A JOFEE Journey

by Jakir Manela

I hated Hebrew School. Organized Jewish life was irrelevant to me growing up; after my Bar Mitzvah I considered myself free from synagogue beyond the annual Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur torture. As the grandson of survivors, my family was strong in our Jewish identity; I just had no interest in affiliation. No Jewish camp, youth group, or confirmation. But then I went to Israel, and those four weeks changed my life. I felt Jewish in a different way there, experienced a pulsing connection to the land and people of Israel, felt self-aware in new, profound ways.

A year later, I entered college ready for exploration and discovery. As a freshman I attended a conference where I encountered Teva, the seed of a movement that has grown into JOFEE – Jewish Outdoor, Food, and Environmental Education. In discovering Teva and JOFEE, I found a Jewish identity that was inspiring and relevant: combining Jewish wisdom, experiential education, and a clear moral response to critical sustainability issues facing us all. Akin to Israel’s spark, JOFEE transformed my Jewish journey; it was my doorway back in.

Fast-forward 13 years, and I am now Executive Director of the Pearlstone Center, a dynamic Jewish educational farm and retreat center located just outside of Baltimore, and national JOFEE hotspot inspiring vibrant Jewish life. During my seven years working at Pearlstone, I have seen every denomination and age group of the Jewish community ignited by our work – from orthodox to reconstructionist, early childhood to senior citizens. And so I feel great pride in seeing the recently published JOFEE report illuminating a blossoming field of Jewish life which we call home.

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