67 results for author: Evonne Marzouk

Powerless

On Wednesday night, I was sitting in my office, printing documents and chatting with my husband when the lights went out. The lights, the computer, the printer. Silence, darkness as we looked out the window into the snowy night. The documents, half-printed. The to-do list. Everything we had planned for the evening (and as it turned out, for the rest of the week) would have to wait. We began an entirely different type of conversation, which I’m sure was happening in homes all across our neighborhood. Where are the candles? Do we have batteries for the radio? How cold will the house get before the heat comes back on? Should I use my cell phone to ...

Organizing a Taste of Tu b’Shevat

This past Monday, I organized a “Taste of Tu b’Shevat” event in my local community in Silver Spring, MD. We’ve organized Tu b’Shevat seders for the last five years, but we decided to do things a little differently this year because a) we had some committee exhaustion and b) we sensed that the old model was getting a little stale. However, we didn’t want to miss the opportunity to do something! So, we organized a “Taste of Tu b’Shevat” event. The program took place on January 10 – more than a week before Tu b’Shevat. We marketed it as an opportunity to “get into the Tu ...

How to Organize a Successful Tu b’Shevat Seder

Tu b'Shevat is coming! This year it falls on January 19-20. In my role as executive director of Canfei Nesharim: Sustainable Living Inspired by Torah, I've been organizing and hosting Tu b'Shevat seders all around the world over the last ten years, including interesting model seders at different times and places: in August in Vermont (CAJE), for example, and in December in California (Hazon Food Conference). The Tu b'Shevat Seder is a fun experience for children and adults, and can be adapted to different timeframes and levels of Jewish/environmental backgrounds. Because it's light and includes delicious food, it's ...

Overcoming Email Addiction and Other Virtual Obligations

It seems funny for me to write about this, given my leadership role in Jewcology. And I still believe in the power of social media. But I am writing here to acknowledge: I'm addicted to email. Here's how a typical day looks. I wake up in the morning; I pull out my smartphone. I'm checking (sometimes responding to) email before getting out of bed. (The benefit of this is that I don't go back to sleep... because the stress of my day takes hold.) I get dressed; I take a look at my email. I'm eating breakfast and checking facebook. I'm on the way to work (on the subway), checking email. Throughout it all is a ...

Birthday Thoughts: On Being a Young Leader in the Jewish World

Today is my 34th birthday. My birthday coincides with a change in the Jewish prayer cycle related to rain, and so I’ve often organized “dew and rain” parties to remind people of the connection between Judaism and the natural environment. In past years I’ve also used the opportunity of “Causes” to raise money for important causes on my birthday. Last year I raised hundred of dollars on my birthday for my Jewish environmental organization, Canfei Nesharim. (To support my cause this year, visit http://wishes.causes.com/wishes/118292?bws=fb_stream_wish) This year, turning 34, I must admit to a certain ...

Jewcology at 169 resources!

Good work everyone, we now have 169 resources uploaded on Jewcology in our pre-launch phase! The resources cover a broad range of topics, including environmental topics such as vegetarianism, water, energy, agriculture, trees, food, and recycling; Jewish holidays such as Rosh Hashanah and Shavuot; Jewish mitzvot such as Bal Tashchit (do not waste) and Tzaar Baalei Chaim (proper treatment of animals); and are intended for a wide range of audiences including grades 1-3, grades 4-6, grade 7-9, grades 10-12, adults, and rabbis. Types of resources include synagogue projects, Jewish teachings, awareness activities, and art projects. Keep up your ...

Check out this new posting about our Silver Spring Sustainability Circle!

http://www.washingtonjewishweek.com/main.asp?Search=1&ArticleID=13498&SectionID=4&SubSectionID=&S=1