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- Based in part on the materials from COEJL’s
Operation Noah, and in part on the Catholic
ceremonies commemorating St. Francis of Assisi
(patron of animals), Congregation
Har HaShem, of Boulder, Colorado
has held “Keeping the Covenant: The Celebration
of the Animals” annually for the last
3 years. The liturgy coincides with the reading
of the story of Noah, and serves as a response
to COEJL’s assertion that “Noah
was a righteous person in his generation. Shouldn’t
we be in ours?” To
learn more...
- In honor of the holiday Tu B’Shevat
(the “New Year for the Trees”),
a double-bin composter was constructed at Temple
Beth Israel, Eugene, Oregon, and all pre-school
and Talmud Torah classes participated in a series
of master classes on composting. Students learned
about the “cycle of life,” the law
of energy conservation, and most importantly,
how each person can make a difference by reducing
waste. As part of the Tu B’Shevat celebration,
seders (ritualized meals) were held for all
grades, and an evening seder for adults included
readings and prayers about environmental stewardship
and a showing of the film Keeping the Earth,
followed by discussion. At the culmination of
the celebration, all waste products from seder
meals were carried outside and placed in the
new compost bin. To
learn more...
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Other
Models of Engagement from the past decade of the
Partnership:
- The Jewish Community Center of Stamford,
Connecticut, links holiday celebrations
with hands-on experiences demonstrating the
value of tzedakah or charity and good deeds.
The program enables families to explore Jewish
responses to environmental concerns as well
as meaningful actions.
- Congregation Beth Shalom's (Teaneck,
New Jersey) Greening the Holidays project
links environmental concerns to seven annual
Jewish holiday observances as well as to Shabbat.
Environmentally oriented holiday preparations,
meals, special holiday readings, sermons, and
outdoor activities are also incorporated into
the observances.
- The Living Workshop Series for Jewish Families
of the Jewish Community Center of Staten
Island, New York, has received enthusiastic
response for its environmental activities. Over
2,500 people attended the recent workshopsponsored
Tu B'Shvat Seder, at which they had the opportunity
to pass through the "forest of trees"
created from recycled paper. Additionally, miniature
trees were symbolically planted on a map of
Israel.
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