This week sees the public debut of Jewish Climate Trust, a new think-and-do tank which we co-founded and co-chair. Its mission is to improve the performance of both the Jewish people and the state of Israel in relation to the climate crisis. 

We want to explain not only why this is vitally necessary but also how, as philanthropists and Jewish leaders, we can step up on this issue.

We have both been involved in Jewish life, philanthropy and environmental protection for more than three decades. In the last year or two it became clear that, whatever we have each accomplished thus far, more — much more — is needed.

The planning for Jewish Climate Trust preceded the devastating fires in Los Angeles, last summer’s fire in Jasper National Park in Alberta, Canada, the hurricanes that destroyed much of Asheville, N.C., the recent drought in Israel, and the shocking reversal of climate policies by the new U.S. administration. But those developments underscore how vital it is that we — all of us — step up to make a greater difference for the world.

January’s L.A. fires caused damage on an unprecedented scale. They were exacerbated by changes in the climate already caused by human behavior in the past, but what is even more striking is that, like the Oct. 7 invasion of Israel, they also represent a failure of catastrophe planning. Addressing climate change requires reducing greenhouse gas levels, and it also means — especially in relation to Israel and its neighbors — planning now for future extreme weather events. If we do not plan now for the inevitable catastrophic risks in the future, we will by our inaction amplify the devastating impact of near-certain future events, condemning our children and grandchildren to a far bleaker future than they deserve. 

The world’s average annual temperature is rising, and the average annual temperature in the Middle East is increasing at a faster rate than the global average. It has risen by more than 3.3°F since the establishment of the state of Israel. Increases in average temperatures significantly understate the increase in climate-related weather disasters. We have all seen the increase in extreme weather events in recent years. “One-in-a-thousand-year” weather events are happening rather too frequently. 

We already experience individual days that hit 100°F in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and Be’er Sheva. What happens if, a few years from now, we have five or six consecutive days at those temperatures, or higher still? In the summer of 1995, the city of Chicago had five such days, and that heat wave caused an estimated 739 heat-related deaths in a city of 2.8 million. A similar heatwave in Israel, a country of 10 million, might cause thousands of heat-related deaths. And those Chicago numbers came from partial power outages and partial loss of air-conditioning. If you had a major power outage in Israel during a heatwave — or a terrorist attack on one of Israel’s main power stations — the death toll would be immeasurably greater.

It is against this backdrop that the new U.S. administration has pulled out of the Paris climate accords and advanced policies to undo environmental protections and transitions to clean and renewable energy. Even if you support this president on some issues, these actions are tragically irresponsible to future generations.

We know that as a Jewish community we face a wide range of other challenges, but they can no longer distract us from significantly raising our game on climate now. We are not required to complete the task — but neither are we free to desist from it.

What, then, can we do?

Jewish Climate Trust exists to make a difference on mitigation, adaptation and innovation; to do so in North America, Israel and around the world; and to effect change through research, strategic venture philanthropy and engaging Jewish leaders and other leaders around the world.

It’s worth unpacking some of these words.

“Adaptation” means starting to plan — seriously — for extreme weather events coming down the pike. We want to prepare to survive and thrive even on a changing planet.

“Mitigation” is our moral obligation today. We must double down on reducing greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Each one of us, including every Jewish institution, synagogue, school and JCC, must reduce our own annual greenhouse gas emissions and spend hard dollars to offset those emissions we cannot reduce.

“Innovation” is shorthand for our determination to see the Jewish people punch above our weight on climate. Jews are only 0.2% of the world’s population, but 22% of Nobel Prize winners. Can’t we aim for a similarly outsized impact on solving the climate crisis, creating positive change within and beyond our communities? In this, the private sector and the world of investment and finance have a significant role to play.

We are determined to do all that we possibly can to amplify our own positive impact, and to be a resource to help others to step up.

Among our first decisions at Jewish Climate Trust, we have committed $3 million to develop and accelerate a Climate Action Plan for the American Jewish community, supporting Adamah, its Jewish Climate Leadership Coalition and a range of associated projects as they work with Jewish institutions across North America to catalyze real change on the ground.

In Israel, we have committed another $3 million towards a field-building process, to help environmental organizations develop a joint strategy on climate and to help them build capacity. We also intend to work on regional cooperation with Israel’s neighbors on climate security, and to encourage rebuilding efforts in Israel’s north and south to seize every opportunity to minimize carbon emissions and build as much resilience as possible to create a more livable future.

Our greatest determination is not in relation to our own grantmaking, nor in relation to a range of special projects that we intend to develop and to catalyze. It is to leverage philanthropic resources from within the Jewish community and beyond. Jewish Climate Trust is a funding collaborative. We are here to talk privately and seriously with other funders. We know the range of challenges we all face. But we also know our obligation to future generations.

That’s one of the reasons we’ve invested in building a world-class team. We’re happy to announce that our most recent hire is Galit Cohen, who joins Jewish Climate Trust as Israel director. Galit was head of climate at Institute for National Security Studies, and before that she was director general of Israel’s Ministry of Environmental Protection. She joins us, alongside Nigel Savage, Sarah Indyk and our remarkably accomplished staff, because we’re determined to have the capability to catalyze change in North America, Israel and globally, addressing a wide range of issues and engaging a wide range of stakeholders.

If you have not yet stepped up on climate and yet you know, on some level, that we all must now act, please be in touch. Jewish Climate Trust exists to help Jewish philanthropists and institutions increase the impact of their commitment to climate. We will be proud when we are able to look our grandkids in the eye and share what we did to address this crisis. 

We hope you will join us.

Stephen Bronfman is the founder and co-chair of Jewish Climate Trust. He co-chairs the Claudine and Stephen Bronfman Family Foundation in Montréal, is the executive chairman of Claridge Inc. and is the longest-serving board member of the David Suzuki Foundation. In his business and philanthropic endeavors, Stephen seeks opportunities for achieving exceptional results in the economic, social and environmental spheres.

Michael Sonnenfeldt is the co-founder and co-chair of Jewish Climate Trust. He is the chairman of MUUS & Company and MUUS Climate Partners, founder and chairman of TIGER 21, and president of the Goldman-Sonnenfeldt Foundation. Michael dedicates his time, leadership and resources to addressing climate change and supporting Israel, Middle East peace, national security, income equality, education and preserving democracy.