Posted By James Besser
Trying Again at COEJL / James Besser in Washington
Ask any major Jewish organization and they’ll be quick to tell you energy independence is a top priority for them, and many will add their concern about environmental issues such as global warming.
But there is little consensus on the best way to deal with those priorities. Conservation or new oil exploration? Jewish groups haven’t agreed on the proper balance. Action on global warming? But what to do?
Coordination and cooperation between groups is rare; the group set up to do that, the Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life (COEJL), has had a hard time dealing with the differing priorities of various Jewish groups and complex problems of turf and leadership politics (big donors, reflecting big business, are often out of synch with the more liberal views of the Jewish rank and file.)
Now COEJL is trying again. The group, under the auspices of the Jewish Council for Public Affairs (JCPA), has hired a new climate and energy director.
The goal, according to JCPA leaders: to move the Jewish community to action on both energy and environment-related issues, and to provide a measure of coordination.
“Many groups have policy on these issues, but it’s hard to know exactly what to do,” said Hadar Susskind, JCPA’s Washington director. “There are a number of Jewish orgs that are active on environmental and energy policy, but there isn’t a clear community consensus on specific policy. The goal of COEJL and the JCPA is to help create consensus.”
The tough assignment is going to Jennifer Kefer, an environmental lawyer and longtime activist. Kefer starts her new job on November 1.