To Till and to Tend

Top of the Crop

From the Gulf oil tragedy to climate-related disasters, to the battle on energy and climate policy, the debate on fossil fuels and energy security has become central to our time. Jewish engagement with environmental programming is also on the rise for multiple reasons. Among them are concern for social justice, our commitment to Israel and Creation, a desire for a meaningful spiritual connection, and a need for efficiency, both in terms of money and energy. With such a confluence of interests between our community and society-at-large, the time is ripe. Through our various communities within Jewish life, we can build “Jewish Energy” – our contribution to the global struggle of building a more sustainable society and protecting Creation from Generation to Generation. Be sure to read and share our report on COEJL’s recent accomplishments toward that end and learn what you can do to help us take the next renewable step on our path toward a cleaner, safer world.  Thanks for helping us build Jewish Energy for the long haul. Here is a taste of what you will find in the report…

Step by Renewable Step – Here’s How COEJL Has Made a Difference:

• By Advocating for Reduced Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Green Jobs, Increased Energy Independence, and Environmental Protection. COEJL supported the CLEAR Act to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, increase energy efficiency, and build a green economy. . .

• By Speaking Out for Those Most Affected by Climate Change. COEJL’s Director, Sybil Sanchez, wrote an op-ed entitled Confronting Poverty: The Climate Gap in the U.S. to increase awareness of how the world’s poorest are impacted by climate change. . .

• By Helping Jewish Institutions Become More Energy Efficient. COEJL ran a program to replace incandescent light bulbs with more energy efficient compact fluorescent lights in 500 synagogues making a great reduction on energy used and carbon released for lighting. . .

As you think about your plans for 2011, we hope we will be a part of them – here are some simple actions we can do together to make a big impact:

• Support the Land and Water Conservation Fund and tell Congress to preserve our natural resources.
• Protect the Clean Air Act and support the EPA in doing its job.
• Sign the Jewish Energy Covenant Campaign pledge and tell the world you will do your part.
• Make a contribution to COEJL and join us in building Jewish Energy for the long haul today.

Read the full report here.

Word on the Hill

Secretary of Energy Gives Speech on Clean Tech. In a speech at a National Press Club luncheon on Monday, Secretary of Energy Dr. Steven Chu said the clean energy successes of China and other countries require the U.S. to focus its attention on clean-tech innovation. (C-Span) He called for the U.S. to increase its efforts in developing the next generation of energy alternatives so that the country is able to compete for the jobs of the future. Chu also spoke of ongoing research efforts in his department, including last week’s announcement of an important scientific partnership between the U.S. and China on green technologies and a stimulus-funded project to develop a cost-competitive long-range plug-in car battery. COEJL advocates energy alternatives and green jobs and will continue working to build support on these and other important energy matters within the broader Jewish community. To learn more about these issues, join us after the JCPA Plenum in Washington D.C. on March 9th. For more information, contact dmarks@coejl.org.

Cancun Kicks Off. On Monday, Mexican President Felipe Calderon opened the two-week long United Nations conference on climate change in Cancun, Mexico. In absence of a legally binding agreement from last year’s more high-level conference in Copenhagen, expectations this year are lower. Without comprehensive climate legislation to highlight, the U.S. will focus on presenting Environmental Protection Agency climate regulations and stimulus spending on renewable energy as a means of curbing domestic emissions 17 percent below 2005 levels by 2020. It’s hoped that this year will see international progress on reducing emissions by protecting forests that absorb CO2 and on starting a “green fund” that would help poor nations adapt to climate change. Energy Secretary Steven Chu, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and Nancy Sutley, an adviser to the White House, will attend the talks next week. Keren Kayemeth L’Israel/Jewish National Fund and the Green Zionist Alliance have delegates at the meeting.

Community News and Views

Jewcology.com Goes Live. Jewcology.com, a transformational web portal that promotes and advances Jewish environmental awareness and action to the international Jewish community, was launched on Monday, November 29^th. Led by Evonne Marzouk, the DC-based founder and executive director of Canfei Nesharim, 19 Jewish environmentalists – all members of ROI Community for Young Jewish Innovators – collaborated in creating this unique portal, which tackles environmental issues through Jewish tradition. Read the article in eJewishphilanthropy.com and check out the Jewcology website at: www.jewcology.com.

GZA and Greenpoint Shul Green Chanukah Celebration. On Sunday, December 5^th, GZA and Greenpoint Shul  (Congregation Ahavas Israel) will host a Green Chanukah Celebration. Guest will be able to enjoy latkes and sufganiot, take a Chanukah cooking class, play competitive dreidel, learn about energy issues in Israel, make Chanukah arts and crafts, and recycle used cooking oil, old inkjet printer cartridges, cell phones, laptops, digital cameras and MP3 players. Learn more about the event on Greenzionism.org.

KKL-JNF at the UN Climate Change Conference Cancun, Mexico. From November 29 to December 10, 2010, KKL-JNF will be participating in ‘COP 16′ – the sixteenth meeting of the Conference of Parties, which is the periodic gathering of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Learn more about the international event here: Cancun 2010.

How Many Young Judaeans Does It Take To Change A Light Bulb? Green Light YJ is an initiative that Alternative Winter Break is taking on to work with Green Light NOLA to replace 2,000 standard light bulbs with CFLs in the Lower Ninth Ward of New Orleans, annually reducing the utility costs of low and fixed income residents $92,000, cutting 890,000 lbs. of carbon emission (the equivalent of planting 86 acres of pine trees!) This winter break over 50 current Young Judaeans and a group of alumni madrichim will spend a week in New Orleans and working with Green Light. For more information, go to: Youngjudea.org or email alumni@youngjudaea.org.

Top of the Crop

What is the “climate gap?” Rajendra Pachuari, chairman of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change eloquently explained the meaning of the term “climate gap” when he said, “It’s the poorest of the poor in the world, and this includes poor people even in prosperous societies, who are going to be the worst hit.” With this understanding, COEJL continues to work towards addressing the urgent issue of climate change and its effects on all people, particularly those with lesser means. That is why COEJL has been very much in support of the JCPA’s 2010 Fighting Poverty with Faith mobilization. After a successful effort, on November 22^nd, the JCPA will hold an press event in Washington D.C. to proclaim the conclusion of this initiative, and the importance of remaining engaged in fighting poverty within and among faith communities. COEJL understands how the poorest of the world will be impacted the most severely by changes in the climate, and therefore considers climate change one of the most serious environmental and humanitarian matters in need of our immediate attention.  Read my full article on the climate gap here.

Sustainably Yours,

– Sybil Sanchez, Director

P.S. You can help take action on this and other urgent matters by making a contribution to COEJL now. Thank you for your hard work to protect the environment.

Community News and Views

Chanukah and energy go hand in hand. During the holiday of Chanukah, we celebrate the miracle of one day’s worth of oil and light lasting for eight days. With this in mind, COEJL and the Religious Action Center, along with a network of Jewish organizations, have put together a gift resource guide and fun program material (Green Movie and Book Guides for example) to engage your community to help save energy for the festival of lights and beyond. Check out our Energy Program & Gift Guide and make this Chanukah a green one.

San Antonio CRC Launches “A Day of Rest” Project on Dec. 12th. The Energy and Environment Committee of the Community Relations Council of San Antonio Texas is launching a new project called “A Day of Rest” with a walk-a-thon on December 12th, 2010 at 12:30 PM CST. The event will be held at the Campus for the San Antonio Jewish Community located at 12500 N.W. Military Highway in San Antonio Texas. The goal of the project, according to Mike Stern, committee chairman, is to encourage people to reduce their consumption of fossil fuels.  The principal method the committee will advocate is to reduce driving by the equivalent of one day a month.  This method of energy conservation has two benefits.  First, it will reduce greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to global warming, thereby giving our much-abused planet “a day of rest.”  And secondly, it will help reduce funding for terrorism. Go to the website for more information.

After the Spill: Interfaith Community Launches Long-Term Gulf Restoration Project. The Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism has launched After the Spill: Religious Communities Restoring the Gulf, an online project of the Religious Action Center (RAC). The RAC, along with COEJL, and over 15 other Jewish and Christian partner groups in the Gulf and across North America, are committed to the long-term Gulf restoration following the BP oil spill disaster. Go to Afterthespill.com and check out this recent Huffington Post article by RAC Sustainability Program Coordinator Rachel Cohen for more information.

Save the Date: March 9th, 2011 Energy Forum in DC. COEJL is hosting an Energy Forum in Washington D.C. following the JCPA Plenum. We will bring Jews around the country together to work toward a better future, healthier environment, and more secure energy future. Join national leaders, communal professionals and environmental experts. More details soon.

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Top of the Crop

The Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) was established in 1965 to protect America’s Great Outdoors, using royalties paid by oil companies to the government to fund the conservation of natural resources. Yet, since its inception, the Fund has never received sufficient appropriations from Congress and its funds were instead used elsewhere. COEJL is working to change that by asking our community members like you to take action on this important issue now. Please join us in this important campaign to urge Congress and President Obama to preserve our natural resources and fully fund the LWCF when Congress returns on November 15th. Take action now!

Even though there’s been more than enough oil revenue for the LWCF at no cost to the American taxpayer, Congress has failed to use that money for its intended purpose (its recent low in appropriated funding was just $138 million, less than one-sixth of what it could be).  Over the years the Fund has been shortchanged by some $17 billion – a huge loss for our communities, and for Creation. Send Congress and the President an email now, and tell them to fully fund the LWCF.

Sustainably Yours,

– Sybil Sanchez, Director

P.S. You can help take action on this and other urgent matters by making a contribution to COEJL now. Thank you for your hard work to protect the environment.

Word on the Hill

Post-Election Environmental Analysis. Thirty Congress members who supported climate and energy legislation were voted out of Congress, but whether that was a key factor remains a source of debate. It is expected that the new Republican majority in the House will seek to slow and prevent major climate legislation and EPA regulation on greenhouse gasses while also advocating judicial nominations more in line with their base in their efforts to do so. However, according to the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA), the new congressional outlook is in fact quite favorable for the wind industry overall. Many incoming freshmen hale from states with growing wind power industries and interest. This could make support for wind power and legislation for a renewable electricity standard  (RES) bi-partisan while also helping create new green jobs.

Community News and Views

Chanukah and energy go hand in hand. During the holiday of Chanukah, we celebrate the miracle of one day’s worth of oil and light lasting for eight days. With this in mind, COEJL and the Religious Action Center, along with a network of Jewish organizations, have put together a gift resource guide and fun program material (Green Movie and Book Guides for example) to engage your community to help save energy for the festival of lights and beyond. Check out our Energy Program & Gift Guide and make this Chanukah a green one.

Save the Date: March 9th, 2011 Energy Forum in DC. COEJL, working with a network of national organizations consisting of members of the Jewish community, CRC professionals, and environmental and governmental leaders, will be hosting an Energy Forum in Washington D.C. following the JCPA Plenum. The goal is to bring Jews around the country together to discuss ways to work toward a better future on the common ground of a healthy environment, green jobs, and a secure energy future through action and education. More details soon.

Conservative movement launches ‘green’ initiative. The Conservative movement has launched the Sustainable Synagogues Initiative, a movement-wide environmental initiative. The project seeks to provide resources to encourage Conservative institutions to adopt “green” policies. The three year initiative, beginning in December, is a joint project of the Federation of Jewish Men’s Clubs, the Women’s League for Conservative Judaism and the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism, which have joined the interfaith environmental coalition GreenFaith. Read the full press release here to find out more.

After the Spill: Interfaith Community Launches Long-Term Gulf Restoration Project. The Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism has launched After the Spill: Religious Communities Restoring the Gulf, an online project of the Religious Action Center, COEJL, and over 15 other Jewish and Christian partner groups and faith communities in the Gulf and across North America committed to long-term Gulf restoration following the BP oil spill disaster. Go to Afterthespill.com and check out this recent Huffington Post article by RAC Sustainability Program Coordinator Rachel Cohen for more information.

Jewish National Fund and Greenfaith present: Judaism and the Environment Webinar Series starting Thursday, Nov. 18, 2010. Judaism and the Environment is a unique series of webinars designed to educate and equip Jewish leaders for environmental action. Join JNF for a unique and practical educational experience that will strengthen the Jewish community’s environmental leadership, help synagogues attract new, younger members, and reduce synagogue and other community institutions’ operating expenses. Registration is available at http://www.jnf.org/greenfaith. For more information, contact JNF at: education@jnf.org or 212-879-9305 x263.

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This has been a difficult week, but it is reflective of an even harder year and decade. Thirty representatives who supported the climate bill were voted out of office. The fact that analysts are debating how the failed climate bill impacted this election was a result of the failed climate bill makes one thing clear – our work together has just begun.

In our Governance Committee meeting this week, we discussed what the elections results might mean in terms of climate policy and how the big picture affects COEJL’s Jewish Energy Covenant Campaign. We returned to our core mission – Protecting Creation, Generation to Generation and raising energy awareness in Jewish life today.

Our need for energy security and independence tells us we can’t afford despair in the face of challenge. We must renew our own Jewish Energy so we can advocate for renewable energy!

Here’s how you can build a more hopeful world with COEJL.

• Support the Land and Water Conservation Fund. Join us in this important campaign to urge Congress to preserve our natural resources upon their return on November 15th.
• Protect the Clean Air Act.While comprehensive legislation on energy and climate policy might be stalled, greenhouse gases are still being emitted. That’s why we must support the EPA in doing its job now.
• Sign the Jewish Energy Covenant Campaign pledge. While watering the grass, we must also grow the trees. Please join us for the long haul today.
• Make a contribution now. Like a tree, COEJL also needs nurturing. Your support will help us grow tall and strong together.

Sustainably yours,

Sybil Sanchez
Director

From the Hill

Climate Watch Post Elections. Prop 23 dies at the hands of the voters of California on Tuesday, but Prop 26, dubbed the “Prop 23’s evil twin” passed silently in the night. Prop 26 could undermine how cuts in greenhouse gas emissions are implemented by changing the definition of environmental fees.

How Conservation fared on Election Day. Voters across the country yesterday overwhelmingly approved a variety of measures for land conservation, generating a total of $2 billion, according to results tallied by the Trust for Public Land, a national conservation organization. There were 35 proposals for conservation funding, and 28 passed, for an approval rate of 80%. We hope that Congress follows the lead of the voters and approves full funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund this year.

Community News and Views

COEJL Director On Judaism as a Green Religion – Philadelphia Area This Weekend. On Friday, November 5th, at 7:30PM, COEJL Director, Sybil Sanchez will speak at B’nai Jacob synagogue in Phoenixville. On Shabbat morning, November 6th, at 12:15 PM Ms. Sanchez will also speak at Beth Sholom Congregation, Elkins Park. She will discuss the topic of Jewish environmentalism today, energy awareness in the Jewish community, and how Judaism is inherently a green religion.

Save the date for COEJL meeting in Washington D.C. on March 9th, 2011.

NRPE Names New Executive Director. COEJL’s major partner the National Religious Partnership for the Environment (NRPE) has named Matthew Anderson-Stembridge as its new executive director. Anderson-Stembridge has previously held posts with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, the National Council of Churches and Faith in the City. The NRPE is comprised of four major religious organizations and alliances, including COEJL, which together serve tens of millions of Americans.

Several Jewish Greening Programs Accepting Applications. The Jewish Greening Fellowship and Isabella Freedman Jewish Retreat Center are launching their second year of the Jewish Greening Fellowship, which trains staff at Jewish summer camps, synagogues and JCCs in the New York area. COEJL is represented on the fellowship’s board. For more information, click here. In a similar effort for teens, the Jewish Community Center in Manhattan, ICCY, and Hazon are accepting applications for the Teen Greening Fellowship. For more information contact Yael at 646-505-4413 or gavronsky@jccmannhattan.org. Funding for this program has been provided by UJA Federation of New York.

Jewish National Fund and Greenfaith present: Judaism and the Environment Webinar Series starting Thursday, Nov. 18, 2010. Judaism and the Environment is a unique series of webinars designed to educate and equip Jewish leaders for environmental action. Join JNF for a unique and practical educational experience that will strengthen the Jewish community’s environmental leadership, help synagogues attract new, younger members, and reduce synagogue and other community institutions’ operating expenses. Registration is available at http://www.jnf.org/greenfaith. For more information, contact JNF at: education@jnf.org or 212-879-9305 x263.

After the Spill: Interfaith Community Launches Long-Term Gulf Restoration Project. The Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism has launched After the Spill: Religious Communities Restoring the Gulf, an online project of the Religious Action Center, COEJL, and over 15 other Jewish and Christian partner groups and faith communities in the Gulf and across North America committed to long-term Gulf restoration following the BP oil spill disaster. Go to Afterthespill.com and check out this recent Huffington Post article by RAC Sustainability Program Coordinator Rachel Cohen for more information.

Top of the Crop

As we spoke about last week, Election Day is this Tuesday, November 2^nd and your vote really does make a difference – even more so in these mid-term elections. I know – you may be feeling frustrated by the current state of affairs in our government.  Your expectations of progress have been dashed. You’re tired of partisanship inhibiting action. The economy around you is struggling, jobs are few and far between, and corporate money has even more power than before to steer government. But just remember this….one thing is still more powerful than all those things combined – people, and specifically people who vote! We, as citizens of this country, have the privilege to speak our voice and decide how we want our government to be run. Not all countries – yes, even today – allow their citizens the ability to vote. So everyone able to vote needs to make their voice heard.

This year many important elections are extremely close between candidates who support progressive environmental efforts and those who oppose them. As we have seen in other races in recent years, every vote counts. Just ask Senator Al Franken of Minnesota. He won his seat by only 225 votes! COEJL seeks to move the Jewish community forward on matters of energy efficiency, security, independence, and sustainability through our Jewish Energy Covenant Campaign. And having  representatives on our side who support effective environmental and energy policy is imperative for us to succeed. So go vote on Tuesday, and please consider the environment and energy first when casting your ballot for any candidate from any party. Ask yourself the question – even in the voting booth, “Will this candidate help the environmental cause, push for a new energy efficient economy and jobs, and consider the planet ahead of profits for the future generations?” If so, vote for them wholeheartedly. But if the answer is no, steer clear, stay far away, and choose one who will fit the profile better. As Jews, we understand the importance of speaking up and being heard – for silence leads to apathy, and apathy leads to disaster. As I said last week, “Jewish Energy moves me to think this way for my children. Let us all be moved to do the same for the future generations.”

By: COEJL Program Director, David L. Marks

Word on the Hill

Vote Green Next Week. As Election Day approaches, you may want to know your candidate’s position on energy and climate. Check here to see whether they are endorsed by the League of Conservation Voters. Also check out JCPA’s “Jewish Values in Action” – 2010 Election Resource Guide and the RAC’s “Get Out The Vote 2010 Guide” to view a Jewish perspective on voting. The stakes are higher than ever as things continue heating up. Zambia just became the 18^th country to set a new extreme heat record this year. Plus, a new study based on current projections of greenhouse gas emissions estimates that across the globe droughts will increase in 30 years and that by the end of the century they will reach a scale rarely, if ever, observed.

The US is First to Build World’s Largest Solar Farm. The Department of the Interior gave final approval to a proposed 1 gigawatt solar project planned for Blythe, California on October 25^th, 2010 making the US the first nation to build a solar farm of this size and capacity. Though South Africa may soon develop an even larger solar farm, the US is helping to lead globally in the expansion of renewable solar resources. The 7,000 acre project backed by German solar firm Solar Millennium, is expected to ultimately provide energy for up to 750,000 homes. US Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar hailed the project as a “major milestone” in the development of America’s renewable energy economy, adding that it provided further evidence that the US government will support the emerging low-carbon sector. COEJL supports joint industry and governmental coordinated efforts to push forward with renewable energy and sustainable projects and continues to advocate for policy to further these measures on a broader national and international scale. (Businessgreen.com)

Community News and Views

Sisterhood B’nai Jacob Oneg with Presenter Sybil Sanchez on Nov, 5th. COEJL Director, Sybil Sanchez will be presenting at B’nai Jacob synagogue located at Starr and Manavon Streets in Phoenixville, PA, 19460, on Friday, November 5th, 2010  at 7:30PM. She will be speaking on the topic of Jewish environmentalism today, mobilizing the Jewish community to be more energy aware and green in everyday life, and answering the question, “Why is Judaism inherently a ‘green’ religion?“

Lunch and Learn with guest speaker COEJL Director, Sybil Sanchez on Nov, 6th. COEJL Director, Sybil Sanchez, will be presenting at Beth Sholom Congregation located at 8231 Old York Road, Elkins Park, PA 19027 Shabbat morning, November 6^th, at 12:15 PM. She will be speaking on the topic of Jewish environmentalism today, mobilizing the Jewish community to be more energy aware and green in everyday life, and answering the question, “Why is Judaism inherently a ‘green’ religion?” Sponsored by the Social Action/Mitzvot B’Yahad Committee.

COEJL Can Help You with Your Earth Day Greening Events. Next year, Earth Day falls close to Passover, offering the possibility of linking it with themes of cleansing, renewal, and freedom. On Wednesday, October 27, 2010, 9:00 a.m. a panel of experts, including COEJL representatives, spoke at the UJA-Federation of New York providing tips on how to engage parents, kids, employees, and neighbors in education, advocacy, and hands-on projects. COEJL is available to assist communities and organizations in planning for program activities and events around Earth Day. Contact COEJL Program Director David L. Marks at: dmarks@coejl.org or 212-532-7436 to learn more.

After the Spill: Interfaith Community Launches Long-Term Gulf Restoration Project. The six-month anniversary of the BP oil disaster passed last week and the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism launched After the Spill: Religious Communities Restoring the Gulf, an online project of faith communities in the Gulf and across North America committed to long-term Gulf restoration following the BP oil spill disaster. Director of the Religious Action Center Rabbi David Saperstein said, “Five years after Hurricane Katrina and six months after the Deepwater Horizon explosion, people of faith remain committed to restoring the Gulf Coast.” After the Spill is sponsored by the Religious Action Center, COEJL, and over 15 other Jewish and Christian partner groups. Go to Afterthespill.com and check out this recent Huffington Post article by RAC Sustainability Program Coordinator Rachel Cohen for more information.

Jewish National Fund and Greenfaith present: Judaism and the Environment Webinar Series starting Thursday, Nov. 18, 2010. Judaism and the Environment is a unique series of webinars designed to educate and equip Jewish leaders for environmental action.  Join JNF for a unique and practical educational experience that will strengthen the Jewish community’s environmental leadership, help synagogues attract new, younger members, and reduce synagogue and other community institutions’ operating expenses. Registration is available at http://www.jnf.org/greenfaith.  For more information, contact JNF at: education@jnf.org or 212-879-9305 x-263.

Top of the Crop

As an open minded person, there are many things that have the ability to change my thought process and make me think differently than I had before. Sometimes it is listening to a thought-provoking sermon by a rabbinic leader such as Rabbi Saul Berman (Listen to our webinar from October 7th) or a mind-blowing speech from an industry thought leader such as best-selling author Seth Godin. And sometimes it is simply a powerful photo on the cover of The New York Times that somehow reaches me inside and creates a big “ahah” epiphany moment.

But very often what gets me really moving is witnessing the energy of inspired people who are taking action on a cause and working together to get something done. I have always been cause-oriented. Most often, my cause has been the protection of our environment. But no matter what the cause, whether it is fighting against the ‘Dirty Energy’ Proposition 23 in California, or saving energy and money through the Jewish Greening Fellowships and the UJA, or seeing Jews working together on Fighting Poverty with Faith, we as a people can and do make a big impact for the betterment of this world.

That is why COEJL is working to build Jewish Energy. To push for environmental and energy related policy, and coordinate the broader Jewish community to protect Creation for the generations. So here’s what I ask of you. Take a look at what Jewish Energy action is happening below in this week’s COEJL blog. Tell your friends and family about COEJL and what we’re up to. And on election day this November 2nd, please consider the environment first when casting your ballot for any candidate. Jewish Energy moves me to think this way for my children. Let us all be moved to do the same for the future generations.

– David L. Marks, COEJL Program Director

Jewish Groups Oppose Ban on Greenhouse Gas Regulations in California. JCPA, COEJL and 53 other Jewish organizations and individuals issued a public statement against proposed legislation in California that would freeze the state’s landmark clean air legislation until the state’s unemployment rate drops below five percent. Initiated by the Northern California, Los Angeles and Orange County chapters of the American Jewish Committee, the letter went to Jewish and secular press, and federations and synagogues in California. It states, “As Jews who care deeply about California’s future, we urge you to join us in voting ‘No’ on Proposition 23: the ‘Dirty Energy’ Proposition. Your support will ensure: California continues to lead the clean energy economy of the future; we decrease our dependence on foreign oil; we promote both the US’ and Israel’s economic and national security; and we actualize the Jewish value of Tikkun Olam (repairing the world).” Working toward similar goals at the national level, the JCPA’s Energy and the Environment Committee is considering questions about Open Fuel Standard legislation and is investigating environmental, social, and economic factors related to different biofuel sources.

Community News and Views

Jewish Greening Fellows – Saving Energy, Money and Energizing their Communities. The Jewish Greening Fellowships – a project of the Isabella Freedman Jewish Retreat Center and funded by UJA-Federation of New York – just graduated its first class of fellows from 19 different agencies in the New York Metropolitan area. Through their 18-month program, fellows created programs within their agencies, helped communities save energy and money, and collectively raised more than $850,000 in new funding for their organizations to conduct energy audits, energy-efficiency measures, and other projects. Rachel Jacoby Rosenfield, a new member of COEJL’s Governance Committee, is the fellowship director. Read more about it.

After the Spill: Interfaith Community Launches Long-Term Gulf Restoration Project As the six-month anniversary of the BP oil disaster approaches, the Religious Action Center is launching After the Spill: Religious Communities Restoring the Gulf, a project of faith communities in the Gulf and across North America committed to long-term Gulf restoration following the BP oil spill disaster. Quoting Rabbi Saperstein, director of the Religious Action Center, “Five years after Hurricane Katrina and six months after the Deepwater Horizon explosion, people of faith remain committed to restoring the Gulf Coast.” After the Spill is sponsored by the Religious Action Center, COEJL, and over 15 other Jewish and Christian partner groups. Learn more here: Afterthespill.com. Check out the recent Huffington Post article.

Earth Day Greening Seminar: Wednesday, October 27, 2010, 9:00 a.m. This year Earth Day falls close to Passover, offering the possibility of linking it with themes of cleansing, renewal, and freedom. Join a panel of experts and resources, including COEJL representatives, at the UJA-Federation of New York and get tips on how to engage parents, kids, employees, and neighbors in education, advocacy, and hands-on projects. Learn more and register here.

Top of the Crop

What is Jewish Energy? Jewish Energy is YOU. You believe in the strength of the Jewish community. You believe Jews have survived tragic trials and tribulations for more than 5771 years because we, as a people, have fought for survival through education, creativity and determination. Jewish Energy is just that – people like you and me working together to ensure our community, our planet and our children survive and flourish in a healthy environment. Now is perhaps the most important time we need to gather our Jewish Energy to protect not only ourselves, but all of humanity and Creation. We need to stand up and shout out to our political leaders and to the world that now is the time to fight for our environment, for our economy, for the well-being of Israel, and for our future generations! Come this November 2nd, we need to vote for congressional leaders who are committed to taking aggressive steps on renewable energy policy, climate change and adaptation, and environmental issues now, and vote out those who oppose or delay such important measures. We too need to take our own aggressive steps in our homes, offices, and synagogues to save energy, seek a new stronger sustainable and energy efficient economy, and push congress to pass legislation to mandate it. I don’t know about you, but I am tired of hearing from naysayers (mostly fellow Americans) that climate change is not happening. Ask the thousands of Pakistani flood victims and the Russian fire casualties how they feel about it. Do we really need to wait until Manhattan is underwater, the polar ice caps are gone, and another Katrina hits the Gulf coast to do something about it? Next time you hear someone speak in disbelief of our environmental and climate crises, speak out and tell them to call mayor Mike Bloomberg in NYC and ask him why he is investing millions every year on environmental and energy measures for Gotham City.

COEJL is focused on working with a strong network of Jewish environmental organizations to get the word out on Jewish religious and practical environmental resources as well as pushing for strong environmental and energy policy. Jewish Energy Will Succeed (note the acronym) if we are all a part of it. Last week COEJL hosted a webinar on the story of Noah and how it relates to climate change with Rabbi Saul Berman, Dina Kruger of the EPA, and scientist Ken Mankoff. (Webinar) This is but one of the first seeds we have planted in growing Jewish Energy. Stay tuned for more in the coming weeks and days and tell your friends that COEJL is alive and well and more energized than ever. And take the pledge that says you will do something about Jewish Energy today at www.coejl.org/covenant.

– David L. Marks, COEJL Program Director

Word on the Hill

The White House Goes Solar. In a blog posting last week, Secretary of Energy Steven Chu announced that “by the end of this spring, there will be solar panels and a solar hot water heater on the roof of the White House.” The project, which is meant to demonstrate the reliability and usefulness of American solar technology, is not the first such Presidential endeavor. In fact, solar panels have a bi-partisan history for alongside President Jimmy Carter’s initiative, President George W. Bush “Put Solar Panels on the White House Too.”

Climate Talks in China: After Copenhagen – Before Cancun. While last year’s Copenhagen climate talks blazed across the international scene seeming only to fade like a shooting star, detailed political talks have in fact continued. Over 200 countries met last week in China to discuss the renewal of the Kyoto Protocol on climate change and what commitments they are willing to consider adopting at the next major conference which will be held in November in Cancun, Mexico. The world’s two largest emitters of greenhouse gases, China and the U.S., represent opposite ends of the tension between rich and poor countries over transparency and rate of development.  Of particular focus is what conditions are necessary for developed countries to commit $100 billion to a fund suggested by the U.S. that would help developing countries adapt to the effects of global climate change. Fundamentally at stake is the willingness of states like the U.S. and China to commit to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The U.S. has never recognized the Kyoto Protocol and has yet to adopt comprehensive policy on energy and climate change. The verdict on where last week’s talks will lead is still out. (BBC News)

Community News and Views

Shabbat Noach/350.org Weekend a Success! Jewish communities around the country participated in the over 7,000 international global day of action activities on climate change by observing Shabbat Noach with an environmental theme. COEJL participated in several events, which you can read about on our resource page. Here is a recent blog posting about the weekend on the website of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism.

Webinar on “The Story of Noah and its Relationship to Climate Change” On Thursday, October 7th, COEJL hosted an informative webinar on the Torah portion of Noah and its relationship to climate change. Speakers for the webinar were: Rabbi Saul J. Berman, Stern College Professor and Orthodox rabbi; Dina Kruger, Director of EPA’s Climate Change Division; and Ken Mankoff, scientist and public speaker formerly of Columbia University NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies, and the Colorado Boulder Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics. View and listen to the webinar any time.

Teva Learning Center is Creating a New Team of 5 People for the Next Topsy Turvy Bus Tour. Teva’s new learning tour is planned for the Spring of 2011. They’re going to Georgia, Florida, and other places in the Southeast. The team will be building, celebrating, and strengthening Jewish community through learning and action around Jewish values and renewable energy topics. Go to the Teva Learning Center website for more information or if you’re interested in being part of the team, please email a one-page (max) letter of interest to jonathan@tevacenter.org.

In your letter, please address the following:
a. What skills you have to offer.
b. Why you’re inspired and excited about this bus tour.
c. What teaching and other relevant experience you have.

Important Dates:
Interviews – November 2010
Training – December 2010
Bus Tour – February – April 2011

Top of the Crop

This past Shabbat we observed the High Holy Day of Yom Kippur. Many of us spent the holiday fasting and thinking of ways in which we could make changes in ourselves to do “tshuvah” or “return” to make a stronger connection with God, and living a Jewish life focused on the protection of God’s Creation. (Check out last week’s To Till and To Tend blog:”Seeking Forgiveness for Our Transgressions” on the topic of Yom Kippur.) Now, with the harvest holiday of Sukkot arriving, we find another opportunity to return and reconnect with Creation, and the blessings our land and water provide. Sukkot and its relationship to the natural world and water have been discussed for centuries. Recently, Rabbi Arthur Waskow of the Shalom Center spoke of Sukkot on this topic saying, “The festival [Sukkot] is focused on the health of the earth, the interplay of all life which brings the harvest that feeds us all. In the ancient Temple, there was a ceremony of offering water on the first day – pouring it into a sacred spout right next to the Altar. Rabbi Akiba taught that our pouring water was intended to remind God to pour water – that is, to send the rain so crucial to the arid Middle East.” So Sukkot is a powerful moment to affirm healing and protection of the earth. Take one of the seven days to write your local newspaper about the need to preserve the power of the EPA to limit CO2 emissions — despite efforts by Big Coal and Big Oil to cripple the EPA.”

The Slick

The Blown-out BP well Pronounced Dead on Yom Kippur

While the holiday of Yom Kippur was being observed by Jews around the globe this past Saturday, the cement injected into the bottom of BP’s blown-out well in the Gulf of Mexico was being pressure tested. U.S. officials formally declared an end to the worst oil spill in U.S. history Sunday, a milestone that followed nearly five months of dashed hopes and blistering criticism of BP leadership and many others involved. The disaster began April 20, when an explosion killed 11 workers, and sank the drilling rig leading to the oil spill, and environmental and economic devastation. (CNN)

The Oil Spill’s Money Squeeze on Environmental Science

Despite the potential significance of studying the long-term effects of the oil and dispersant spilled into the Gulf of Mexico, research money has either run out or become tied up in red tape. The discovery of oil droplets in larval fish and evidence of stress and even genetic damage in plankton exposed to the spill have caused great concern for industry and biologists alike. Many scientists across the Gulf Coast are racing to analyze the BP oil spill’s effects, but there are few places to turn for funding help. “Independent research is being squeezed by federal agencies on one side and BP on the other,” said Dr. Harriet M. Perry, the director of the fisheries program at the Gulf Coast Research Laboratory, whose only offer of help has come from BP (she declined). “It’s difficult for the fishing community and the environmentalists to understand why we are not receiving the money that we need.” The only federal agency to distribute any significant grant money for oil spill research, the National Science Foundation, is out of money until the next fiscal year begins Oct. 1^st, and BP’s $500 mil in funds have become mired in a political fight over control. (NY Times)

Community News and Views

Upcoming Webinar on “The Story of Noah and its Relationship to Climate Change”
October 7^th at 10:30 AM EST

By focusing on the Torah portion and story of Noah as a parable, we will seek to reach out to Jews about how we can be active as a community in responding to climate change by having an engaging discussion on the issues with experts on climate policy and science, as well as Jewish life. This webinar is part of a broader series of events leading up to the Jewish reading of the Torah portion of Noah on October 9th and the secular www.350.org global day of action on October 10th. Speakers for the webinar are as follows: Dina Kruger, Director of EPA’s Climate Change Division, Rabbi Saul J. Berman, Stern College Professor and Orthodox rabbi, and Ken Mankoff, scientist and public speaker formally of Columbia University NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies, and the Colorado Boulder Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics. This webinar is one of numerous programs being conducted by diverse Jewish groups with different types of audiences in mind during the same time period. The webinar will be open to the general public but focused on the Jewish communities and their leadership.

Check out the Shabbat Noach Resource Guide from the Green Chevre

COEJL has compiled a resource guide around Shabbat Noach with information from a network of leading Jewish environmental organizations including: Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, Canfei Nesharim, Hazon, the Shalom Center, and the JRF and the Reconstructionist Movement. Visit the resource page here. Learn more and share it with your community.

Join COEJL and Hazon in a day of action!

Help as we team up with StopOil! and 350.org on 10/10/10 to paint schools roofs in Harlem. White rooftops reflect more sunlight than black rooftops do, reducing roof temperatures by 60 degrees and indoor temperatures by 10 to 20 degrees. This saves the need for energy-wasting AC. Mayor Bloomberg jump-started the “NYC Cool Roofs” program in 2009, in order to help NYC achieve a PlanNYC goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 30% by 2030. Come be a part of this day of climate change action, education, and community building. Please RSVP to climate@hazon.org if you are interested.  More details to follow.

Green Israel Summit 4: Green Renewal Shabbat!
(Green Zionism)

When: Shabbat Noach, Oct. 8 — 10, 2010
Where: Eden Village Camp, just north of New York City
Who: Young Jewish environmentalists, ages 18-40

As we read about the Biblical flood and the renewal of the earth on Shabbat Noach, we will learn how to renew ourselves and the environment. Celebrate Shabbat Noach with stories, lectures and discussions in a welcoming, pluralistic setting. Explore the Jewish back-to-the-land movement and what Zionism means today. Learn about energy conservation, population growth, suburban sprawl, Negev preservation, and environmentalism during a time of war. Meet other young Jewish environmentalists from across North America. Green Israel Summit (GIS) 4 is run by the Green Zionist Alliance and co-sponsored by COEJL, the American Zionist Movement and Hazon.

Arava Institute for Environmental Studies “With Earth and Each Other: A Virtual Rally for a Better Middle East,”

On November 14th, the Arava Institute for Environmental Studies based at Kibbutz Ketura (www.arava.org) is hosting “With Earth and Each Other: A Virtual Rally for a Better Middle East,” with top speakers and performers, celebrating AIES’s groundbreaking work and its larger commitment to both ecological and communal coexistence.  Visit www.withearthandeachother.org for more information.

Boston COEJL Works with the Synagogue Council of Massachusetts to “Pledge to Green”

In conjunction with the Synagogue Council of Massachusetts, Boston COEJL has been conducting a “Pledge to Green” drive among state synagogues. Thus far, 29 synagogues have pledged with more expected. Those who have not yet pledged will be contacted after the holidays as the council is seeking 100% participation. Some of the tips recommended to the synagogues have been simple money saving green efforts such as the “three basics”: recycling, changing light bulbs to CFLs, and using power strips that you can plug everything into and shut off when leaving (these last two steps are guaranteed to cut your electric bill by half within the first month!). For more tips, please check out Boston COEJL’s Green Guide at http://bostoncoejl.org/rich_text_2.html.

Top of the Crop

The High Holy Days and Yom Kippur are upon us. And with them comes a time for introspection and a time to seek forgiveness for our transgressions from the people in our lives, and perhaps more importantly from God. It is well known that we humans have caused much destruction to God’s Creation. From mountaintop removal, to the dumping of toxins in our rivers and oceans, to the tremendous overuse of carbon-based fossil fuels polluting our seas and skies, we have done much to harm and little to help Creation as a species. And along with these harmful actions we are now heating up the planet and beginning to witness disastrous results as the floods in Pakistan and fires in Russia exemplify. As Jews we need to think about ways in which we can change this dilemma. In fact we are obligated to follow the principle of bal tashchit, do not destroy (Deuteronomy 20:19) and instead to till and to tend the land as its protector. In his article Jews, Jewish Texts, and Nature: A Brief History,  Rabbi Daniel Swartz quotes the following from the Torah:  “When Noah came out of the ark, he opened his eyes and saw the whole world completely destroyed. He began crying for the world and said, God, how could you have done this? … God replied, Oh Noah, how different you are from the way Abraham … will be. He will argue with me on behalf of Sodom and Gomorrah when I tell him that I plan their destruction… But you, Noah, when I told you I would destroy the entire world, I lingered and delayed, so that you would speak on behalf of the world. But when you knew you would be safe in the ark, the evil of the world did not touch you. You thought of no one but your family. And now you complain? Then Noah knew that he had sinned (Midrash Tankhuma, Parashat Noach).”

As we consider our own actions we too can consider the errors of our ways and seek means to correct our path. We can support efforts to reduce our use of energy in all its forms. We can push our government to build alternative-energy infrastructure and stop using fossil fuels to light, heat, and transport us in our daily lives. We can upgrade and build sustainable buildings and cities that are self sufficient in every way. We can help support emotionally, physically, and financially those people and nations who will suffer the most as the climate changes. And finally, we can reach out to those same souls and ask their forgiveness for our transgressions. Go to www.coejl.org/covenant and take the pledge to do your part. G’mar Chatima Tova.

Word on the Hill

Democrats in the Senate Seek Action on Energy Measures

Though their time may be limited due to other priorities before the November elections, the Senate may consider measures on U.S. EPA climate rules, power plant pollution curbs and energy tax incentives. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) last week acknowledged that the Senate’s chances of passing sweeping or even scaled-back climate legislation this year are slim to none, but he held out hopes for moving forward on a slimmed-down energy package soon or perhaps in a post-election lame-duck session. Reid suggested last week that a narrow energy bill could see floor action before the election. “I think we should take a run at it,” he said during a clean energy meeting in Las Vegas. “Even Washington is ready for that, so I’m going to try.” (NY Times) 

The EPA is Authorized to Regulate Greenhouse Gasses, but Some in Congress Wish to Slow it Down

In the absence of comprehensive energy and climate policy, it falls on the EPA and President Obama’s administration to curb carbon emissions by implementing the Clean Air Act. Now that the Senate has returned from recess, those opposed to greenhouse gas regulation, are seeking to strip or delay the EPA’s ability. But EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson sent a warning shot to Congress that any efforts to remove authority from the EPA would be vetoed by the President. “The President and the White House have been clear that they would veto any attempt to take away authority here,” Jackson said. COEJL has been outspoken in its position against the “Dirty Air Resolution” and other attempts at banning EPA regulation of the Clean Air Act. (NRDC Switchboard), (Bloomberg Businessweek)

White House says “No” to Carter’s Solar Panels

Bill McKibben, the founder of 350.org, led a group of environmental activists to Washington in a bio-diesel van hoping to persuade President Obama to re-install a set of solar panels originally put up by then President Jimmy Carter in the late 1970s. But the recent initiative ended in disappointment when the White House declined to accept the panels last Friday. (The Guardian UK)  The panels had been stored at Unity College in Maine where COEJL board member Mitch Thomashow presides as president. Read more at Unity College’s website on this story: (Unity College)

Community News and Views

Shabbat Noach Resource Guide from the Green Chevre

COEJL and the Green Chevre network that includes, among others: Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, Canfei Nesharim, Hazon, the Shalom Center, and the JRF and the Reconstructionist Movement, have combined their efforts to compile a resource guide around Shabbat Noach.

Go to Shabbat Noach to learn more and share it with your community.

Upcoming Webinar on “The Story of Noah and its Relationship to Climate Change.”

By focusing on the Torah portion and story of Noah as a parable, we will seek to reach out to Jews about how we can be active as a community in responding to climate change by having an engaging discussion on the issues with experts on climate policy and science, as well as Jewish life. This webinar is part of a broader series of events leading up to the Jewish reading of the Torah portion of Noah on October 9th and the secular www.350.org global day of action on October 10th. It is one of numerous programs being conducted by diverse Jewish groups with different types of audiences in mind during the same time period. The webinar will be open to the general public but focused on the Jewish communities and their leadership. Flag the date October 7^th at 10:30 AM EST (subject to change) Check back soon for details.

Green Israel Summit 4: Green Renewal Shabbat!

(Green Zionism)

When: Shabbat Noach, Oct. 8 — 10, 2010

Where: Eden Village Camp, just north of New York City

Who: Young Jewish environmentalists, ages 18-40 *

As we read about the Biblical flood and the renewal of the earth on Shabbat Noach, we will learn how to renew ourselves and the environment. Celebrate Shabbat Noach with stories, lectures and discussions in a welcoming, pluralistic setting. Explore the Jewish back-to-the-land movement and what Zionism means today. Learn about energy conservation, population growth, suburban sprawl, Negev preservation, and environmentalism during a time of war. Meet other young Jewish environmentalists from across North America. Green Israel Summit (GIS) 4 is run by the Green Zionist Alliance and co-sponsored by COEJL, the American Zionist Movement and Hazon.

Arava Institute for Environmental Studies “With Earth and Each Other: A Virtual Rally for a Better Middle East,”

On November 14th, the Arava Institute for Environmental Studies based at Kibbutz Ketura (www.arava.org) is hosting “With Earth and Each Other: A Virtual Rally for a Better Middle East,” with top speakers and performers, celebrating AIES’s groundbreaking work and its larger commitment to both ecological and communal coexistence.  Visit www.withearthandeachother.org for more information.

Boston COEJL Works with the Synagogue Council of Massachusetts to “Pledge to Green”

In conjunction with the Synagogue Council of Massachusetts, Boston COEJL has been conducting a “Pledge to Green” drive among state synagogues. Thus far, 29 synagogues have pledged with more expected. Those who have not yet pledged will be contacted after the holidays as the council is seeking 100% participation. Some of the tips recommended to the synagogues have been simple money saving green efforts such as the “three basics”: recycling, changing light bulbs to CFLs, and using power strips that you can plug everything into and shut off when leaving (these last two steps are guaranteed to cut your electric bill by half within the first month!). For more tips, please check out Boston COEJL’s Green Guide at http://bostoncoejl.org/rich_text_2.html.

Hazon Bike Ride

Hazon hosted the 10th Annual New York Jewish Environmental Bike Ride over Labor Day Weekend, September 3-6, 2010. The NY Ride Jewish Environmental Bike Ride was more than a ride on a bike – it was a four-day event that included a Shabbat retreat at Workmen’s Circle’s Camp Kinder Ring, and a trip to Camp Eden Village, the new Jewish environmental summer camp. More importantly, the event raised money for cutting-edge Jewish environmental projects in the United States and Israel.  Learn more here. (Hazon)

This past Sunday, August 29^th, Katrina turned five. But don’t jump on the phone to order a cake and some ice cream just yet. Normally this might sound like a birthday for a young girl and cause for celebration – where’s my party hat? But in actuality we are marking the fifth anniversary of a major storm that decimated the entire Gulf region.

Rather, let’s take the time to reflect about what happened five years ago, the lives that were impacted, and what we can do to help those affected and our planet going forward. This anniversary may be the perfect time to support climate and environmental measures that will ultimately prevent such a disaster from happening again. Especially now as we watch citizens of another country deal with the devastation of climate-related disaster in Pakistan.

With the inaction of Congress moving climate legislation forward thus far, the ball rests firmly in the hands of the EPA and its regulations of greenhouse gasses – and it also rests with, well, us. If the US public has a say in the matter, there may be some hope and momentum building to support comprehensive climate policy. The majority of people polled in the US expressed support for stronger EPA regulations, not weaker. So I guess you could say that if Congress won’t do it – we must. The coming weeks of Rosh Hashanah and the High Holy Days and Shabbat Noach provide a means for the Jewish people to speak as a common voice on this issue. COEJL, along with a network of Jewish environmental organizations is in the process of creating a resource guide to help engage, energize and educate our diverse communities on climate issues and relate them to the story of Noah and the flood. Stay tuned for an announcement and a link to the website. For a resource sheet that will get you started on the coming High Holy Days and Shabbat Noach, visit the COEJL home page at: www.coejl.org. For more information about Katrina’s anniversary, visit the Religious Action Center.

Shana Tova from COEJL! We’ll talk again in the new year.

Poll shows support for EPA regulations of greenhouse gasses. Polster Joel Benenson is circulating poll data that may be helpful in defending against coming attacks on the EPA regarding its authority to regulate greenhouses gases.  Benenson writes in his memo: “Our recent polling for the NRDC Action Fund shows that a large majority of voters want the government to regulate greenhouse gases and that they are solidly opposed to Congress interfering with this task.” Sixty percent polled supported it whereas only thirty-four percent opposed it, and fifty-one percent of voters say they have a favorable view of the EPA. Furthermore, sixty eight percent polled say they want the government to do more to hold corporations accountable. The poll was conducted among 1,401 registered voters from August 10-15 with plus/minus ratio of error of 2.6%. (Politico)

This is important news which reflects the opposite view of what we see in at least one contentious Senatorial race. Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, who last year tried to ban the EPA from regulating greenhouse gases (legislation which COEJL opposed) lost the primary race (Associated Press) for the Alaskan Senate seat to Joe Miller, a former Fairbanks judge and a Tea Party favorite who is known for denying the reality of climate change (NY Times).  Both are publicly opposed to the pending EPA regulations.

Oil Spill – Day 136: BP remains in spotlight as deep water drilling continues. A report delivered to the House Energy and Commerce committee shows that BP is spending large sums of money on advertising. Although the total figure spent during that period is not public, it is known that, in the 18 weeks since the fatal explosion and subsequent spill, the oil giant has spent at least $1 million a week on public relations in the areas most hit by the spill. (The Telegraph)

As BP continues seeking to conduct damage control, news reports (Boston Globe) say that BP may have “misinterpreted” data that predicted the impending blowout. In other Gulf drilling news, nearly 200 miles from shore, the ‘Perdido’ platform  is the world’s deepest offshore floating oil platform and can pump oil from dozens of wells nearly two miles under the sea while simultaneously drilling new ones. It is part of a wave of new ultra-deep platforms — all far more sophisticated than the rig that was used to drill the ill-fated BP well that blew up in April. Attention remains focused on the safety of such platforms as, the New York Times reports from a former industry executive, “Our ability to manage risks hasn’t caught up with our ability to explore and produce in deep water.” Also according to the Times, “Under a $1 billion initiative announced in July, four oil majors — Chevron, Conoco-Phillips, Exxon and Shell — said they would design and build equipment that could be used to contain and cap well blowouts at depths of up to 10,000 feet. However, they say the new devices will not be tested and ready for 18 months, and the plan is not likely to work in places outside the gulf, like Alaska, where conditions differ.”

COEJL brings rabbinic leaders from Judaism’s broad spectrum together to create environmental resources for High Holy Days. On August 9th, COEJL convened a national conversation involving rabbis from five Jewish religious streams – Conservative, Orthodox, Reconstructionist, Reform, and Renewal – to discuss Jewish environmental resources and sermon materials for the High Holy Days and parshat Noach. Out of this call came a collection of resources for distribution as part of our broader Jewish Energy Covenant Campaign (www.coejl.org/covenant).  The full resource sheet is available at: http://www.coejl.org/TISHREI_5771.pdf. In the same light, Rabbi Fred Scherlinder Dobb delivered an uplifting Dvar Torah at a recent COEJL Governance Committee meeting on August 11^th, where he says, ”…the whole Jewish world (kol ha’olam kulo, the whole world, actually) needs what COEJL has to offer.  And we [rabbinic leaders] are uniquely positioned to bring it not only to the decision-makers within the organized Jewish community, but also to the many influential Jews outside of the ‘four cubits’ of the agency world.” Click here for the full text.

AJC Radio Message: A Sane Energy Policy Urgently Needed, by Executive Director David Harris

August 24, 2010 – New York –AJC Executive Director David Harris calls again for a sane U.S. energy policy in his weekly national radio commentary, airing on 400 CBS stations and heard by more than 35 million. READ & LISTEN

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Green Israel Summit 4: Green Renewal Shabbat!
(Green Zionism)

When: Shabbat Noach, Oct. 8 — 10, 2010
Where: Eden Village Camp, just north of New York City
Who: Young Jewish environmentalists, ages 18-40 *

As we read about the Biblical flood and the renewal of the earth on Shabbat Noach, we will learn how to renew ourselves and the environment. Celebrate Shabbat Noach with stories, lectures and discussions in a welcoming, pluralistic setting. Explore the Jewish back-to-the-land movement and what Zionism means today. Learn about energy conservation, population growth, suburban sprawl, Negev preservation, and environmentalism during a time of war. Meet other young Jewish environmentalists from across North America. Green Israel Summit (GIS) 4 is run by the Green Zionist Alliance and co-sponsored by COEJL, the American Zionist Movement and Hazon.

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. (Hazon)

Arava Institute for Environmental Studies “With Earth and Each Other: A Virtual Rally for a Better Middle East,”

On November 14th, the Arava Institute for Environmental Studies based at Kibbutz Ketura (www.arava.org) is hosting “With Earth and Each Other: A Virtual Rally for a Better Middle East,” with top speakers and performers, celebrating AIES’s groundbreaking work and its larger commitment to both ecological and communal coexistence.  Visit  www.withearthandeachother.org for more information