CCCCANADIANANADIANANADIANANADIAN SOILSOILSOILSOIL, J, J, J, JEWISHEWISHEWISHEWISH ROOTSROOTSROOTSROOTS. . . .

Rooted in Jewish wisdom and prac�ce, Shoresh's environmental

programs respond to contemporary food and ecological issues.

Through experien�al educa�on and ac�on, Shoresh creates meaningful

Jewish life and builds a more sustainable and connected community.

Shoresh means “root” in Hebrew – grounded in Canadian soil, Shoresh

is helping community members get back to their Jewish roots!

A MA MA MA MESSAGEESSAGEESSAGEESSAGE FROMFROMFROMFROM SSSSHORESHHORESHHORESHHORESH December 2014 • Kislev 5775

This past year was one of change and growth for Shoresh and we are thriving!

A few highlights:

• We wrapped up our second year at the Kavanah Garden’s permanent home adding a compost

demonstra0on site, more raised veggie beds, an expanded na0ve pollinator garden, and with a plan

for developing a community orchard and new Jewish educa0onal signage next season;

• We started a new garden in partnership with Jewish Family and Child Services (JFCS), growing

hundreds of kilograms of fresh, local, organic produce for tzedakah;

• We harvested over 70 kilograms of honey (that’s 150 pounds!) from our bees at Bela Farm just in

0me for Rosh Hashanah;

• AND Shoresh was listed in the Slingshot Resource Guide as one of the 82 most innova�ve Jewish

organiza�ons in North America for the THIRD 0me!

For a detailed look at how we grew and achieved our mission of building a more sustainable and connected

community through educa0on and ac0on, keep reading!

The past few weeks have been a flurry of ac0vity as we prepared for the winter months. We mulched our

garlic, insulated our bee hives, pruned our fruit trees, and even organized years of files at the Shoresh

office. Now that our “spaces” are ready for a period of rest and release, so too are we as an organiza0on

ready to focus our energies inward. To coincide with Shmitah (a biblically mandated year of rest, release,

and redistribu0on that began on Rosh Hashanah), Shoresh is entering a period of strategic planning for our

young organiza0on. To internalize the Shmitah principles of restora0on and equaliza0on, we are taking

this year to reflect, re-vision, and plan so that we can con0nue to be a strong voice for change and

sustainability.

To our incredible community of staff, volunteers, program par0cipants, and donors, thank you for all of the

ways you have supported us this past year! We are so grateful to have the upcoming year for reflec0on

and planning and look forward to sharing with you all of the ways we will be actualizing our vision as we

con0nue to grow.

With gra0tude,

Andrea Most Risa Alyson Cooper Sabrina Malach

Chair, Board of Directors Execu0ve Director Director of Community Outreach

P.S. We’ve redesigned our Year-In-Review! Each sec0on reflects a different piece of our mission and

highlights some of the amazing programs and ac0vi0es we offer.

EEEEXPERIENTIALXPERIENTIALXPERIENTIALXPERIENTIAL EEEEDUCATIONDUCATIONDUCATIONDUCATION KKKKAVANAHAVANAHAVANAHAVANAH GGGGARDENARDENARDENARDEN In 2014, more than 600 community members helped care for the

Kavanah Garden, our permanent home at UJA’s Lebovic Jewish

Community Campus. Together we grew hundreds of pounds of local,

organic produce that was donated to our tzedakah partners at JFCS.

Through fieldtrips, volunteer opportuni0es, free community drop-ins and

Jewish fes0vals, we raised awareness of Jewish ways of interac�ng with

and apprecia�ng the natural world. With the help of Regional Councillor

Deb Schulte and the Regional Municipality of York, we now have a giant

water cistern and a three-bin compos0ng system! Plans for 2015 include

plan�ng more vegetable garden beds, expanding our na�ve pollinator

garden and breaking ground for our new fruit orchard.

“The Kavanah Garden is a place that brings the words

of the Torah to life.” - Program par�cipant

UUUURBANRBANRBANRBAN TTTTEVAEVAEVAEVA AAAADVENTURESDVENTURESDVENTURESDVENTURES ((((NEWNEWNEWNEW!)!)!)!)

This year we introduced a new series of hands-on programs called Urban

Teva Adventures to more than 250 community members! These guided

nature walks through Toronto’s parks and ravines give people an

opportunity to discover the plants and animals that live in Toronto’s

ecosystems, while exploring Jewish understandings of the rela�onship

between humans and the natural world.

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SSSSPEAKPEAKPEAKPEAK WITHWITHWITHWITH THETHETHETHE EEEEARTHARTHARTHARTH

ANDANDANDAND ITITITIT WILLWILLWILLWILL TEACHTEACHTEACHTEACH YOUYOUYOUYOU. . . .

JJJJOB 12:8

AAAACTIONCTIONCTIONCTION MMMMAXIEAXIEAXIEAXIE’’’’SSSS GGGGARDENARDENARDENARDEN ((((NEWNEWNEWNEW!)!)!)!) Last May, Shoresh started a community garden in

Kensington Market in partnership with Jewish Family and

Child Services (JFCS). For 23 weeks, our staff and interns

met with JFCS’s Back to Our Roots Garden Group,

teaching vulnerable community members how to grow

their own produce organically. Together, we harvested

over 500 pounds of local, organic veggies and herbs that

went directly to the people growing the produce. Helping

people help themselves is the highest form of tzedakah!

“I didn't realize that the garden would be so

therapeu�c—weeding is medita�ve and I have

a deeper connec�on to the planet and G-d."

- JFCS Client

VVVVOLUNTEERSOLUNTEERSOLUNTEERSOLUNTEERS In 2014, Shoresh’s diverse and commiKed volunteers gave

over 1600 hours of their 0me to support our programs and

ini0a0ves. One excep0onal volunteer, Ryan Storm,

donated a por0on of his Bar Mitzvah giLs to our pollinator

conserva0on ini0a0ves including our growing na�ve

pollinator corridor at the Kavanah Garden and our apiary

at Bela Farm. With Ryan’s help we were able to purchase a

honey extractor and harvested over 150 pounds of honey

from our hives just in 0me for Rosh Hashanah! Thanks

Ryan and Mazel Tov!

PPPPEOPLEEOPLEEOPLEEOPLE’’’’SSSS CCCCLIMATELIMATELIMATELIMATE MMMMARCHARCHARCHARCH 2014 was the hoKest year on record. In September,

Shoresh joined 100 other Jewish groups at the largest

protest on climate change in world history. Alongside

400,000 individuals in New York and 3000 individuals in

Toronto, we marched because we believe that climate

change is a Jewish issue. As Jews, we are commanded to

be stewards of Crea0on, taking care of the earth and all its

creatures. We need to demand ac�on by world leaders to

create an economy that supports both people and the

planet.

MMMMEANINGFULEANINGFULEANINGFULEANINGFUL JJJJEWISHEWISHEWISHEWISH LLLLIFEIFEIFEIFE BBBBELAELAELAELA FFFFARMARMARMARM

Shoresh is building a rural centre for sustainable land-based Judaism at

Bela Farm in Hillsburgh, Ontario! Home to Shoresh’s bees, fruit trees,

garlic crop, and perennial spaces dedicated to our na0ve pollinators, Bela

Farm hosts a full season of transforma0ve educa0onal programs that are

rooted in Jewish values and prac0ces and open to all. In 2014, we

doubled our garlic produc�on, quadrupled our honey harvest (thanks to

our hard working honey bees) and enabled hundreds of community

members to deepen their Jewish roots in Canadian soil by exploring

Jewish prac0ce in the spectacular outdoor seMng that is Bela Farm.

SSSSHORESHHORESHHORESHHORESH FFFFOODOODOODOOD CCCCONFERENCEONFERENCEONFERENCEONFERENCE Last February, Shoresh hosted our THIRD annual (sold-out) Jewish Food

Conference bringing together over 100 foodies, farmers, rabbis,

students and ac�vists to explore the intersec�ons between Jewish

tradi�on and contemporary food and ecological issues. Par0cipants leL

feeling empowered to make food choices inspired by and aligned with

Jewish values and ethics.

“I am inspired and amazed. I felt a sense of community

that I had been missing & a new found commitment to

the path I'm on. Thank you for crea�ng a welcoming

environment that engenders such innova�ve &

transforma�onal views of the world.”

- Food Conference Par�cipant

SSSSUSTAINABLEUSTAINABLEUSTAINABLEUSTAINABLE CCCCOMMUNITYOMMUNITYOMMUNITYOMMUNITY

BBBBELAELAELAELA’’’’SSSS BBBBEESEESEESEES Honey bees are in serious trouble

as their popula0ons con0nue to

decline due to habitat loss and

widespread pes0cide use. At Bela

Farm, Shoresh is working to help

the bees through sustainable

beekeeping. We currently have

three hives and are hoping to

double our honey produc�on so

we can share the sweet nectar

from Bela Farm’s flowers with the

community next Rosh Hashanah.

What beKer way to celebrate the

Jewish holidays and seasons than

by enjoying locally grown products

from your local Jewish farm?!

TTTTZEDAKAHZEDAKAHZEDAKAHZEDAKAH

In 2014, we formed a new

tzedakah partnership with Jewish

Family and Child Services. During

the growing season, we set up a

free farmers market at the JFCS

downtown headquarters where

community members in need could

pick-up organic vegetables and

herbs grown at Kavanah Garden.

As well, we grew hundreds of

pounds of fresh, local, organic

produce (tomatoes, zucchinis, kale

and radishes to name a few!) with

and for JFCS clients through

Maxie’s Garden, our vibrant new

downtown growing space.

BBBBAYCRESTAYCRESTAYCRESTAYCREST In 2014 we scaled up our

programming at Baycrest. In

addi0on to running our regular, bi-

weekly gardening programs at the

Moutainview Day Centre we

helped Baycrest create two new

garden spaces and provided

professional development to more

than 30 therapeu�c recrea�onal

staff so that they could maintain

the new gardens. We are excited

and honoured to help Baycrest in

their efforts to become one of the

greenest geriatric centres in the

world .

AAAAWARDSWARDSWARDSWARDS & R& R& R& RECOGNITIONSECOGNITIONSECOGNITIONSECOGNITIONS SSSSLINGSHOTLINGSHOTLINGSHOTLINGSHOT 2014201420142014----2015201520152015

For the THIRD 0me, Shoresh is included in Slingshot’s annual guide profiling the 82

most innova�ve Jewish organiza�ons in North America! According to the Guide’s

evaluators, “Shoresh has successfully taken the Jewish environmental energy in the

US and become the go-to address for like-minded Jews in Canada.”

NNNNATANATANATANATAN

For the third year in a row, Shoresh received funding from Natan through their

Emerging Models of Jewish Connec�on gran0ng pool. With Natan’s support,

Shoresh is growing our agricultural spaces at Bela Farm and expanding our

experien0al educa0onal programs!

JJJJOSHUAOSHUAOSHUAOSHUA VVVVENTUREENTUREENTUREENTURE GGGGROUPROUPROUPROUP

Shoresh’s Execu0ve Director, Risa Alyson Cooper, was selected by the pres0gious

Joshua Venture Group as part of their dual investment fellowship for 2013-2014.

With Joshua Venture’s incredible support, Shoresh was able to set down roots at

Bela Farm, establishing our apiary and plan0ng our organic orchard!

GGGGENESISENESISENESISENESIS: UJA’: UJA’: UJA’: UJA’SSSS CCCCENTREENTREENTREENTRE FORFORFORFOR IIIINNOVATIONNNOVATIONNNOVATIONNNOVATION

As part of Genesis: UJA Federa0on's Centre for Jewish Innova0on, Shoresh shares

office space with other small not-for-profits like Annex Shul and Kulanu at the

Wolfond Centre.

CCCCOVENANTOVENANTOVENANTOVENANT PPPPOMEGRANATEOMEGRANATEOMEGRANATEOMEGRANATE PPPPRIZERIZERIZERIZE

Shoresh’s Execu0ve Director, Risa Alyson Cooper, was awarded The Covenant

Founda0on’s pres0gious Pomegranate Prize in 2013 which recognizes excep�onalism

in emerging professionals working in Jewish educa�onal se@ngs.

TTTTENTENTENTENT NYC: FNYC: FNYC: FNYC: FOODOODOODOOD ANDANDANDAND CCCCULTUREULTUREULTUREULTURE Shoresh's Director of Community Outreach (and resident beekeeper), Sabrina

Malach, was selected to par0cipate in TENT: Food NYC, a week-long program

exploring food and Jewish culture in NYC. The program was organized by the

Yiddish Book Center and hosted by the Center for Jewish History.

MMMMEDIAEDIAEDIAEDIA CCCCOVERAGEOVERAGEOVERAGEOVERAGE

Shoresh got LOTS of media aKen0on this year including a FULL PAGE in the Toronto

Star on Sabrina’s bee keeping venture at Bela Farm, ar0cles in the Canadian Jewish

News, Jewish Tribune and Shalom Toronto AND a shout-out in the New York Times!

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT SHORESH, PLEASE CONTACT US AT

416416416416----805805805805----8382838283828382 OR VISIT OUR WEBSITE WWWWWWWWWWWW....SHORESHSHORESHSHORESHSHORESH....CACACACA.

DDDDONATEONATEONATEONATE TTTTODAYODAYODAYODAY!!!!

2014 SHORESH STAFF

Risa Alyson Cooper, Execu0ve Director

Sabrina Malach, Director of Community Outreach

Tamar Maerim Yunger, Interim Execu0ve Director

Rachel Rosenbluth, Director of Educa0on

Yehuda Nestel, Administra0ve and Program Assistant

Claire Lipson, Lead Jewish Environmental Educator

Alysse Mathalon, Jewish Environmental Educator

SHORESH BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Dr. Andrea Most (Chair) Alexandra Kuperman

Rabbi Aaron Levy Lisa Borden

Sam Mizrahi Carolyn Ruby

Dr. Michael Schecter (outgoing) David Sadowski

Rabbi Ilyse Glickman (outgoing) Zeke Kaplan

GRANTING AGENCIES AND COMMUNITY SUPPORTERS

UJA Federa0on of Greater Toronto

Joshua Venture Group

Natan Fund

Slingshot Fund

Environment Canada: EcoAc0on Community Funding Program

Ontario Trillium Founda0on

Earth Day Canada Community Environment Fund

Buckstein Family Founda0on

Emerald Family Founda0on

Photo credits: Sabrina Malach, Risa Alyson Cooper,

Lauren Lyons, Lisa Borden

Every day we become increasingly aware of how the food we eat and choices

we make shape our rela0onship with the land, our community, and our own

bodies. Shoresh offers a Jewish response to these issues – one that seeks to

inspire ac�ve and meaningful change within our community.

Please support our work and donate today at www.shoresh.ca/donate!