Jewish, Reconstructionist Movement
What does composting kitchen scraps have to do with reciting the Shema, the prayer most central to the Jewish affirmation of the oneness of G-d?
Students in the Talmud Torah classes at Temple Beth Israel were guided to stretch their minds around the notion that composting is very much akin to the oneness of G-d and the unity of all creation. In the act of bringing an apple core full circle -- from soil to seed to fruit to consumption to composted waste, and finally the transition back to soil -- composting provides an opportunity for us to think about our connection with the unity and interwoven attributes of all living things. Now, when Temple Beth Israel students compost anything from bagels to apple cores, they know that they have a role to play in sustaining the resources of G-d’s original creation.
The composting project is one program of the K’vod Ha Teva Committee (Honoring Nature) at Temple Beth Israel, a committee established to develop a Jewish ethical response to environmental health and help move the congregation towards sustainable and restorative practices. They have given a uniquely Jewish perspective to the issues of stewardship by tying them to the Jewish principles of Kashrut; not only that which is fit to take into our bodies, but for us to consume in general, whether it be energy or paper or anything else.
In its third year, the committee strives to provide programming that engages a broad segment of the TBI congregation by providing practical examples of putting Ethical Kashrut into practice in synagogue life. Ethical Kashrut is a modern Jewish response to the stewardship of global natural resources, human rights of workers and the humane treatment of animals.
Tu B’Shevat Shabbaton -- The Golden Calf Syndrome... or "I Gotta Have It!"Talmud Torah teachers and K’vod Ha Teva Committee worked together to plan a 6th and 7th grade Shabbaton (all day retreat) during Tu B’Shevat, a holiday known as the “New Year of the Trees.” The purpose of the event was to communicate a distinctively Jewish message on environmental issues that conveys moral vision and purpose. The Shabbaton focused on consumerism and “true cost values” of common purchases such as a T-shirt, a hamburger, and a pair of running shoes. We designed activities such as “The Price is Wrong!” “Two Girls and a Shoe,” and “What Does That Ad Really Say?” The students also said morning Shabbat prayers, participated in a full Tu B’Shevat seder (ceremonial meal) and heard a presentation from Senior Rabbi Husbands-Hankin about Ethical Kashrut. After the Talmud Torah staff and the K’vod Ha Teva members held a debriefing, it was decided to schedule this retreat every other year on a regular basis.
Tu B’Shevat Kick-OffIn honor of the holiday Tu B’Shevat, a double-bin composter was constructed by K’vod Ha Teva members with a grant from the City of Eugene and Lane County Waste Management program.
All pre-school and Talmud Torah classes participated in a series of master classes on composting taught by guests from the Oregon State University Extension Service. Students learned about the “cycle of life,” the law of energy conservation, and most importantly, how each person can make a difference by reducing the amount of waste we create.
As part of the Tu B’Shevat celebration, seders (ritualized meals) were planned for all grade levels during Sunday Talmud Torah classes. Adults attended an evening seder that included readings and prayers about environmental stewardship and a showing of the film Keeping the Earth, followed by a guided discussion session.
At the culmination of the Tu B’Shevat celebrations, all waste products from the school-wide and adult seder meals were carried outside and placed in the new compost bin.
Revised Oneg (Celebratory Meal) Policies
Recycling, composting and buying organic food is one way to practice tikkun olam -- this is the ethical commitment to repair the world through social action. K’vod Ha Teva presented a proposal to the TBI Board of Directors to establish an Oneg Policy that provides an opportunity to do tikkun olam. Onegs are community meals or repasts that follow religious events. Onegs present an opportunity to express the congregation’s values through the choices they make in food preparation and service. TBI provides unbleached, recycled paper products for all community Shabbat celebrations. Families hosting these events are encouraged to use local, organic and kosher purveyors.
Non-Toxic Cleaning Products
Together with synagogue staff, K'vod Ha Teva performed an inventory of all cleaning products used in congregational buildings and disposed of all toxic products, such as old bottles of pesticides, various caustic chemicals and cleaning products harmful to children and aquatic environments. Working toward the goal of establishing sustainable and restorative practices as a Jewish community, they researched how to switch to products that are safe for humans as well as the animals and plants that are downstream of our waste water pipes. They have replaced toxic cleaning products with an environmentally friendly line of products produced by an Oregon company (thereby going the extra mile to support sustainable practices by buying locally).
Blue Vinyl Film Showings and Residency
In 2003, Temple Beth Israel hosted award-winning documentary filmmaker, Judith Helfand, for a four-day residency and two showings of her film Blue Vinyl. The film showings attracted over 600 people. At the second film showing, TBI arranged to have a panel of distinguished experts in “green” building and toxics use reduction join with Helfand for more in-depth discussion. Helfand spoke at three events at the University of Oregon, and twice at TBI -- once for children and once for members of the Board of Directors and Committee chairs.
Sukkot Food Forum
In partnership with the Eugene First United Methodist Church, TBI hosted their first Food Forum, a workshop for communities of faith, in October 2004. The goal of this workshop was to “reweave our local food systems for health, justice and sustainability.” Participants discussed how to craft a faith-based response supporting local food production while addressing global problems surrounding food availability and safety, human health and the protection of natural resources.
The Planning & Development Department of the City of Eugene comments, “Temple Beth Israel serves as a model for other faith centers in our community that wish to incorporate greater environmental education and sustainable practices within their programs.”
Contacts: Lisa Arkin at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or Rabbi Yitzhak Husbands-Hankin at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view itCongregation website: www.tbieugene.org