Welcoming the Hebrew Month at Coastal Roots Farm
By Cantor Rebecca Joy Fletcher, Director of Jewish Life
Tammuz and the Jewish Ecological Calendar
At Coastal Roots Farm, we believe that Jewish time and ecological awareness are deeply intertwined. Our monthly blog series, New Moon Musings, honors each Rosh Chodesh—the new moon that marks a new month in the Jewish lunar calendar. As the moon renews, so do we—anchored in ancient cycles, guided by nature’s wisdom, and open to spiritual reflection.
On the evening of June 25, 2025, we welcome the month of Tammuz, a time rich with contrast: radiant sun, swelling harvests, spiritual depth, and an invitation to hold sorrow alongside celebration.
What Happens in the Month of Tammuz?
In ancient Israel, Tammuz marked the end of the wheat harvest, a period of gathering, threshing, and preparing for the hot, dry summer ahead. Here at Coastal Roots Farm, the land bursts with abundance—lush fruits ripen, campers explore the Farm with awe, and evenings fill with song, ritual, and community gatherings.
Yet with this bounty comes challenge. Rising heat, persistent drought, and increasing wildfire risk remind us that summer’s beauty carries ecological responsibility. The season calls for both gratitude and vigilance—tending the land while preparing for resilience.
The Spiritual Season: Mourning and Meaning
Tammuz also initiates a reflective period in the Jewish calendar known as The Three Weeks, which culminate in Tisha B’Av, a day of national mourning. This period recalls painful moments across Jewish history—from the destruction of the Temples in Jerusalem to countless exiles and tragedies throughout the diaspora.
Tisha B’Av invites us to sit with grief for 24 hours: not to fix it, but to feel it. In a world that often urges us to “move on,” this sacred pause can offer profound healing. It teaches that mourning and joy are not opposites, but companions. We can honor the past while still tending to the present—and planting hope for what’s ahead.
Living Tammuz at Coastal Roots Farm
At Coastal Roots Farm, Tammuz is a season of action and intention. While our days are filled with joy—sun-warmed tomatoes, campers marveling at compost, long communal meals—we also carry the weight of a warming planet, the complexity of Jewish memory, and the quiet call to make space for grief. These moments allow us to model what it means to sit with difficulty while remaining rooted in gratitude and service.
Uplifting Jewish Ecological Farming Around North America
We’re not alone in this work. Across the continent, Jewish farms and environmental educators are bringing intention to the height of summer:
- Urban Adamah (Berkeley, CA): Their Summer Specialist Program (May 29 – Aug 18, 2025) combines farming, communal living, and Jewish practice in an immersive, work-trade format.
- Adamah Farm Fellowship (Falls Village, CT): A 3-month summer residency (May 18 – Aug 24, 2025) weaving ecology, justice, and spiritual grounding into every day.
- Shoresh (Ontario, Canada): Youth programs throughout July and August offer Jewish environmental education, pollinator protection, and outdoor Jewish learning.
At Coastal Roots Farm, we also offer Private Farm Tours (hyperlink), volunteer opportunities (hyperlink), and community programs (hyperlink) all summer long—ideal for those seeking hands-on Jewish environmental learning right here in San Diego.
Closing Blessing: A Season to Hold it All
Tammuz teaches that abundance and grief can coexist. That we can honor sorrow without losing joy. That in the heat of summer, even as things wither, new seeds can still be planted—in soil, in community, in the heart.
This month, may we pause to feel. May we grieve what is broken. And may we continue to grow, even in the fire.