| This year Passover occurs right before Earth Day. We encourage the Jewish community to find new ways to engage in the holidays as a natural way to teach about the moral and ethical obligation of environmental stewardship, and to use this knowledge as a source of renewal and inspiration to take action. Ten Acts Prohibited by Jewish Law and Ten Plagues of the Modern World 1. Needless destruction 2. Non-sustainable energy use 3. Air pollution 4. Water pollution 5. Noise pollution 6. Destruction of species and habitat 7. Release of dangerous (or toxic) substances 8. Disregard for stewardship of the Earth 9. Failure to speak or prevent environmental degradation 10. Disregard for future generations ECO TIP: Remove chametz from your home to make your life more sustainable. Refraining from chametz during Pesach, reminds us of the simple life our ancestors led in the desert. We too can simplify our environmental impact by following the Jewish law of bal tashchit—not wasting or using more than we need in our everyday lives. Pesach is a perfect time to take an "environmental inventory" of the chemicals in your home and synagogue as you clean out chametz and determine how these toxins should be removed and disposed of in the proper manner and replaced with products that do not threaten the health of you or your family. In keeping with removing all the chametz from our lives, it’s also a good time to clean out your closets and remove clothes and other items you no longer use and donate them to others in need. |
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