Jewish Reconstructionist Federation

Sustainable Synagogues: A Compelling Truth
Towards a Globally Sustainable Evolving Religious Civilization of the Jewish People

This panel of Reconstructionists leading the way in terms of environmental action in their communities will speak to the issue of the future of the Jewish People. However, this conversation is not about Jewish survival separate from global survival- increasingly understood to be found in a globally sustainable, evolving religious culture — interdependent and interconnected with healthy and conscious environmental, religious, political, social, cultural, and economic global systems.

While there are a multitude of ongoing, situational concerns that ask for compassionate and committed acts of tikkun (repair) and gemilut hasadim (acts of kindness) in our world, a spiritual approach to sustainable development is a crucial issue to for the Jewish People and for humanity in the 21st century to address. See www.jrf.org/climate in advance.

Rabbi Shawn Zevit, JRF Director of Outreach and Tikkun Olam, who will address some of the philosophical and strategic underpinnings of the JRF Sustainable Synagogue Initiative.

Rabbi Sheryl Lewart, Associate Rabbi of Kehillat Israel, Pacific Palisades, CA, KI developed a set of environmental commandments this year.

Rabbi Seth Goldstein, Temple Bet Hatfiloh, Olympia, WA, who will speak to his community;s approach to environmental hands-on education in their classroom and approach to supporting organic local grown foods and synagogue life.

Rabbi Yitzhak Husbands-Hankin, a leader in the burgeoning field of eco-kashrut.