Fake Project
Beth Israel Congregation (Ann Arbor, Michigan)
Project Description
here si the descriptions
Updates
Sustainability at the newly renovated Downtown Synagogue
Isaac Agree Downtown Synagogue (Detroit, Michigan)
Project Description
Similar to our last project, we are focusing our sustainability efforts on the renovation of our historic downtown building. Construction officially began last month, in June 2022, and we are excited to enter back into the building in early Spring 2023. This renovation will upgrade our facility to meet our community’s needs, while upgrading our energy efficiency and sustainability efforts. Through this effort to be more sustainable, we will be installing energy efficient windows. These windows will better insulate our building, in turn allowing our HVAC system to work more smoothly and efficiently. Additionally, we will have a newly updated electrical system with motion detecting lighting that will be responsible for automatically turning off lights when not in use. Both of these efforts will work towards decreasing our carbon footprint, reducing energy usage, and making our building more sustainability sound.
Updates
Shabbat Environmental Education
Habonim Dror Camp Miriam Society (Vancouver, British Columbia)
Project Description
Every Saturday morning at Camp Miriam, counsellors have an opportunity to bring chuggim, or special interest topics, to campers. We are committing to running at least one chug related to the environment each week this summer. This is a chance for campers to learn about a variety of environmental issues and perspectives, think critically about their own choices and communities, and learn how they can take action. Planned topics are:
1. Jewish perspectives on the environment
2. Food and climate change
3. The intersections between LGTBQ+ discrimination and climate change
4. Energy democracy and Indigenous environmental initiatives
5. Eco-feminism
6. Climate grief and processing emotions related to the environment
Updates
August 4, 2022:
During the first session of the summer, I (Sadie) ran Shabbat chuggim on Jewish perspectives on the environment, the intersections between climate change and LGBTQ+ discrimination, food and climate. Between 2 and 8 campers of various ages participated each week, and we had meaningful discussions on environmental issues. It is clear to me that the campers care deeply about the environment and understand that systemic change is necessary to address the climate crisis.
August 21, 2022:
With the help of a few other counsellors, I was able to run environmental themed Shabbat chuggim five out of six Saturdays this summer (one week, instead of running the climate grief program, myself and other staff chose to run Tisha B’Av themed chuggim instead. The campers continually impressed me with their knowledge of environmental and social justice issues, and their desire to create a better world. I can see myself using the resources I have created for other educational workshops in the future.
August 22, 2022: August 22, 2022:
Compostable Materials
Friendship Circle (West Bloomfield, Michigan)
Project Description
This summer we will be using compostable materials for our overnight summer camp. Throughout the course of the summer, we use hundreds of plates, cups, napkins and would like to switch to compostable materials for the first time in order to have less of an impact on the environment.
Updates
Preparing your garden for Spring
Jewish Family Service of Metro Detroit (West Bloomfield, Michigan)
Project Description
The Cancer Thriver’s Network (CTN) hosted a zoom event for their group on March 27, 2022. The event was entitled, “Preparing your garden for Spring”. This program was a modification of our original plans for the Hazon funds due to Covid complications.
Twenty two women attended this zoom event where master gardener, Judy Front, educated them on a variety of topics such as: how to plant and upkeep the greenery at their homes, composting, no dig gardens, preparing seedlings as well as shared community resources for planting and composting. All participants who attended received a gift package that was mailed to their homes with items that correlated with event.
The Cancer Thrivers Network program coordinator received positive feedback from the participants on this event and heard from a few that they would like to do an additional education event with even more information about composting. We appreciated Hazon providing the CTN with the name of a couple of potential speakers, once of which was Judy Front, who facilitated this zoom presentation.
Updates
Environmental Programs
Skokie Valley Agudath Jacob Synagogue (Skokie, Illinois)
Project Description
We hosted a park clean-up day as well as two nature hikes, one of which was a Tu B’Shvat hike.
Updates
Installed Planters for Pollinators
Skokie Valley Agudath Jacob Synagogue (Skokie, Illinois)
Project Description
We planted perennial plants to attract pollinators.
Updates
Sustainable Kiddush
Skokie Valley Agudath Jacob Synagogue (Skokie, Illinois)
Project Description
Our joint congregations have re-started kiddush! For now we are holding them outside. Up until this point, they have included pre-packed items like pretzels, candy, etc. We would like to move toward more plant-based and vegan kiddushes that are also compostable. We will buy organic fruits and vegetables for kiddush and also pay the local composting service (Collective Resources) for food scrap pick up so that the event would produce no/less waste, as well as being much healthier. We would also use the opportunity to educate about composting and plant-based diets.
Updates
Greening DJJ
Detroit Jews for Justice (Detroit, Michigan)
Project Description
Detroit Jews for Justice has recently resumed in-person gatherings, which involve food! We would like to buy compostable single-use dishes, and enroll in composting services through Midtown Composting.
Updates
Thermal Curtains
Bruce’s Minyan of Mole People (New York, New York)
Project Description
To help reduce heat loss in our sanctuary, we’d like to install thermal curtains. We expect this to greatly improve insulation in our building and reduce our HVAC costs.
In the long-term, we start a capital campaign to replace our windows with something that has better insulation value.
Updates
Green Shabbat
Congregation Beth Ahm (West Bloomfield, Michigan)
Project Description
June 9-10, 2022, CBAHM will host a Green Shabbat service and Kiddish for it’s congregants. Features will be a special sermon on sustainability, a Vegan Kiddish lunch, and a family project.
This project will utilize the 2021 mini-grant that has already been received.
Updates
July 25, 2022:
Green Shabbat was a huge success! Emphasis was on elimination of single use plastics from everyday use.
Cost analysis: Food/Beverage: $1,295.00; Guest Speaker on Sustainability/Parsha: $250.00, Organic Havdallah Spices, Organic Chocolate, Steel Straws( giveaways), recycled paper $123.00.
Nourishing Our Souls
Congregation Agudath Israel of West Essex (Caldwell, New Jersey)
Project Description
The CAI Environmental Committee, in conjunction with the CAI Interfaith Committee, published a vegetarian cookbook. Advanced sales exceeded 200 copies. It features 100 recipes from CAI congregants and members of the interfaith community. There are recipes for beverages, appetizers, soups, salads, sides, entrees, desserts, baked goods, and holiday dishes. HAZON has publicized the book on its web site. Copies can be purchased by going to https://www.agudath.org/form/nourishing-our-souls-cookbook.
Updates
Tu B’Shevat Sedar 2022
Congregation Agudath Israel of West Essex (Caldwell, New Jersey)
Project Description
The CAI Environmental Committee conducted its third annual Tu B’Shevat sedar. This is the second sedar that was conducted on Zoom. There were 29 screens, with approximately 50 attendees. Among the active participants were Rabbi Ari Lucas, senior rabbi of CAI, Cantor Joel Caplan, and Rabbi David Saltzman, a member of CAI.
Updates
Kiddush Compost System
Bruce’s Minyan of Mole People (New York, New York)
Project Description
We are building a 3 bin compost system to collect the food waste from our Shabbat Kiddush, so we don’t send anything to the landfill anymore. We hope to complete this by the end of June 2022.
Updates
April 12, 2022:
We finally finished the compost bin and have collected food waste at our kiddush.
Passover Seder
Elon University Hillel (Elon, North Carolina)
Project Description
Elon Hillel is proud to announce our annual Passover Seder, a musical and interactive community journey from slavery to freedom that is open to the entire community. This year, we are dedicating our seder to the people of Ukraine, with sunflowers on every table, special readings, and a theme of Roots. Roots will be a celebration of so many of our family roots in Ukraine, and also of our own gratitude for planet Earth, as this year Pesach coincides with Earth Day. All plates, cups, and flatware will be compostable. Register at https://hillel.tiny.us/Passover2022.
Updates
Earth Day Shabbat
Elon University Hillel (Elon, North Carolina)
Project Description
What better way to celebrate our Earth than an Earth Day themed Shabbat? Join us for blessings and delicious environmental-themed noshes (on compostable plates).
Updates
Thrift-giving
Cornell Hillel (Ithaca, New York)
Project Description
Students collected gently used clothes over Thanksgiving break, and after the break they partnered with Cornell Thrift (another student organization) to run a pop-up thrift shop where students could pick out new clothes for free. This “Thrift-giving” event collected a ton of clothes, which was a great way to keep them out of the landfill and provide clothes back to the Cornell community in a sustainable way.
Updates
Chicken programming revamp
Habonim Dror Camp Tavor (Detroit, Michigan)
Project Description
Chicken programming revamp
Every summer, the Camp Tavor chava (farm) incorporates a small chicken flock into our sustainability/agriculture programming. Unfortunately, our coop and run are deteriortating. This year, we are excited to apply for a Hazon grant to reinvigorate our chicken infrastructure. Furthermore, we are particularly excited by the prospect of building a chicken tractor to integrate natural foraging behaviors into our sustainable land management practice.
We hope to accomplish the following technical goals:
1. Fix and expand our existing chicken coop.
2. Install new fencing to protect our chicken run from local predators.
3. Build a chicken tractor to utilize our flock for natural aeration and fertilization.
We envision that this upgrade will accomplish the following education and sustainability goals:
1. Model sustainable permaculture techniques integrating chicken and organic vegetable farming.
2. Improve campers’ experience interacting with the chickens in a clean and safe environment.
3. Increase our production of locally sourced organic eggs.
Updates
Logo Food Rescue Truck
Metro Food Rescue (West Bloomfield, Michigan)
Project Description
Did you know
We waste 40% of the food in this country
Food is the largest category of material placed in landfills – EPA 2021
Updates
Logo Food Rescue Truck
Metro Food Rescue (West Bloomfield, Michigan)
Project Description
Did you know
We waste 40% of the food in this country
Food is the largest category of material placed in landfills – EPA 2021