Aytzim
A U.S.-registered Jewish environmental organization working at the intersection of Judaism, environmentalism and Zionism.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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Overview
Aytzim is a New York-based Jewish environmental organization focused on environmental protection, climate action, Jewish ecological education and the relationship between environmentalism and Zionism. The Hebrew word “Aytzim” means “trees.” The organization was formerly known as the Green Zionist Alliance (GZA), a name that remains associated with its Israel- and Middle East-focused work. Founded in 2001 by Alon Tal, Eilon Schwartz and Rabbi Michael Cohen, the organization emerged from concern that the land and environment of Israel were not receiving adequate stewardship. It developed as a grassroots, largely volunteer-led organization rather than as a conventional commercial brand. In 2002, the Green Zionist Alliance became the first environmental party represented at the World Zionist Congress. Through participation in Zionist institutional politics, it sought to place environmental priorities on the agendas of organizations such as the Jewish National Fund and the Jewish Agency. The organization incorporated as a U.S. 501(c)(3) nonprofit in 2006. Aytzim's work expanded beyond formal Zionist representation. In 2014, the GZA acquired Jewcology.org from Canfei Nesharim and, with GreenFaith, launched Shomrei Breishit: Rabbis and Cantors for the Earth. The broader Aytzim identity was adopted to reflect work spanning Jewish environmentalism, climate advocacy, ecological education and community organizing. Aytzim also absorbed Jews of the Earth, an initiative originally established as an independent nonprofit by Daniel Ziskin in 1999, in 2019. The organization operates through several projects. EcoJews of the Bay convenes Jewish environmental programs in the San Francisco Bay Area. The Green Zionist Alliance works on environmental issues affecting Israel and the wider Middle East. Jewcology provides online resources, news, educational material, research, a jobs board and a map of Jewish environmental initiatives. Jews of the Earth organizes Jewish participation in environmental action, while Shomrei Breishit brings together Jewish clergy for environmental advocacy. Aytzim has also run internships, student chapters, conferences and retreats, and has maintained educational material concerning Israel's environment. Its policy and advocacy interests have included renewable energy, fossil-fuel restrictions, energy efficiency, forests, biodiversity, sustainable agriculture, environmental justice and climate legislation. Reported activities include opposition to hydrofracking for oil shale in Israel's Elah Valley, opposition to fossil-fuel extraction on Jewish National Fund land, support for greater public returns from offshore natural-gas resources, and efforts to expand solar power and energy efficiency within Jewish institutional infrastructure. The organization has also participated in climate marches, clean-energy coalitions, youth climate actions, interfaith environmental initiatives, environmental education and legal advocacy. Aytzim's identity is explicitly shaped by Jewish values, including stewardship, communal responsibility and the concept of shmita, the biblical sabbatical cycle. That positioning has generated criticism from multiple directions. Critics have challenged its opposition to hydrofracking, its environmental and tikkun olam advocacy, its opposition to the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement, its relationship to Israel and Zionism, its work with the Jewish National Fund, and its participation in climate and political campaigns. Supporters view the organization as a bridge between Jewish communal life and environmental action. Aytzim remains a small, volunteer-driven nonprofit with activity centered on the United States, Canada and Israel.
History
Aytzim began in 2001 as the Green Zionist Alliance, founded by Alon Tal, Eilon Schwartz and Rabbi Michael Cohen in response to concerns about insufficient environmental stewardship of Israel's land. It was organized as a grassroots and largely volunteer-driven movement linking Jewish communal life, environmentalism and Zionism. In 2002, the Green Zionist Alliance became the first environmental party to participate in the World Zionist Congress. Its representation gave environmental advocates a platform within Zionist institutions and helped the organization promote the appointment of environmental leaders to the governing structures of the Jewish National Fund and related bodies. The organization established a formal U.S. charitable structure in 2006 by incorporating as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. During the following years, it worked on Israeli environmental policy, institutional sustainability and public advocacy. Its activities included campaigns concerning forests, bicycle infrastructure, energy efficiency, community gardens, renewable energy, fossil-fuel extraction and the protection of ecosystems such as the Samar sand dunes in the Arava Valley. It also sought to influence Jewish institutional operations through proposals involving solar panels, efficient lighting, lower-emission vehicles, environmental education for immigrants and long-term emissions-reduction plans modeled on the Jewish shmita cycle. Aytzim's scope broadened in the 2010s. In late September 2014, the Green Zionist Alliance acquired Jewcology.org from Canfei Nesharim. The site became an online hub for Jewish environmental information, including educational resources, research, media, a jobs board and a map of Jewish environmental initiatives. Around the same period, Aytzim and GreenFaith created Shomrei Breishit: Rabbis and Cantors for the Earth, an environmental advocacy network for Jewish clergy. The organization adopted the Aytzim name to signal that its work extended beyond the original Green Zionist Alliance campaign, although the former name continued as a project identity for Israel- and Middle East-related issues. Aytzim also developed EcoJews of the Bay, Jews of the Earth and other educational and organizing programs. Jews of the Earth had been founded independently by Daniel Ziskin in 1999 and merged into Aytzim in 2019. The organization has run internships, student chapters, conferences and retreats, and has published or supported environmental educational material, including the Jewish Energy Guide, a collection of articles examining energy issues through Jewish perspectives. Its advocacy has often been conducted through coalitions. Aytzim has worked with Jewish, interfaith and secular environmental organizations on climate marches, clean-energy campaigns, youth climate strikes, ocean ethics, environmental education, the Green New Deal, green economic stimulus measures, Black Lives Matter, forest recovery, renewable-energy transitions and legal or regulatory issues. It filed an amicus brief in the Our Children's Trust litigation and supported positions concerning greenhouse gases, the Endangered Species Act and carbon standards for new power plants. Some coalition projects later became dormant, including the Green Hevra network and another initiative based on shmita values. The organization has reported both successes and setbacks. It has claimed success in efforts to stop hydrofracking for oil shale in Israel's Elah Valley, prohibit fossil-fuel extraction on Jewish National Fund land and increase the public share of offshore natural-gas profits. Other efforts, including opposition to the demolition of the Bedouin village of Al Arakib, opposition to Israel's Nation-State Bill, resistance to proposed SNAP reductions, an attempt to green the Jewish Federations of North America's General Assembly and support for labor unions in Janus v. AFSCME, were described as unsuccessful. Aytzim's positions have drawn criticism from conservative commentators and from people who object to its environmentalism, its connection to Zionism or Israel, its opposition to BDS, its work with the Jewish National Fund and its participation in climate mobilization. These disputes reflect the contested political space in which the organization operates rather than a conventional commercial-brand controversy.
- 2019
Jews of the Earth joins Aytzim
[1]The formerly independent Jews of the Earth nonprofit merges into Aytzim.
- 2014
Jewcology.org acquisition and Shomrei Breishit launch
[1]Aytzim acquires Jewcology.org and launches Shomrei Breishit with GreenFaith.
- 2014
Rebrand as Aytzim
[1]The Green Zionist Alliance adopts Aytzim as its broader public identity while retaining GZA as an Israel-focused project name.
- 2006
U.S. nonprofit incorporation
[1]The organization incorporates as a U.S. 501(c)(3) charitable nonprofit.
- 2002
First environmental party at the World Zionist Congress
[1]The Green Zionist Alliance gains representation as the first environmental party in the World Zionist Congress.
- 2001
Green Zionist Alliance is founded
[1]Alon Tal, Eilon Schwartz and Rabbi Michael Cohen establish the organization that later becomes Aytzim.
- 1999
Jews of the Earth is founded
[1]Daniel Ziskin establishes Jews of the Earth as an independent nonprofit initiative focused on Jewish environmental organizing.
Products and positioning
A volunteer-led Jewish environmental organization connecting ecological advocacy, climate action, Jewish ethics, community organizing and Zionist institutional engagement.
Digital environmental education platform · 2014
Jewcology
Jewcology is an online resource center for the Jewish environmental movement. It provides educational and organizing materials, research and media, a job board, and an interactive map of Jewish environmental initiatives. Aytzim acquired the platform in 2014 from Canfei Nesharim, using it to support information sharing and coordination across Jewish environmental communities.
Community environmental program
EcoJews of the Bay
EcoJews of the Bay organizes Jewish environmental events and community programming in the San Francisco Bay Area. The project connects local Jewish life with ecological learning, climate awareness and practical environmental action.
Israel and Middle East environmental advocacy · 2001
Green Zionist Alliance
The Green Zionist Alliance is the organization's former name and continuing project identity for work involving Israel and the Middle East. Its activities have included environmental policy advocacy, institutional greening, forest protection, energy policy and representation within Zionist organizations.
Environmental organizing network · 1999
Jews of the Earth
Jews of the Earth organizes Jewish communities and individuals for environmental action at local and national levels. Founded independently in 1999, it became an Aytzim project in 2019.
Clergy advocacy network · 2014
Shomrei Breishit: Rabbis and Cantors for the Earth
Shomrei Breishit is an environmental advocacy initiative for Jewish clergy operated by Aytzim in partnership with GreenFaith. It brings together more than 100 rabbis and cantors, including chief rabbis, to promote environmental responsibility and climate action.
Educational publication
Jewish Energy Guide
The Jewish Energy Guide is a collaborative educational publication addressing energy issues through Jewish ethical and environmental perspectives. It was produced with the Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life and contains approximately 50 articles.
Controversies
Criticism of Aytzim's anti-fracking and environmental positions
The organization was criticized, particularly by conservative commentator Arthur Herman, for opposing hydrofracking and for broader environmental advocacy. Critics characterized its approach as hostile to technological development, while Aytzim presented the campaigns as environmental protection.
Debate over Aytzim's relationship with Israel, Zionism and the Jewish National Fund
Aytzim has faced criticism over its association with Israel and Zionism, its opposition to BDS, its work with the Jewish National Fund and allegations that environmental advocacy can function as greenwashing or reinforce Israel's political status quo.
Marketing campaigns
- Elah Valley anti-hydrofracking campaign
Israel
Aytzim opposed plans to extract oil shale through hydrofracking in Israel's Elah Valley, framing the proposal as a threat to environmental protection and sustainable land use.
Outcome. The organization described the effort as successful.
- Fossil-fuel extraction on Jewish National Fund land
Israel
Aytzim campaigned for a prohibition on fossil-fuel extraction on land owned by the Jewish National Fund.
Outcome. The organization described the campaign as successful, while continuing to criticize the JNF on sustainability and environmental-justice grounds.
- People's Climate March
United States
Aytzim participated in the People's Climate March in New York in 2014 and Washington in 2017 alongside large environmental and civic coalitions.
- New Yorkers Against Fracking
United States
Aytzim joined the coalition opposing hydraulic fracturing in New York, working with environmental, civic and public-interest groups.
- Sacred Earth
United States
Aytzim participated in the Sacred Earth project with faith-based environmental organizations, including GreenFaith and the Franciscan Action Network.
Brand decisions
2019
Integrate Jews of the EarthM&ABackground
Jews of the Earth had operated as an independent nonprofit environmental initiative since 1999.
Action taken
Jews of the Earth merged into Aytzim.
Aftermath
Aytzim expanded its Jewish environmental organizing and mobilization activities.
2014
Acquire Jewcology.orgM&ABackground
The organization sought to broaden its online support for Jewish environmental education and movement-building.
Action taken
The Green Zionist Alliance acquired Jewcology.org from Canfei Nesharim.
Aftermath
Jewcology became a central digital resource within Aytzim's project portfolio.
2014
Adopt the Aytzim nameStrategyBackground
The organization's activities had expanded beyond the original Green Zionist Alliance focus on Zionist institutional politics and Israel.
Action taken
The organization adopted Aytzim as its broader identity while preserving Green Zionist Alliance as a project name.
Aftermath
Aytzim presented itself as a wider Jewish environmental organization spanning education, advocacy and community organizing.
Recent events
- 2019
Jews of the Earth merges into Aytzim[1]
M&A
The Jews of the Earth initiative, originally founded as an independent nonprofit, became part of Aytzim's project structure.
- 2014
GZA acquires Jewcology.org and launches Shomrei Breishit[1]
M&A · Product launch
The organization expanded its digital and clergy-facing work by acquiring Jewcology.org and launching an environmental advocacy group for Jewish rabbis and cantors with GreenFaith.
- 2014
Green Zionist Alliance adopts the Aytzim identity[1]
Other
The organization rebranded as Aytzim to represent a broader portfolio of Jewish environmental projects while retaining Green Zionist Alliance for its Israel-focused work.
- 2006
Green Zionist Alliance incorporates as a U.S. 501(c)(3)[1]
Other
The organization formalized its U.S. nonprofit status as a tax-deductible charitable entity.
- 2002
Green Zionist Alliance becomes the first environmental party at the World Zionist Congress[1]
Other
The organization entered World Zionist Congress politics as the first environmental party, creating a route for ecological priorities to be represented within Zionist institutions.
Aytzim campaigns against hydrofracking and fossil-fuel extraction[1]
Campaign · Regulation
Aytzim reported successful advocacy against oil-shale hydrofracking in Israel's Elah Valley and against fossil-fuel extraction on Jewish National Fund land. The campaigns also attracted criticism from opponents of its environmental policy.
Aytzim participates in climate and clean-energy coalitions[1]
Campaign
The organization joined initiatives including the People's Climate March, the March for a Clean Energy Revolution, Forward on Climate, New Yorkers Against Fracking and interfaith environmental campaigns.
Sources2 sources
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