We climate activists, being human after all, have a slew of emotions rolling around in us. At least for me, it can be hard to clearly identify each emotion at any given moment, but the feeling we lean into (or at least try to lean into) is hopefulness. Hope is the renewable energy of the human spirit: without it our energy flags; with it, we can push forward in the face of anything or anyone trying to hold us back. And the thing that gives us the greatest dose of hope is progress.
Over the last couple of months, I was present at two events (one as a participant, one as more of an observer) that gave me a huge injection of hope. Here’s a brief summary of each.
On Earth Day weekend, I was the MC at the first NY Jewish Climate Summit. In attendance at Temple Shaaray Tefila (TST) were more than 250 people representing multiple organizations, congregations, and various demographics. It was a full afternoon of connection, learning, planning, and making commitments. During a pause in my MC responsibilities, I looked out from the bimah in TST’s sanctuary, and was struck by what I was seeing; a Jewish climate movement. That’s been the vision of many Jewish activists in organizations like Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism (RAC-NY), Dayenu, and, of course, JCAN NYC. I felt a rush of hope, not from work completed, but of a clear sign of progress.
Then, earlier this month, I tabled for NY Renews (the driving force for climate justice in New York State) at an event called Resilience & Resolve, which was convened by the Center for Earth Ethics. The program was a day of training for faith leaders around the city and state (and neighboring states) to help them find their voices, draw from their traditions, learn about the resources available to combat the climate crisis in and around NYC, and to become real leaders within their faith communities. We know how powerful faith leaders can be in making clear our responsibilities to care for creation, and to see so many gathered for that purpose was incredibly motivating. Of the many inspiring speakers (and there were a bunch) was VP Al Gore who at one point said, “De-nial ain’t just a river in Egypt and de-spair ain’t just a tire in the trunk”.
Our usual measures of success are a good bill passed, a bad bill defeated, or a sense of momentum in the fight against vested interests who seek to maintain a harmful status quo. But just being in the company of fellow activists, especially at inter-generational gatherings, and witnessing the growing numbers of people–good people, smart people, dedicated people who have joined in this work– is something I revel in and invite you to revel in whenever the opportunity presents itself. We are not alone like Moses in the desert, feeling the weight of this moment as a burden we have to carry ourselves. We are supported by many, many allies who share our vision of a just future where all life on this planet can thrive.
The Jewish Climate Summit and Resilience & Resolve were clear and heartening signs of progress. And progress = hope.
-Jeff Levy-Lyons, JCAN NYC co-director