WEJI!

WEJI got started way back in 2001 when freshman Jeremy Manela and junior Udi Lazimy went to the COEJL/Hillel conference in Washington DC. They came back and started WEJI, the Wisconsin Environmental Jewish Initiative, now in its fourth consecutive year of Jewish environmental programming at UW-Madison.

WEJI programming in
2004-2005:

During fall semester we focused our energy on the presidential election, canvassing with the local chapter of The League of Conservation Voters Victory Project, and hosting a Rock-The Vote Shabbat at Hillel. 

Refusing to be discouraged after the election, we embarked on a new "winter" adventure called Project Earthbound.  We are collecting old carboard, paper, wrapping paper, and National Geographics, and reusing them to make funky little notebooks and magnetic shopping lists.  We're really letting our creative energies flow, and hope that this project will help build a stronger WEJI community to get us ready for some outdoor work in the spring.  

A major highlight this year was our organization and co-sponsorship of The Rainforest Action Network's Oil Addiction Workshop, which brought two RAN organizers to Madison to facilitate a workshop. We hope to form the first Oil Efficiency Chapter here in Madison as part of RAN’s new campaign. 

And our famous WEJI celebrations continue, as we showed our gratefulness for the abundance of the earth by throwing back some beers in the Sukkah, going pumpkin picking at a nearby farm, and celebrating Thanksgiving at a local organic vegetarian restaurant.  We also hosted an eco-Shabbat at Hillel focusing on the circle of life and then a Havdallah poluck at WEJI leader Jen Garfield's house. 

When the snow finally, we look forward to some Praire Restoration, tree walks through the Arboretum, and our big end-of-the-year women’s camping trip!