Abstract

Using a narrative approach, the author shows a historical arc of the events leading up to how the Jewish environmental nonprofit organization, Adamah, previously known as Hazon, developed over twenty plus years. The methods used for the present study include a qualitative text analysis and subsequent theme extraction of the organization’s website as a primary source. Then, scholarly articles and books were used as secondary sources. The analysis showed that biblical concepts like stewardship, as well as Jewish environmentalists, like Samson Raphael Hirsch and Abraham Joshua Heschel, influenced the formation of Jewish environmentalism which would lead to Adamah. The nonprofit expanded overtime, adapting itself to address various environmental issues. During the first decade of their work, Adamah focused on sustainable transportation and food. Their focus then shifted to political and civic engagement. Their second decade included many collaborative efforts. In recent years, Adamah merged with a Jewish retreat center and has focused on civic engagement efforts. Through collaborations with likeminded organizations, bicycling, sustainable food programs, and more, Adamah has changed greatly over its multi-decade history. The author argues that Adamah, in each of its manifestations, demonstrates the potential of the Jewish tradition to inspire significant positive change for the environment.