Dayenu Circle in NC taking action, celebrating, and building power

by Anya Gordon, Dayenu Triangle Circle leader

The Dayenu Triangle Circle (representing Durham, Chapel Hill, and Raleigh, NC) celebrated Earth Day on April 25 with a very successful – and healthy! – Earth Day Shabbat Dinner. The evening was a wonderful community event that demonstrated our concerns for climate action.

The sold-out crowd of 90 guests enjoyed a vegan and gluten-free meal that was prepared at a Conservative synagogue’s kosher kitchen under the leadership of my husband Arthur. For 45 years, he ran the iconic and very successful Irregardless Cafe in Raleigh, NC.

We heard from three Synagogues and the Federation on all the climate actions they are taking – it was very empowering and encouraging.

We also heard from our guest speaker, Reid Wilson, Secretary of the NC Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ). He spoke to various aspects of the extensive work of the DEQ: Cleaning up coal ash from Duke Power, regulating PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), and administering regulatory programs designed to protect air quality, water quality, and the public’s health. DEQ also works to advance an all-of-the-above energy strategy that fits North Carolina’s needs, offering technical assistance to businesses, farmers, and local governments.

More climate actions from Dayenu Triangle Circle

After the Earth Day success, we followed up with an information table at our Triangle Yom Hatzmaut Celebration, which attracted more than 600 folks from across the Triangle.

Earlier in the year, we hosted our US Representative – Congresswoman Deborah Ross – who talked about her efforts for climate action. We welcomed 35 people to our home, and fed them a light dinner: my husband made his famous pizza, and I made a vegan pea soup.