By Ashley Bouman

The Jewish tradition places a high value on the teaching of sustaining the health of the earth and all of its living things are moral and imperative. With the Jewish life and environmental activism, Jewish women have initiated their own environmental activist efforts. Rabbi Jill Hammer has accomplished a lot in her life. She has her PhD and is an author, an educator, a midrashist (to study the bible in a way that goes beyond the simple refinement of religious, legal and moral teachings), a myth-weaver and a ritualist. She is co-founder of Kohenet: The Hebrew Priestess Institute, a Jewish spiritual leadership program that incorporates an earth-honouring, feminist orientation, and director of Tel Shemesh, a website community celebrating and creating Jewish earth-based traditions. She is also the director of Spiritual Education at the Academy for Jewish Religion, a pluralistic Jewish seminary.

She received her Bachelor of Arts degree at Brandeis University located in Waltham, Massachusetts. It was there that she began her career as a writer, feminist, and maker of myth and ritual. Her doctorate is from the University of Connecticut in social psychology. She was ordained at the Jewish Theological Seminary. She has won numerous awards including the Rabbi Joseph and Francis Miller Prize in Bible (Jewish Theological) Seminary, the Whizin Prize for Best Midrash on a contemporary issue, the sanctity of Life Award for service in the Jewish Community (Brandeis University) and the Rose Schlow Prize in Judaic Studies also from Brandeis University.

She is a proclaimed poet and essayist and has her work published in an array of journals such as, Lilith, Bridges, The Journal of Feminist Studies in Religion, Response, Natural Bridge, Zeek, The Women's Torah Commentary, The Jewish Spectator and Biblical Women in the Midrash. Her writing reflects what she feels passionate about in her life. She also has two books, Sisters at Sinai: New Tales of Biblical Women, published by the Jewish Publication Society in 2001. This book is an anthology of 24 stories that explores the inner and worldlier experiences of women in the bible. It celebrates the power of these women that is often overlooking in teaching. The women are teachers, rulers and prophets going well beyond what is noted and taught in the bible. Her other book is The Jewish Book of Days, by the Jewish Publication Society in 2006. It is a compendium of Jewish legends for every day of the year and written in a nature-centred Hebrew calendar. She uses nature and the universe to indicate each day by the person, holiday, characteristic or occurrence that best defines it. This is a handy guide for anyone who is interested in the integration of religion and the environment.

On top of everything else that keeps Rabbi Hammer busy in her every day life, she enriches the lives of many people by also being an adult-educator. She educates at retreats, conferences, Jewish Community centres, synagogues, new moon gatherings and on-going adult education classes. Her teachings and workshops are informative and they both focus on ancient and temporary aspects.