Jewish Climate Trust: A Call to Action

In an era of growing climate disasters that threaten Israel, the United States, and Jewish communities worldwide, Jewish philanthropy is stepping up in an unprecedented way. The Jewish Climate Trust (JCT), co-founded by Michael Sonnenfeldt and Stephen Bronfman, marks a new chapter in collective action to mitigate climate risks and prepare for a rapidly changing world. This initiative is not just about philanthropy—it’s about survival, innovation, and responsibility.

Michael Sonnenfeldt, co-founder of the Jewish Climate Trust, speaking at the Jewish Funders Network. Photo by and courtesy of Jennifer Laszlo Mizrahi.

For decades, Sonnenfeldt has been a leader in the climate space, investing in clean energy, sustainability, and resilience. Now, with the Jewish Climate Trust, he is working alongside a world-class team to expand the impact of Jewish climate action. “The scale of the crisis requires more than just individual efforts,” Sonnenfeldt says. “We need coordinated leadership, significant investment, and a commitment to both mitigation and adaptation. Jewish Climate Trust is here to drive that effort.”

The Growing Threat to Israel and Jewish Communities
Climate change is not a distant threat—it’s already reshaping daily life. In Israel, temperatures have risen more than 3.3°F since the country’s founding. Heat waves, wildfires, and droughts are becoming more intense. “Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, and Be’er Sheva already experience 100°F days,” Sonnenfeldt points out. “What happens when there are five or six consecutive days at that temperature? What happens if there’s a power outage at the same time?”

Extreme heat isn’t the only concern. Rising sea levels threaten coastal cities, and shifting weather patterns are fueling destructive storms. Around the world, Jewish communities from California to Florida to Europe face escalating climate disasters. “We saw what happened with the fires in Los Angeles, the hurricanes in North Carolina,” Sonnenfeldt notes. “These are not isolated events—they are part of a pattern. We can’t afford to ignore it.”

From Individual Action to Collective Impact
While many Jewish philanthropists have supported climate efforts individually, the Jewish Climate Trust is designed to bring these efforts together for greater impact. “The Jewish community has always understood the power of collective responsibility,” Sonnenfeldt says. “We punch far above our weight in so many areas—why not climate?”

Bronfman, a longtime advocate for environmental causes, has brought his own strategic vision to the table. Together, he and Sonnenfeldt are ensuring that the Jewish Climate Trust is not just a fund, but a movement.

The Jewish Climate Trust has big, bold goals on:
Mitigation: Curbing global warming by dramatically reducing greenhouse gases
Adaptation: Building climate resilience so communities can survive and thrive in a changing environment
Innovation: Channeling ingenuity to create positive, scalable change within and beyond our own communities

Graphic courtesy of the Jewish Climate Trust.

To achieve this, JCT will work on:
Research: Working proactively to ask big questions, and to find mechanisms and partners to drive significant positive change.
Strategic Venture Philanthropy: Strategic means being data-driven and focused on solving big problems. Venture means they are willing to take risks, working with a range of partners to establish new projects, coalitions or organizations. They ask not only how likely the work is to succeed, but also how much it will matter if it does.
Engaging Jewish Leaders: Most Jewish leaders agree that we must address the climate crisis. But its complexity can seem overwhelming. They are here to listen and learn – and to offer credible, specific pathways to effect change.

The group has already raised $18 million from ten philanthropists. Their initial work includes a $3 million grant over three years to support Jewish climate action in North America and $3 million commitment over three years to strengthen Israel’s environmental sector, specifically NGOs focused on climate work. This includes support for Adamah and the Jewish Climate Leadership Coalition. JCT is also beginning to work on regional cooperation with Israel’s neighbors on climate security.

The Jewish Climate Trust is also investing in solutions beyond traditional philanthropy. “We are focused on venture philanthropy and innovation,” Sonnenfeldt explains. “We need new technologies, better policies, and smarter infrastructure. The private sector has a huge role to play in this.”

A Moment of Opportunity—and Urgency
The launch of the Jewish Climate Trust comes at a critical time. The new U.S. administration has pulled out of the Paris Climate Agreement and rolled back key environmental protections. Meanwhile, climate-related disasters are becoming more frequent and severe. “Even if you support this president on some issues, there is no denying that these climate policies are putting future generations at risk,” Sonnenfeldt warns. “This is not about politics—it’s about physics. The laws of nature don’t negotiate.”
Despite these challenges, there is momentum building. More Jewish organizations are setting climate goals, more philanthropists are stepping up, and more Jewish leaders are recognizing that climate action is an essential part of Jewish responsibility. “We are not required to complete the task, but neither are we free to desist from it,” Sonnenfeldt says, quoting Pirkei Avot.

A Call to Jewish Philanthropists
The Jewish Climate Trust is inviting others to join in this work. “We don’t just need money—we need leadership,” Sonnenfeldt emphasizes. “We need Jewish philanthropists, investors, and institutions to integrate climate into everything they do. This is the defining challenge of our time.”

For those who have not yet engaged on this issue, the message is clear: Now is the time. The Jewish Climate Trust offers one powerful way to get involved, but the broader movement needs everyone. “When our grandchildren ask us what we did about climate change,” Sonnenfeldt says, “we want to be able to look them in the eye and say: We stepped up. We did our part.”

The question now is: Whether it is through the Jewish Climate Trust or other efforts, who else will step up to join them?