Temple Isaiah Green Team

Temple Isaiah, Los Angeles, CA
Jewish, Reform Movement

Temple Isaiah has been a part of COEJL Southern California’s Green Sanctuary program for the last two years. The Green Team began their efforts by providing the congregation’s rabbi, Zoë Klein, with timely environmental information, leading to her direct involvement with COEJL (the Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life) and California Interfaith Power & Light.

During the subsequent two years, the team has led the congregation in a variety of awareness raising and practical steps toward greening their congregation. In addition to regular articles in the congregation’s newsletter, they produce an electronic newsletter sent out to congregants specifically on ways they can make a difference -- whether it be tips for saving energy or for taking action on environmental issues by signing petitions.

The team initiated a recycling program that has realized a net savings of $1,400 a year for the congregation. They have distributed over 150 compact fluorescent light bulbs to staff and congregants, symbolizing the success of this program by building a large menorah that uses CFLs for display at Hanukkah.

To encourage staff and congregants to minimize waste, they designed and purchased coffee mugs, for use at congregational meetings, which express the sentiment “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. Remember You are a Steward of This Earth.”

The team has incorporated fun opportunities to learn into the congregation’s Purim and Tu B’Shvat celebrations as well as the congregational picnic, when they offered test drives in gas/electric hybrid cars. At their Tu B’Shvat seder (the meal which teaches about the holiday, much like the Passover seder) they distributed young trees and taught about the impact of invasive species on the local area’s natural balance, then followed up these teachings with nature hikes.

Contact Person: Steve Fox at minusksf@aol.com

Congregational website: www.templeisaiah.com