Welcome to the Beth Jacob Climate Change Initiative!
Ethical living as Jews in the 21st century necessitates ongoing and urgent consideration of climate change and action to minimize its impacts.
As our sages teach: When the Holy One created the first human, God took Adam around to all the trees of the Garden of Eden and said: See how beautiful and wonderful My works are. Everything I have created, I have created for you. Be mindful that you do not ruin and devastate My world, for if you ruin it there is no one to repair it after you.
While each of us will take different approaches to this, in line with our individual beliefs, constraints, priorities and means, we believe we are obliged as a community to support each other in this work. Our goal is to help the Beth Jacob community reduce our individual and collective contributions to climate change.
You are invited to “opt in” to the Climate Change Initiative email list to receive periodic updates and special news from us, along with occasional alerts to take advocacy actions requested by trusted organizations on behalf of climate change mitigation work. We promise to not bombard you with notes, and you can always “unsubscribe” whenever you want. Just send an email to Climate@beth-jacob.org (please include your full name) and we'll sign you up!
We are proceeding with this work in four dimensions: awareness, communal space, individual households and advocacy. Follow the links below to learn more about current efforts. Questions? Want to join in our efforts? Please email Laura Millberg.
Learning Center
For Jewish tradition, an environmental ethic grows out of the Torah, the Jewish calendar and festivals, and teachings by Jewish thinkers and philosophers throughout the ages (source: Hazon). In this section, you will find both Jewish and secular resources and words of wisdom from our Rabbi and other teachers.
Go to Learning Center >
“Greening” Our Shul
Beth Jacob can lead by example. Help us figure out what we CAN do and what we SHOULD do to reduce the shul’s carbon footprint.
“Greening” Your Life”
“Our lives are fashioned by our choices. First we make our choices. Then our choices make us.” (source: Anne Frank) Yes, there are actions each of us can take to make a difference. Check out some ways you can start now!
Climate Advocacy
“It is not incumbent on you to finish the task, but neither are you free to absolve yourself from it.” (source: Pirkei Avot 2:16 ) It’s not all protests. You have the power to persuade- from local legislators and the Public Utilities Commission to Congress. Click here to see the most effective “action of the week” Most of these won’t take much time but will make your voice heard.