At the kickoff event for Chutzpah 2026, Susan Wine Bender gave a rousing call to action for taking Jewish climate action. We’re happy to share her inspiring remarks! And we encourage everyone to sign up for Chutzpah shifts through Election Day. (Say hey to Susan if you see her there.)
I’ve been a Dayenu volunteer for four years now, and one of the things that keeps me coming back is that Dayenu doesn’t just talk about the climate crisis. We organize. We build community. And we show up.
And right now, I want to encourage all of you to show up for our 2026 Chutzpah campaign.
Chutzpah is essentially a big, nationwide get-out-the-vote effort. We’re going to be phone banking and postcarding to help make sure that people who care about the environment actually have the information and encouragement they need to vote.
"The climate crisis can feel enormous. The political challenges can feel enormous. But we have learned over and over again that change happens when ordinary people decide to organize and act together."
I’ve been phonebanking with Dayenu for years, and I can honestly tell you that it is a great experience—especially when you do it together, in community, with people who share your values.
You’re not sitting alone somewhere making endless calls. You’re surrounded by other people who care about the planet, care about our communities, and believe that our voices can make a difference.
And there’s something very Jewish about that. We come together. We support one another. We do the work together. We don’t wait for someone else to fix the problem.
And here’s the other thing I’ve learned from doing this: you never know what kind of conversation you’re going to have.
There are always a few treasured conversations that stay with you.
Maybe you’re talking to someone who is eligible to vote but hasn’t registered yet—and you’re able to help that person take that first step.
Or maybe you reach someone who is already a committed environmental voter, and they’re just genuinely happy to hear from someone else who cares about the planet.
Sometimes the conversation is only a few minutes. But those few minutes can be incredibly meaningful.
Because at a time when so many of us feel overwhelmed by the climate crisis and by everything happening in the world, there is something incredibly powerful about simply connecting with another person and saying, in effect: I care about this. You care about this. And we’re going to do something about it.
That’s what Chutzpah is about.
And the great thing is that there are multiple shifts on different days, corresponding to elections happening across the country. So you don’t have to rearrange your entire life. Find a shift that works for you and sign up.
And please don’t think you have to do it alone.
Bring your friends. Bring your family. Bring members of your synagogue. Bring people from your community.
Make it a social event. Make it a community event. Get together, grab some food, make some calls, write some postcards—and know that while you’re sitting there, you are part of a much bigger effort happening all across the country.
And I think that’s one of the most important things Dayenu gives us: people power.
The climate crisis can feel enormous. The political challenges can feel enormous. But we have learned over and over again that change happens when ordinary people decide to organize and act together.
So I’m asking you: have some chutzpah.
Sign up for a phonebanking or postcarding shift. Find a day that works for you. Invite someone to join you. And then show up.
Because every conversation matters. Every postcard matters. Every vote matters.
Join us! Thank you.