On December 19, 2007, the President signed The Energy Independence and Security Act (H.R. 6) into law. Of particular interest to the Jewish community, the Act included a provision ("The United States-Israel Energy Cooperation Act", "USIECA") that would encourage cooperation between the United States and Israel on research, development, and commercialization of alternative energy, improved energy efficiency, and renewable energy sources. This provision would establish a grant program to fund joint ventures between United States and Israeli businesses ...
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The United States Senate has finally begun to make strides toward addressing the climate crisis. On December 5, 2007, the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee passed America's Climate Security Act (S 3036) out of Committee. The Bill, introduced by Senators Joe Lieberman (I-CT) and John Warner (R-VA) took important first steps toward reducing our nation's greenhouse gas emissions. Unfortunately, the bill did not secure the 60 votes needed to
proceed to debate. Nonetheless, the June climate vote represented a historic moment for our nation.
Forty-ei...
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U.S. House of Representatives
Chairman Henry A. Waxman (D-CA), Chairman Ed Markey (D-MA) and Rep. Jay Inslee (D-WA) have created a vehicle for Congress to show its support for US climate leadership by introducing "Principles for Global Warming Legislation." The principles highlight four central features of effective legislation:
1.
Reduce emissions to avoid dangerous global warming;
2.
Transition America to a clean energy economy;
3.
Recognize and minimize any economic impacts from global warming legislation; and
4.
Aid communities and ...
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According to the U.S. Department of Energy, the United States imported nearly 170 million barrels of crude oil from OPEC nations in April 2008. With imported crude costs at record highs, American oil dependence facilitated an $18 billion transfer of wealth from American consumers to a cartel that includes some of the most dangerous regimes in the world. With prices expected to remain high throughout 2008, the United States will send nearly $230 billion into OPEC nations’ national coffers this year. These petrodollars will be allocated with minimal transparency by ...
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Climate change is one of the most serious challenges facing the world today. Fortunately, we already have the technology and the knowledge to help protect the health and economic well-being of current and future generations.
Our tradition teaches that Adam and Eve were asked to "till and to tend" the Garden of Eden. (Genesis 2:15). We are told that God literally took Adam and Eve by the hand, declaring, "Look at my works! See how beautiful they are—how excellent! For your sake I created them all. See to it that you do not spoil and destroy My ...
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This Hanukkah, join Jews around North America in 8 simple actions to help conserve energy, slow global climate change, and save you money!
Day 1: Let there be sustainable light. Change one regular bulb in your home to a CFL (Compact Fluorescent Light).
It is estimated that about three light bulbs burn five or more hours a day in the average US home. If those three bulbs were replaced with compact fluorescents in every home, it would eliminate about 23 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions a year! Don't be fooled by the seemingly higher prices of CFLs. ...
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Hanukkah lights in Copenhagen
By Sybil Sanchez
director, Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life
This year, the first night of Hanukkah falls at the halfway mark of the United Nations climate change conference in Copenhagen. While we light our menorahs, our planet's nation-states will be playing out a new type of Hanukkah tale.
Now, as then, the question of oil and its ability to last is at hand. But the bigger question today is not only peak oil, but rather the survival of our planet as we know it. Having the faith that we can do more ...
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NTRODUCTORY INFORMATION
ON GREENING SYNAGOGUES
1. BUILDINGS
Get Energy Star programmable thermostats, divided by zones, so you’re not heating or cooling the building beyond what’s necessary. Cutting back on the heat or A/C by just 1 degree saves an average of 3% on your utility bill -- and on your greenhouse emissions.
2. GROUNDS
Plant native species around your building, which provide much-needed habitat for local birds and other creatures while also needing less water, and no chemicals.
3. PURCHASING
Reduce, reuse, and recycle in the ...
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About COEJL
COEJL is the leading Jewish environmental organization in the United States. Since its founding in 1993, COEJL has helped tens of thousands of Jews make a connection between Judaism and the environment. COEJL has put environmental protection on the agenda of the organized Jewish community and made the case to elected officials and decision-makers that protecting the environment is a moral and religious obligation. Today, COEJL represents 29 national Jewish organizations spanning the full spectrum of Jewish religious and communal life and serves as the ...
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Audience: Ages 11 and up
Duration: 15 - 25 minutes
Goals:
To explore our personal repsonsibility for climate change and it's solutions.
To explore jewish textsrelated to responsibility
Materials: Worksheet (attached) - 1 per group of participants
Pencils & pens
Procedure:
1) Define what is a paradox
"A statement or proposition that seems self-contradictory or absurd but in reality expresses a possible truth"
2) Divide students into small groups (2-4) and distribute a worksheet and pencil or pen to each ...
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Audience: Ages 11 and up
Duration: 15 minutes
Goals:
To explore shabbat as a weekly environmental holiday
To calculate how much energy is saved by observing shabbat
Materials: Worksheet (attached) - 1 per pair of students
Pencils & pens
Calculators - 1 per pair of students
Procedure:
1) Discuss the values and practices of shabbat.
2) Divide students into pairs and distribute worksheets on per pair
3) Read and discuss the quote at the top of the page. Discuss the value of shabbat as a day of not using resources.
4) ...
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Audience: Ages 10 and up
Duration: 20 - 40 minutes
Goals: To learn the jewish law of Bal taschit.
To learn about the 3 Rs, reduce, reuse, recycle
To explore Jewish teachings and values related to the 3 Rs.
To introduce Rethink, the 4th R
Materials:
Worksheet (attached) 1 per participant
pencils of pens
Procedure:
1) Distribute the worksheet to participants.
2) With your direction, proceed through the document.
a) When questions are asked, have the students fill in their answers and share a few with the class. ...
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Below are two example of Jewish themed posters for hanging around a Jewish Day School to encourage reduction in waste production and energy use.
These posters are specific to the Ontario Canada Eco-schools program, but can be used as models for other posters, stickers, etc.
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Ages: 4 - 7
Goals: To learn about our similarities to and relationship with animals and plants
To explore the story of Creation
Duration: 20 - 35 Minutes
Materials: Worksheet (attached)
Pens, pencils and markers
Procedure:
1) Tell the story of humanities Creation from Genesis 1: 26 with a focus on the line
“Let Us make humankind in Our image, after Our likeness.”
2) Discuss what this means (at an age appropriate level) to be made in the image of other animals, plants and God.
3) Direct participants to complete ...
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Currently, most of the world’s Jews still live in Diaspora, even though the State of Israel has been in existence for more than 60 years. Jewish prayer and spirituality is focused on Jerusalem and Israel, yet most Jews choose not to move to our ancestral homeland.
Use these sources and questions below to help explore our relationship to land and answer the following overarching questions:
1) What is our connection/responsibility as Jews to land?
2) Does our connection/responsibility to land end at the borders of Israel or do we have a spiritual, ...
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By Ilana Stein
View a Printable Version | View a Source Sheet
In the portion of Balak, the prophet Bilaam, hired by King Balak of Moab, sets out to curse the children of Israel, only to find himself proclaiming four blessings instead. Each blessing builds on the one before it, becoming more sophisticated and exalted. Bilaam begins with introducing his theme and mission in the first, replies to Balak’s anger at not cursing the people as he promised in the second, and ...
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Materials developed by Noam Dolgin, www.noamdolgin.com.
All content is subject to the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License. (Ie. Tell other where you got it from and don't sell it)
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Goals:
To think about a question related to Tu B'shvat
To create a communal peice of art that reflects our community and it's Tu B'shvat experience
To have fun with arts &crafts and puzzle building
Audience:
All ages.
Can be adapted for fanilies by having them decorate one peice together
Materials:
Carboard tree cut into jigsaw peices as described below.
Markers, Crayons, etc.
Packing tape
Preperations:
1) Find a very large peice of cardboard. The bigger the group the bigger the cardboard ...
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Attached you will find all the brachot you should need for a Tu B'shvat event.
Good luck!
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