Evonne Marzouk is the founder and Executive Director of Canfei Nesharim.  Evonne has spoken worldwide on the Torah-environment connection, and also currently leads “Maayan Olam,” a Torah-environment committee serving three synagogues in Silver Spring, MD, where she lives with her husband and son.  In addition, Evonne has worked for ten years in the Office of International Affairs at EPA.

 

In 2002, Evonne served on EPA's policy coordination team for the World Summit on Sustainable Development, which she attended as a member of the U.S. delegation. Evonne coordinated outreach to congregations in EPA's Energy Star for Congregations program in 2000, and she served as the Legislative Assistant for the Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life in 1998-99. She has also worked in EPA's Office of Children's Health Protection, and the Water Division of EPA's Regional Office in San Francisco, where she worked on projects involving outreach to Indian tribes.

 

As part of her work with Canfei Nesharim, Evonne has coordinated Torah learning sessions, camping Shabbatons, Tu b'Shevat seders, fundraisers, and activities to reduce the environmental impact of synagogues. She has served on the executive board of Shomrei Adamah, the local Jewish environmental group in Washington, DC, where she acted as an advocate for engaging the Orthodox community in environmental protection. She has also given numerous speeches and presentations on the importance of protecting the environment from a Torah perspective.  In 2003, she received an "Unsung Hero Award" from EPA for her work with Canfei Nesharim.  In 2009, she was selected as one of The New York Jewish Week's "36 under 36."

 

 

Canfei Nesharim was launched with a series of events and publications on Tu b'Shevat 5763, as part of a broad movement to educate Orthodox Jews about the blessings of the natural world, and our obligations to protect it. We are also in the process of developing educational materials and publications which will help you learn more about Jewish perspectives on the environment and how to protect it. We encourage you to forward our messages to everyone who would find our materials of interest.