Shoshanna Krall, ADAMAH Fall ’07, used to get terrible chapped hands when she was farming. This experience, combined with the disturbing ingredients and ineffectiveness of most commercially available lotions, inspired her to start her own herbal body-care company.

Green Man Herbal Company uses ingredients that are either garden- or wild-crafted, or certified pesticide-free, and Shoshanna pledges to use the most ethically produced materials available.
She uses USA- made salve tins and post-consumer paper mailers, and encourages customers to recycle the tins by sending them back to the company.

Shoshanna’s first product, Working Hands Salve, is a simple beeswax and grapeseed oil base with a small amount of herbs associated with skin repair- Yarrow and Woodland Sage. Shoshanna makes all products at home in her kitchen in Portland, Oregon, and some of the herbs used are grown in her own backyard.

Shoshanna welcomes customer input and requests for new products. Stay tuned for a ginger lip balm and other new products coming soon.

Eat with Eli LLC is a health-supportive natural foods service based in St. Louis, MO. Owned by Adamah (Fall ’08) alumni Elisheva Margulies, Eat with Eli provides personal chef services, cooking classes, kitchen consultations, market tours and nutrition counseling within the community. She works with individuals and families to incorporate healthier food choices into their busy lives and prepares weekly meals for up to six families per week. She also teaches cooking classes at Whole Foods Market and at a local hebrew school, where she strives to teach kids that traditional Jewish foods need not come out of a box. She also caters within the Jewish community for families who want healthy vegetarian meals.

Eli has been a guest on the morning TV show Great Day St. Louis, first preparing Adamah’s very own pickles and more recently preparing parsley hummus.

Eat with Eli supports the Margulies family’s Pushing the Envelope Farm (managed by Teva alum, Elan Margulies) as their resident chef, providing recipes, demos and other culinary advice.

Are you interested in a culinary career or in starting a small business? Feel free to contact Eli!

Cloud 9 Urban Rooftop Farm is a burgeoning rooftop farm in Philadelphia, PA. Inspired by successful rooftop farms in other major cities like Chicago and New York City, Cloud 9 believes rooftop farming can become a key component to producing regional food and for the city’s plan for sustainable development.  While the city is home to hundreds of community gardens and several urban farms, Cloud 9 provides a new research opportunity in urban agriculture. 

See a video of their work here: Cloud 9 video

Like them on Facebook here.

During the first year, Cloud 9 Urban Rooftop Farm will be a research site for both planter prototype designs, green roof systems, and innovative ways to grow food in an urban environment. They will use 1/10th of the SHARE roof to demonstrate growing on a variety of extensive green roof systems, with planter prototypes, and with new and used found items. Cloud 9 will be a part of the Pennsylvania Horticulture Society’s Cities Growers Alliance for the 2012 season.

To this end, they aim to function as an educational space and demonstration garden for interested parties, in addition to producing for sale in local markets.  As fuel prices rise and we become increasingly aware of the impacts our food system is having on the world, we will need to source more food from local producers. Rooftop farming is one way urban spaces can be used creatively to produce food for personal and commercial consumption. Cloud 9 wishes to serve as an example of how a little bit of creative planting could drastically increase the food production potential of Philadelphia. Our goal is to permanently enhance the quality of life for ourselves and our community through growing vegetables in a sustainable and economically viable way.

We’ve gone rural:  A community member has donated 92 acres of beautiful farmland in Hillsburgh, Ontario to be stewarded by Shoresh Jewish Environmental Programs. The farm will be called Bela Farm, named after the property owner’s father, Bela.  We started planting our Orchard of Memory and you were all there with us! The 2005 Adamah Cohort donated an apple tree in honour of Howard Malach that we planted it in the orchard. They also created a precious sign to accompany the tree.

We’ve gone academic: We are also hosting our first Food Conference which we are super psyched about! For details visit, http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=102848559830900.

We’ve connected with our elders: We started a gardening program at Baycrest, an internationally renowned Seniors Home (formerly known as the Jewish Home for the Aged).  We loved gardening and pickling veggies with our elders.

We graduated:  Shoresh was the only Canadian organization to be listed in the 2011-2012 Slingshot Class as one of the 50 most innovative organizations in Jewish life in North America.

http://ejewishphilanthropy.com/introducing-the-slingshot-class-of-2011-2012/

Finally, we had an epic season at the Kavanah Garden:  Over 100 volunteers contributed over1260 hours this season to help plant, maintain and harvest the garden. Over 2600 individuals participated in Kavanah Garden programs (such as school programs, weekly family-drop in programs, community events) and other Shoresh programs. We harvested and donated 500 lbs of Kavanah Garden vegetables to tzedakah plus 2500 lbs from The Cutting Veg CSA. For details, visit:  http://shoreshprograms.blogspot.com/2011/10/kavanah-garden-2011-visual-tour.html.

Three Months that Will Change The Rest of Your Life!

The Urban Adamah Fellowship is a three-month residential leadership-training program for young adults that integrates urban organic farming, direct social justice work and progressive Jewish living and learning. The fellowship curriculum is designed to equip fellows with the tools to become agents of positive change in their own lives and in their communities.

Join other passionate young adults in their 20s for a 3 month residential, leadership-training program in Berkeley, CA that integrates

• Urban Organic Farming
• Social Justice Work
• Progressive Jewish Living & Learning

The Fellowship curriculum has four parts:

1. Avodat Sadeh (Service of the Field)
2. Avodat Kehilah (Service to the Community)
3. Avodat Lev (Service of the Heart)
4. Limmud (Study)

We are now accepting applications for the upcoming 2012 Spring and Summer Fellowships!

Dates, FAQs, and Information can be found at urbanadamah.org/apply

Urban Adamah is filling a huge gap in the experience of so many Jewish youth who finish college in search of their next Jewish community. Urban Adamah provides them an opportunity to connect in deeply meaningful and relevant ways. There should be an
Urban Adamah farm in every major city with a college campus.

Rabbi Adam Naftalin-Kelman
Executive Director, UC Berkeley Hillel

Kibbutz Lotan’s Center for Creative Ecology,

Live in the EcoCampus Neighborhood: a prototype model for sustainable living. The neighborhood focuses on low carbon footprint living and utilizes many environmentally sound technologies. You’ll live in hand-crafted geodesic dome framed strawbale and earth plastered apartments that were built by past course participants and eco-volunteers.

The neighborhood’s infrastructure includes organic vegetable gardens, solar ovens, solar hot water collectors, solar photovoltaic panels, waterless sanitation systems, greywater treatment, vermiculture composting of food waste, and LED pathway lighting.

Get theoretical instruction and practical experience in:

• Local food production/Organic gardening
• Permaculture
• Ecological design techniques
• Natural/alternative building
• Sustainable technologies – composting toilets, grey and black water purification systems, solar ovens, geodesic domes
• Intentional Community Design
• Environmental ethics

Upcoming opportunities to take part in our programs:

Two week Ecological Living and Learning Experience 14-28 December 2011

7 week intensive Green Apprenticeship training program 2 Jan – 16 Feb 2012

5 month comprehensive Green Apprenticeship, MASA affiliated 27 Feb – 27 Jul 2012

Peace, Justice and the Environment college credited semester, MASA affiliated Aug – Dec 2012

In addition, we are pleased to announce a new workshop program for groups called

“Building Jewish Sustainable Communities:
A practical workshop in eco-Judaism on Kibbutz Lotan”

The workshop may be incorporated as a supplementary week-long module within existing longer programs. Content and length of the program may be adapted to meet the needs of the group.

For more information contact mark@klotan.co.il or lotanecocenter@gmail.com

For all Adva alumni–

Register now for Isabella Freedman’s Sukkahfest 5772 using coupon code ADSF11, and you will save 20%.

This harvest festival retreat features a diverse range of teachers, a variety of prayer services and practices and holiday feasts that showcase the abundant fresh produce that is grown on our own farm. Join us in our lakeside sukkah for meals, song, dance and joy during the splendor of New England’s peak fall foliage.

• Traditional orthodox services with Rabbi DovBer Pinson and Chazzan Matti Brown
• Traditional egalitarian services and rich Talmudic stories about rain and water with Aviva Richman
• “The Big Kahuna: Jewish Priestly Roles Today” with Rabbi Jill Hammer and Rabbi Ezra Weinberg
• Shabbat afternoon “Body as Sukkah” classes with Jodi Falk
• Classes and davennen with Rabbi David Seidenberg
• Jewish Yoga and text and discussion-based session on Judaism, spirituality and the body with Shuli Passow
• Daytime Children’s Program with Anna Sobel of Talking Hands Theatre. Children ages 6 – 13 will enjoy Sukkot storytelling and theatre games in the sukkah, plus physical activities such as yoga, hikes, and field games. (Please note that children must be with a parent or guardian at night and during all meals.)

For Chag HaSukkot our Glatt-Kosher Farm-to-Table Dining Hall also holds by
Chalav Yisrael standards.

Sunday, September 25th 12-7PM

Celebrate the Organic Oneness of Life, all People and the Earth

Events include: natural building, herbal medicine, exploring local geology, sauerkraut making,  composting, hikes, dance/movement, seed saving, tye-die, drumming, sprouting, tree climbing, boating, solar oven baking, veggie-oil engine conversion and more.   We have great music, awesome food and incredible people.

www.festivalofeden.org

We created a discount code for 16% off admission that you are welcome to spread: the code is “loveofeden”  and is entered during checkout.

HANDS-ON FARMING AND GREENING WORKSHOPS

WHAT WILL I EAT?

Local, organic, sustainably grown food!

We will be providing food cooked from scratch in our kosher, supervised kitchen. We will also have food vendors and farmers selling a variety of delicious food.

LIVE MUSIC

I CAN’T COME, HOW ELSE CAN I SUPPORT EDEN VILLAGE CAMP?

Donate!

Make a donation to our scholarship fund.

New Organization launched: www.beantownjewishgardens.org

Beantown Jewish  Gardens will coalesce local initiatives and expand in Greater Boston by engaging our community in hands-on Jewish agricultural programs.  Facilitating a connection between Judaism and food and agriculture breathes new life into Jewish tradition, community, and identity and engages the Jewish community in the question of how to feed ourselves and the world in a just and sustainable manner.

Just as beans add nitrogen to nourish and replenish our soil,
so too this project will add vital nutrients to our Beantown Jewish community.

Our Goals:

• Build Jewish identity through facilitating high quality earth and food based programs for a variety of Jewish community groups.

• Breathe new life into Jewish traditions, holidays and political action by connecting Jews to the myriad of agricultural and food traditions of our people.

• Become a nexus for Jewish involvement in sustainable food, with a solid basis in the core Jewish values of tikkun olam (repairing the world), gemilut chasadim (benevolence), and l’ovda ul’shomra (to till and to tend).

• Produce high quality, locally grown food to nourish our community and our bodies.

What we’re doing:

Young adult sustainability workshops. Join us for our next workshop July 10th “What is a Kosher Animal?” This program series is supported by a Young Adult Community Grant from Combined Jewish Philanthropies as well as by the Moishe Kavod House.

Educational garden at Temple Israel. On the site of their Biblical Garden, we installed 5 raised beds with the Monday Night School high school students. Join us on Tuesday nights from 6:30-8:00 this summer to work and learn in the garden.

Sukkot harvest festival. Join us in October for a community wide celebration on a farm with learning, music, yummy food and good friends.

Who are we?
We are an ever increasing network of educators, farmers, lay leaders, activists and Rabbis led by:
Leora Mallach, MEd, has been working with experiential education programs for the past 15 years. She is the former director of the Adva Network, working with alumni of the Teva Learning Center and Adamah: The Jewish Environmental Fellowship in professional development, networking & job placement in the Jewish Community. In her free time she can be found making batik tablecloths, challah covers and baby onsies. She is excited to create new paradigms in the Jewish community. She can reached at: leora (at) beantownjewishgardens.org
Becca Weaver has a master’s degree from Tufts University in Agriculture, Food, and the Environment. She completed the Adamah Fellowship in 2006 and became an educator and volunteer coordinator for Kayam Jewish Community Farm.  She currently works on a number of community food initiatives and kitchen chemistry experiments in Boston.  She is excited to involve the Jewish community in finding a sustainable solution to feeding 9 billion people by 2050. She can be reached at: becca (at) beantownjewishgardens.org

Dates: July 14-17, 2011
Location: Goshen, NY

The Golus Festival is a land-based celebration of Jewish culture from around the world. There will be camping, musical performances, shabbos, sports, Jewish diaspora language activities, agricultural building workshops, a children’s program and more. Tickets for the 4-day festival are $150 for adults, and $50 for children under 12. In order to register for the festival, please go to the following link:

http://www.yiddishfarm.org/registration.html

Volunteer scholarships are available on a first-come-first-serve basis. If you are interested, please indicate this in your registration.

Golus Festival is co-sponsored by the Center for Traditional Music and Dance, Grow and Behold, Kayam Farm, Adamah, Yugntruf- Youth for Yiddish, YIVO and New Yiddish Repertory Theater.

For more information, go to: http://www.yiddishfarm.org/golusfaq.html