Schusterman foundation, whose fortune comes from oil, makes first donation to climate group

The Schusterman family is in the oil and gas business. Now they are also donors to a group that believes the emissions from burning fossil fuels constitute an existential threat to humankind.

Newly released tax disclosures for 2023 show that the Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Philanthropies gave a $300,000 grant to Adamah, the largest Jewish environmental organization, whose mission is to “cultivate vibrant Jewish life in deep connection with the earth, catalyzing culture change and systemic change through immersive experiences, Jewish environmental education, leadership development, and climate action.”

It’s the first grant ever from the Schusterman family foundation, one of the largest in the country, to a group dedicated to addressing the climate crisis. 

The grant makes up a tiny fraction of the $363 million the foundation gave out last year. Still, it is noteworthy because environmentalism is one of the few signature progressive issues where the Schustermans have not left a mark. By giving away hundreds of millions of dollars a year in areas like education, criminal justice, reproductive justice and voting rights, the foundation has helped shape national debates on race, gender and class.

With Adamah, the Schustermans found a way to make an initial foray into environmental philanthropy while also furthering the foundation’s core commitment of supporting the Jewish community. (The Jewish Telegraphic Agency’s parent organization, 70 Faces Media, is among the many Jewish groups that receive funding from the Schustermans.)

The two organizations didn’t make their leadership available for interviews, opting instead to release statements. Adamah, which has referred to climate change as “the existential crisis of our times,” said in its statement that the partnership reflects a shared vision about making a positive impact on the Jewish community and the planet.

“We are grateful that Schusterman Family Philanthropies allow us to expand our efforts in creating a more sustainable and equitable future,” Adamah said. “We also recognize the Schusterman family’s roots in the energy industry and appreciate their commitment to leveraging their philanthropic resources to drive positive environmental change.”

The foundation’s statement suggested the donation is an expression of the Schusterman family’s long-held values rather than any kind of break with the family business. 

“The Schusterman family believes abundant, affordable energy is vital to the economic well-being of the world’s growing population and has made limited investments in environmental education and efforts to protect the environment,” the statement says. “Adamah, which is among the leading Jewish organizations engaging in environmental education, is one of these investments. The Schustermans remain proud that their family business has enabled them to invest significant resources toward their philanthropic priorities, which include advancing racial, gender, and economic equity in the U.S. and strengthening both the Jewish community and Israel.”

The Schusterman name has been associated with Jewish philanthropy and leadership for many decades. Charles Schusterman, the family patriarch, died in 2000, which left his wife, Lynn, and daughter Stacy in charge of the family’s oil business and foundation. In 2011, the Schustermans sold the company for $7.2 billion, allowing their philanthropy to massively grow. 

Today, the foundation is led by Stacy, who founded her own oil company, Samson Energy, after the sale, with a focus on drilling in Wyoming. 

Her politics are unusual for an oil and gas billionaire. For example, among the top political donors from the fossil industry over the past several elections, Schusterman’s Samson Energy is the only one to favor the Democratic Party over the more climate-skeptical Republican Party, according to OpenSecrets. Schusterman has also expressed specific support for President Joe Biden’s climate agenda and cited the significance of climate change in making clean technology investments. 

Her views stand out in an industry that has traditionally funded climate denialism and has been vilified by the climate movement over the impact of fossil fuel emissions on the planet. 

Adamah

Adamah, which means “earth” in Hebrew, is part of the climate movement, but its focus on the issue is relatively recent and the group has never engaged in attacks on the oil and gas industry. Formed in 2023, Adamah is the product of a merger between Hazon, a New York City-based environmental group, and the Pearlstone Center, a retreat center specializing in outdoor education outside of Baltimore. It shares a name with the Adamah Farm Fellowship, a program it runs for young Jewish adults founded in 2003 that combines farming and Jewish learning and community. 

Last year, Adamah launched its signature climate initiative, the Jewish Climate Leadership Coalition, uniting 20 of the most prominent Jewish institutions with significant representation of denominations from Reform to Orthodox. Hillel, the Jewish Federations of North America, Birthright, the Foundation for Jewish Camp and Moishe House are among the marquee founding partners of the coalition.

Members publish annual plans detailing past actions and commitments toward reducing greenhouse gas emissions and mobilizing constituents around climate. There are no mandates. Each member decides what to include, which can range from installing solar panels to a community gathering centered on discussing the issue. 

Adamah’s approach of building consensus by letting allies decide what measures are helpful contrasts with the strategy pursued by the other major Jewish climate group. Dayenu, whose name means “enough” in Hebrew, is more activist, mobilizing the Jewish community to demonstrate against oil companies and vote for climate-friendly politicians and policies. Dayenu also pressures Jewish institutions to divest their endowments from the fossil fuel industry in protest, which several have recently done. 

Despite the differences, Dayneu’s recent wins and Adamah’s grant from the Schustermans are part of same wave, an awakening of Jewish institutions, beginning last year, to the role they can play in addressing the climate crisis. 

“It’s the beginning of what will become a more widespread focus among Jewish groups,” Rabbi Jennie Rosenn, the CEO of Dayenu, said last year. “We’re seeing an awakening to this as a profoundly Jewish issue, and awakening to the role that the Jewish community has to play in addressing the climate crisis.”