Dear Coastal Roots Farm Community,
Over the past several years, we’ve had the privilege of growing both our Jewish Life and Education strategies while noting how deeply integrated they are. This has been made possible by the leadership of Cantor Rebecca Joy Fletcher, our first Director of Jewish Life, and Kimberly Tomlinson, our first Director of Education.
As we think through the Farm’s next phase of strategic growth, we see this integration as even more critical. At the same time, following a period of budget review and organizational planning, we are evolving our structure to align our resources with our long-term sustainability and priorities.
Contemporaneously, Kimberly made the decision to step down from her role as Director of Education after five meaningful years. Kimberly’s last day with the Farm will be May 8, as she transitions to focus full-time on her family. A mother of three beautiful children, Kimberly has also been like a mother and teacher to so many at the Farm, guiding thousands of youth and families in building relationships with the land and connecting deeply to Mother Earth through our education programs. We will not be rehiring the Director of Education role.
Rebecca’s time at the Farm will also be coming to a close as part of this restructuring. Her last day with the Farm will be May 29. As our inaugural Director of Jewish Life since 2022, Rebecca has brought deep wisdom, creativity, and authenticity to how we express and experience eco-Jewish values, expanding our reach, developing our programs, fostering art, and shaping the spiritual fabric of this community.
We are profoundly grateful to both Rebecca and Kimberly for the leadership, care, and vision they have brought to the Farm. Their impact will continue to be felt for years to come.
Looking ahead, in order to advance the strategic goal of integrating Jewish Life and Education more robustly, we will be launching a search in the coming weeks for a Director-level role to oversee the combined scope of these initiatives.
This next phase reflects a continued and deepened commitment to both pillars of our mission - cultivating Jewish life through the lens of land, sustainability, and community, and offering meaningful, accessible education that inspires connection and stewardship. We are excited about the opportunity to further weave these areas together in service of a more integrated and impactful future.
We are grateful for your partnership and ongoing support, and we welcome the opportunity to be in conversation as we move forward.
With appreciation,
Kesha Dorsey
Interim CEO
Coastal Roots Farm