As one of the DJJ leaders who joined the The Water Justice Team well after it had made significant inroads working with an amazing ally, the People’s Water Board, I was interested in finding ways we could continue to bring our message to suburban Jews.  We have had success with several synagogues but we need to keep moving forward.  

Our amazing DJJ leader, Rondi Bower, had an idea that she thought we could replicate as a way to get people learning and talking about water justice issues, a Pub Quiz.  Mind you that most of us on the planning committee had never been to a Pub Quiz, Rondi included! Nor could we go out and experience one, which would have been a fun social and learning experience, since we were in COVID19 quarantine!  But Rondi would not let this minor detail deter her and she pursued her concept interviewing Ben Falik who had been doing something similar with Next Gen.  

Thus, H2O Whad'ya Know? A Water Justice Quiz Game was born!

The committee met regularly as we created categories and questions, designed graphics, added music, organized prizes, and recruited folks to fill the technical and support roles needed. Rondi pretested the quiz with her family and we even had a dress rehearsal. We did indeed need a thriving village! And this thriving village can be credited with the success of the event!  Our village of talented, creative, dedicated, and caring folks makes every effort a joyous one!

I think the group created an event we can recreate and “take on the road” to local congregations and other groups to bring our message of water affordability.  I was lucky to participate in the quiz at the event and realized that so much of the information imparted through the quiz questions was new to many generally well informed folks.  I too learned much during the process. It appeared that our participants enjoyed the experience.  

Planning a zoom event during these trying times showed us that in spite of the need to physically isolate we need not desist in our justice work.  We may be able to reachout even more than we could when folks had to travel to events.

I must end with a shout out to a very patient and diligent facilitator, Becca Belkin, DJJ’s MSW intern and the contributions from our generous and talented Detroit artists and entrepreneurs, Zak Rosen, MC extraordinaire and Seth Archambault, Top Tech!  

Here’s some other feedback we got from folx who participated in the event on June 18th:

• “It was spectacular - really well done! People learned a lot and had fun doing it” 
• “Terrific! It was nice to catch up with people I don’t see all the time and there was good discussion in the breakout rooms”
• “People are looking for at-home activities. Folks are looking to engage in movements for justice. There is a ready and willing audience for this kind of event”
• “The way the questions were presented really told a story about water affordability and made it easier to understand a complicated issue”
• “This was a format I hadn’t seen before - having the breakout rooms worked really well”
• “I don’t know how you did it, but you made zoom fun!”