The Jewish principles of gemilut hasadim, “acts of loving-kindness,” tikkun olam, “mending the world,” and avodah, which comprises work, prayer, and service, signal Judaism’s commitment to translating religious and moral ideals into concrete actions. Many Jewish congregations and organizations have translated these principles as well as the ideal of “tilling and keeping” the garden of creation into acts of environmental stewardship and service to their communities.
The sorts of environmental service projects carried out by Jewish congregations, schools, and other organizations are varied:
- Developing their land to provide the surrounding community with opportunities for gardening, environmental education, enjoyment of nature, and spiritual nurture;
- Neighborhood clean-ups;
- Restoration and improvement projects in city state parks;
- Adopt-a-Stream projects;
- Collecting for recycling materials such as plastic shopping bags cellular phones, or printer cartridges.
Such activities not only protect and enhance the natural environment, but can be ways of building up the human community, as when community gardens are provided for refugees and urban clean-up projects involve neighborhood youth.
Jewish organizations provide examples, ideas, and opportunities for involvement in environmental service projects:
- The Hillel Foundation Program Exchange includes a number of examples of service projects by Hillel groups on their campuses and in their communities.
