To Till and to Tend

Today marks a rare moment in time – one that no one alive will experience again.  It is the 14^th of Nissan, the eve of Passover, a full moon, all of which represent the beginning of spring and the renewal of life.  The 14^th of Nissan comes around every year.

Today is also the day we celebrate the return of the sun to its place in the heavens at the precise time of creation – Birkat HaHammah, Blessing of the Sun. On Birkat HaHammah, we set aside time to appreciate the gift of the Sun and all life that comes from its energy.  This day happens once every 28 years.

Tradition states that the confluence of these dates, this particular arrangement of the cosmos, has happened only twice before: first, when the Israelites emerged from the bondage of Egypt to become a People; second, when they were saved from the evils of persecution under Haman.

On this day of celebrating new beginnings, beginnings of natural life cycles, solar capabilities and the Jewish people, I, too, celebrate a new beginning. 

Over the past two and a half years I have had the honor and privilege of journeying with the Jewish community as we seek to become true stewards of the Earth working to fix the world we have been destroying.  Though I continue on this personal and communal journey of sustainability, I will no longer be doing so with COEJL. 

This morning I had the privilege of waking up at dawn to watch the sun rise above the Long Island Sound, and for the first time in my life recite two blessings, neither of which is unique, but together, marked an extraordinary powers and potential of the day.

For Birkat HaHammah (and natural wonders like lightning and grand vistas) we say:

Blessed are you, Eternal our God, Source of the Universe, who does the works of creation (also can be translated as beginnings) - oseh ma-aseh bereishit.

For the wonders of this moment (and any firsts) we say:

Blessed are you, Eternal our God, Source of the Universe, who has given us life, sustained us, and enabled us to reach this sacred moment - shehechiyanu, v’kiemanu, v’higiyanu lazman hazeh.

This morning, these blessings were filled with the moment, thoughts of the past years at COEJL and the hopes of the years to come. I thank each of you for journeying with me on this mission and sustaining me in this sacred work. The wonders of this world are the constant moments of renewal and birth. Today, Jewish tradition encourages us to celebrate this with the hopes of spring and the renewable energies of the sun. May all of our beginnings commence with the powers of this day.   

Birkat HaHammah is a once-every-28 years event where the Jewish community celebrates the return of the sun to its original place in the heavens at the precise time and day of its creation.  It is occurring April 8, 2009 – the morning of Erev Pesach.  COEJL has created a Birkat HaHammah resource that we hope you find useful – www.BlesstheSun.org.  It is also a wiki, which means you can contribute to it – please do (and you if you have trouble, contact me at Liore@coejl.org).  The information available is vast, so I wanted to point out some exceptional resources:

 - A local events listing, where you can post your community Birkat HaHammah event

 - A video meditation/song put to solar images that can be used for teaching or contemplation

 - Ways  to connect Pesach with Birkat HaHammah (this overlapping will not occur for hundreds of  years)

 - Ceremonial Materials – ranging from traditional to an energy/environment focus

You probably don’t read much about the Maldives- a small island nation in the Pacific with less than 500,000 inhabitants- unless, that is, you follow environmental news outlets like ClimateWire. Pacific island nations like the Maldives, along with (once) ice-covered landmasses like Greenland, have become the ‘canaries in the coal mine’ for global climate change. The Maldives will be one of the first places in the world drastically affected by climate change, as the entire nation lies just above sea level and its economy is driven largely by climate-sensitive activities like fishing and tourism. That’s why the nation’s government is developing a plan to evacuate the entire country to new homes if we don’t change our climate course in the very near future.

For the last decade, the United States has failed to take the lead in tackling climate change, despite the fact that we are the second-largest carbon emitter in the world (after China, though we still are #1 in per capita emissions by a long shot). While vulnerable developing nations have done the least to cause global climate change, they will be the first to suffer its effects, and have the fewest resources to adapt.

Still, the Maldives is ready to be part of the solution, recently announcing plans to become the first carbon neutral nation in the world. Countries from the Maldives to Mexico, and even China, are drafting plans to slash their carbon footprints, leaping ahead of the U.S. on this issue. As Americans of faith who believe in stewardship and sustainability, we have long understood that this is unacceptable.

Since we have failed on the mitigation side, developed nations must now take responsibility by funding adaptation programs to help people around the world change their lifestyles in response to the inevitable effects of climate change. In addition to being the right thing to do, funding adaptation is in our national interest; the UN IPCC predicts that the world may see as many as 150 million ‘climate refugees’ by 2050 if we don’t act now. This sort of mass migration would deeply destabilize the world economy and upset social dynamics in every nation around the globe. 

Unfortunately, the U.S. and other developed nations have as yet failed to live up to our minimal promises on international adaptation. We cannot wait to act, and we cannot hope to enact an international treaty without a strong American commitment to both mitigate our climate change impact and help the world adapt to its effects. And without an international treaty, even the best of U.S. efforts will do little to avoid the worst impacts of climate change- the time has come for us to step up our commitment and once more be the global leader in addressing this global problem. The Maldives, and the rest of the world, are waiting.

Rachel is an Eisendrath Legislative Assistant working on environment and energy issues at the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism in Washington, DC. She will be a regular guest blogger on To Till and To Tend this year, posting entries every other Thursday (or in some cases, Wednesday!). This, and all of Rachel’s entries, can also be found on the Religious Action Center blog.

Birkat ha-chamah (the once-in-28-years blessing on the sun) is just a few weeks away! See this post for a refresher on why it’s every 28 years. The blessing will be said on Wednesday, April 8, at sunrise. (Yes, due to a freak collision between the lunar and solar calendars, that’s Erev Pesach.)

There’s a lot going on in preparation for this historic occasion. COEJL is leading the charge to make birkat ha-chamah an opportunity to raise awareness about solar energy, and has set up a website, blessthesun.org, filled with links to various birkat ha-chamah resources. The Conservative movement has published Masechet Ha-chamah, “the tractate of the sun”, a collection of rabbinic texts related to the sun (suitable for a siyyum for the Fast of the Firstborn) compiled by Abe Friedman, along with a study guide by Jill Levy.

Where will you be on the morning of April 8? There is an event listing starting to form, though it’s limited so far: there are five events listed for that morning, in New York (burning chameitz with the concentrated light of the sun!), Winston-Salem NC, Cleveland, Wyncote PA, and Tzfat. If something is going on in your community, whether it’s an all-out sun festival or whether you’re just saying the berachah at the end of morning minyan, please add it to the list. (This is a wiki, which any registered user can edit.) This would be particularly useful because, due to Pesach travel, many people will be away from their homes on that morning, and therefore many potential participants in your event (who are visiting your city from elsewhere) won’t know about it if you only announce it on local lists.

If your city isn’t listed there and you haven’t heard about anything going on, it’s also possible that no one has organized anything yet. (I imagine that many communities have decided to sit this one out due to Pesach craziness. This might also be an issue in 28 years, when birkat hachamah is on the morning after Pesach ends, for those who observe 8 days. May we all merit to see April 8, 2065, the next time birkat hachamah will be a safe distance from Pesach.) This means that you are authorized and encouraged to organize something yourself, and then let everyone know about it! If your community is already doing something for the Fast of the Firstborn and/or the burning of chameitz, then piggybacking on that might make things easier, or if you know a beautiful place to watch the sunrise, that’s great too! Please keep everyone updated.

When we’re younger, first learning what it means to be responsible individuals, adults periodically reward us for our good actions.  From weekly allowance to a neighbor’s tip for watching the cat while they were away, money was good reinforcement for encouraging more good deeds.  We learned the value of money and a job well done. 

As we get older, we began to understand that certain actions have merit beyond monetary payment. (Those of us in the non-profit sector understand this quite well.) We make our beds because we like our rooms to look tidy.  We wash the dishes and take out the garbage because we hate roaches and other pests.  We water a neighbor’s plants while they’re away because we like them and hope that they will return the favor. 

I no longer expect money for fulfilling my responsibilities to my family, community or planet. 

Consequently, I was surprised and a little weirded out to receive a $25 gift card from the New York Blood Center thanking me for my recent donation.  I am O+ and have never had trouble giving blood, so I try to donate as often as I can.  I appreciate the post-donation juice and cookies, and go home feeling that the deed was gift enough.

And then a few weeks later I got this monetary Thank You in the mail, forcing me to question myself and good deeds.  Would I be more conscientious of donating blood more regularly if I knew every time I would get paid?  Same question with a twist, would people do more mitzvot if God doled out a quarter each time?

I would love to live in a world where everyone loved doing good deeds for the warm-fuzzy feeling (let’s not even bother with altruism). But as we wait for that world, maybe $25 gift cards and Obama’s stimulus package are the way we have to go.  

As Congress and the Administration work furiously- and mostly behind the scenes- towards regulating greenhouse gas emissions, a variety of non-climate environmental issues came up in a very big and very public way this week. Congress debated public lands protections, clean water, and endangered species laws, with some big wins and one major disappointment for green advocates. Here’s the wrap-up…

 A package Public Lands bill, including over 150 provisions on land use, failed to pass on Wednesday, despite strong support in both the House and Senate. The bill would have codified protection for millions of acres of land and created new national parks, monuments, and historic sites. While disappointed at this setback, we will continue to push for public lands protections and smart development of water and renewable energy resources on these lands.

In better news, the Senate did pass a clean version of the Omnibus spending bill that will allow the government to stay in business for the rest of the year. While conversation over the $400 billion bill was heated and many were disappointed with the outcome, several promising environmental provisions arose from the debate:

On the way out of office last December, the Bush Interior Department passed a series of ‘midnight regulations’ that many advocates argue cut the bottom out from under the Endangered Species Act, the cornerstone of species and habitat protection for our country. Luckily, Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar has ordered a review of these regulations, and the Senate defeated attempts to reinstate the old regulations using the recent spending bill. We hope to move forward with a strong Endangered Species Act as a major tool for environmental protection.

A less noticed provision pushed by Senator Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) reinstates rules requiring disclosure of chemicals in industrial and commercial products under the Toxics Release Inventory program. Senator Lautenberg has long been a champion for environmental health, working towards ‘right-to-know’ rules for potentially harmful chemicals. While some companies complain about the cost of implementing the rule, Lautenberg and others contend that it is necessary to give people the information they need to mobilize and advocate for air and water quality in their own communities.

On Thursday the House passed the Water Quality Investment Act of 2009, the first major piece of water legislation this year. The bill flew through the House despite spending concerns but has not yet been introduced in the Senate. The Act aims to increase funding for clean water infrastructure programs, allowing states to better provide safe and potable water to all their citizens by covering a shortfall in state water funding.

…and that’s just this week! Keep checking back for more, and for opportunities to take action on the issues that matter most to you!

Rachel is an Eisendrath Legislative Assistant working on environment and energy issues at the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism in Washington, DC. She will be a regular guest blogger on To Till and To Tend this year, posting entries every other Thursday. This, and all of Rachel’s entries, can also be found on the Religious Action Center blog.

Topsy-turvy.  Today, we dress up in costume, eat hamantaschen, drink wine and do that which makes us merry.  While listening to the chanting of Megilat Esther, I searched for some wise eco-words that I could share here.  I got nothin’.  Absolutely nothin’. 

But, just because there is no moral in the Purim story to encourage environmental stewardship – gluttony just doesn’t work with the standard eco-themes - doesn’t mean that we can’t infuse the holiday with lessons from the rest of our lives. 

• Mishloach Manot / Purim Gift Baskets: Canfei Nesharim, an incredible organization that works to bring environmental awareness and action to the Orthodox community, offers eco-mishloach manot.  There is even one that focuses on the upcoming Birkat HaHammah celebration. 
• Go organic and/or local: From fruit fillings (I use dried fruit, myself) to wine, one can fill their Purim table with edibles that are good for the Earth and delicious to the taste buds.
• Recycled costumes:  One could go out to the store to buy a costume… Or, you could be creative with clothes that you have, run into a second-hand store or even rent-a-costume.

Purim Sameach!  Hope you each had a wonderful, celebratory Purim.

This posting on the Jew and the Carrot led me to thinking about sustainable, eco-friendly, thrifty mishloah manot.  For those who don’t know, mishloah manot is the custom of sending gifts of food to others on Purim – it is actually one of the four mitzvot that everyone is supposed to observe on Purim.  As with every mitzvah, it’s possible to do it in a very over-the-top and expensive way; in a stam, fulfilling-the-ritual-obligation-but-not-very-attentive way; or in a way that fulfills the mitzvah in new and thoughtful ways – as an expression of our values and commitments. 

Just jotting down some notes on issues that could be addressed in this manner, I note healthful, local, fair trade, low carbon and low packaging.  Traditionally one is to give mishloah manot from at least two different food groups, which means giving the recipient the opportunity to make two different brakhot.  So in a reconstructed practice, we could say that one should include in one’s package at least two different issues – two different ways to make a difference. 

It’s still too early in the year to share locally grown produce, at least where I live.  But dried fruit and nuts make a nice addition to any mishloah manot package, and they can be purchased in bulk from your local healthfood store.  Supporting local, independently owned businesses is important too! 

Also, make sure to include some fair trade chocolate.  I’ve come to the realization (again) that much of what we get cheaply is gotten on the backs of someone else’s poorly paid labor.  Plus, much fair trade is produced in ways that are more environmentally sustainable as well.

Making hamentaschen or other treats at home allows us to have control over the ingredients and therefore the healthfulness of the end product.  Whole-grain hamentaschen, anyone? 

Maybe making a donation to an organization working on climate change, and including cards in your basket saying, “In lieu of sweet treats, a donation has been made to such-and-such organization in your honor” would be educative as well as effective.  I suppose one could buy carbon offsets as well, although I’m not convinced of their efficacy.  How about postcards made out to your friends’ legislators, asking them to support clean energy?! 

Buy baskets or coffee cups from the second-hand store for your packaging.  Use newspaper instead of tissue paper for lining.  Make ribbons from worn-out clothes or linens.  Draw cards.  Make stickers. 

With a little thought and resourcefulness, our mishloah manot packages can represent what we care about, to those we care about.  And of course, they’re fun and delicious, too! 

Happy Purim! 

I don’t think I’ve ever minded “being different,” but I have to admit, it’s sometimes nice to be part of a group. 

For the past two years, I’ve had three garbage bins in my apartment: trash (as Whole Foods notes – Landfill), recycle and compost.  Trash and recycle I can conveniently drop off in the bins downstairs, but unlike cities like San Francisco, I don’t have a special green bin for my compostables.  So what’s a gal to do?  About once a week, I tie up my bag of compost and bring it downtown to the Union Square Green Market.  There, the Lower East Side Ecology Center has a compost drop-off.   At their stand, I empty my bag filled with carrot tops, egg shells and squash rind and can buy fresh compost for my plants.  I am not sure it gets much easier than that.

I am no fool – I know this is a bit “different,” but as I said, I’m ok with that.  But the cool thing is, it’s not so different anymore.  Even in the heart of winter, I find myself finding other urban composters to chat with as we’re dumping our goods.  Thanks to a NYTimes article published last month, I learned that there are people across NYC who take composting to the next level, and (with the help of worms) compost in their own home!  Best of all, this communal effort really adds up.  Below is from a LESEC e-newsletter: 

We have collected more than 130 tons of food scraps from New York City residents this year! Not only is that twice what we collected in 2007, but it’s more than 1200 lbs of food per collection day. 

This matters because:

• Landfill space: Food accounts for about 13 percent of the nation’s trash — it is the third largest component after paper and yard trimmings — and about 16 percent of New York’s
• As compost biodegrades, it doesn’t release methane, a potent greenhouse gas (due to ventilation)

One of the most frequent questions I received while running the “How Many Jewish Does it Take to Change a Light Bulb?” campaign was “Does it really matter if I change my light bulb?”  I understand the root of the question, but I have always responded with an unwavering “Yes!”  We don’t exist in a vacuum.  Each of us acts as part of a community of friends, family and faiths, and as we act as a collective, real change occurs.