By NOAH RANKIN
Over 100 Ithacans gathered downtown Sunday to walk in solidarity with the participants of the New York City People’s Climate March in order to spread local awareness about climate change.
The walk was followed by a discussion led by various community leaders.
The event began with a speech by Jeff Bercuvitz, president of consulting firm Community Innovations, which took place at First Presbyterian Church near Dewitt Park. Bercuvitz emphasized the importance of people of many faiths or no faith to come together with a “genuine spirit of possibility to say we’re waking up, we’re making noise, and we will not be ignored.”
This “waking up” to climate change was signified by several minutes of silence — mirroring the New York City march — which was then ended by the sound of a Shofar, a Jewish instrument made from the horn of a Kudu.
“A lot of people don’t really understand why we actually blow the Shofar,” Bercuvitz said. “We blow it to wake up, to wake up to the moment and with all due humility to think about what we can do to act and what we must do, not waiting for some divine intervention …. even if you’re already very active, what does it look like this week for you to be more fully awake to the reality of what probably everyone here knows is upon us.”
Ithacans march through downtown for Ithaca’s People’s Climate March Sunday. Jason Ben Nathan / Sun Contributor