To Till and to Tend

This Week’s Crop

As the dog days of summer wind down, Elul unfolds and Tishrei is on our minds and our desktops, we begin thinking ahead for useful ways in which we can connect our communities to the liturgy and themes of the upcoming holidays, and to the real world that we all inhabit. In our effort to energize all of Jewish life to be more meaningful, we offer you a full set of green-tinged resources for the upcoming Yamim Noraim, Sukkot, and Parashat Noach at www.coejl.org/TISHREI_5771.pdf.  There you’ll find thoughts, texts, sermon-starters, chomrei lidrush and potential programs, edited for clarity and utility.  These resources were largely generated on COEJl’s Rabbinic Conference Call on August 9^th, 2010 where the ideas and resources were put forward in a glorious conversation.  Below is a quick sampler of some of the themes and ideas in the full document.

• Rosh Hashanah: Hayom Harat Olam connoting both celebration and judgment vis-à-vis Earth; focusing on memory, in our lives and regarding the Gulf of Mexico tragedy, on Yom HaZikaron
• Yamim Noraim generally: This is the season when it’s OK to instill fear in our folks, regarding what we’re doing to ourselves and to Creation; consider too Israel and the environment
• Yom Kippur: Mourning what we’ve done to our environment; outdoors for the Avodah service
• Sukkot / Shmeni Atzeret: Centrality of water themes in the chag & the new “Tikkun Mayim”; the arba minim as a reminder that we must relate to nature as if it’s truly ours to steward
• Shabbat Beresheet: A drash to help folks reduce their footprint without feeling guilty
• Shabbat Noach (on 1 Heshvan): Numerous Climate Healing Shabbat resources that weekend; overlap with secular 10/10/10 efforts; ensuring that seedtime and harvest continue b’zmanam
• General Resources and Considerations: COEJL’s covenant campaign; “To Till and to Tend” blog entries solicited; timely legislative update; other great groups and their excellent work

Listen to the Call (COEJl’s Rabbinic Conference Call on August 9^th, 2010) Considering how the oil spill and Gulf tragedy have dominated headlines for a full season now, yet comprehensive energy and climate policy remain an ongoing battle on Capitol Hill, what Jewish perspectives can we bring to energy issues during this important time on our calendar? Listen to the full rabbinic conversation here.

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Word on the Hill

Senate Recess – Time to Regroup on Comprehensive Energy/Climate Policy.  Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) announced last week that a vote on oil spill legislation will be delayed until September. Advocates were left concerned about whether any legislation related to comprehensive energy and climate legislation will be passed in the fall. The New York Times quoted some as comparing “the movement’s plight to that of Charlie Brown, who kept kicking for the football only to have Lucy pull it out at the last moment.” Environmentalists are regrouping their efforts over the summer, reviewing their positive accomplishments but mainly focused on key lessons learned as they plot for in seeking to make progress in the fall. Carol Browner, White House Director on Energy and Climate Change Policy, told Meet the Press (MSNBC) that, “We will continue to see if we can get legislation.  We passed it in the House.  We’ll continue to work in the Senate.” She also said that bill could “potentially” be approved after the November mid-term election. Click here for what COEJL had to say about the bill when it was introduced at the end of July before it was deferred.  Meanwhile, on the international front, talks to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions through a new international treaty seem to be stalled (Washington Post) despite the growing impact of climate change.

The Slick

Final kill of Gulf oil spill set to be completed. Nearly four months after the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig exploded in the Gulf of Mexico, the struggle against the BP oil spill is nearly complete. On Monday administration officials announced that sometime late this week the teams drilling the relief well should be in position to penetrate the original Macondo well (Christian Science Monitor) shaft and seal it with cement.

Gulf of Mexico Regional Citizens’ Advisory Council. The JCPA along with a large contingent of 106 other national and international Jewish and non-Jewish organizations co-signed a letter to congress urging the formation of a Gulf of Mexico Regional Citizens’ Advisory Council. “Such a Council is necessary to effectively address the ongoing environmental, economic, health, and social impacts of the Deepwater Horizon drilling disaster, ensure the Gulf is protected from future accidents, and make certain that the Gulf can continue to play its vital role in meeting the energy needs of our nation.” Read the full letter here. (http://www.coejl.org/GOMRCAC_letter_0728.pdf)

Community News and Views

Hazon Bike Ride

Hazon is hosting the 10th Annual New York Jewish Environmental Bike Ride on Labor Day Weekend, September 3-6, 2010. The NY Ride Jewish Environmental Bike Ride is more than a ride on a bike – it is a four-day event that includes a Shabbat retreat at Workmen’s Circle’s Camp Kinder Ring, a trip to Camp Eden Village, the new Jewish environmental summer camp is also included. More importantly, the event raises money for cutting-edge Jewish environmental projects in the United States and Israel.  Learn more here. (http://hazon.kintera.org/faf/home/default.asp?ievent=327003)