration is available at bit.ly/JYCMCAS2023.