“The Time is Short, The Task is Great”

Along with a dozen TBE members and their children, I came away with inspiration and practical knowledge from the 2019 Jewish Climate Change Conference held in March in Newton.

Attendees shared learning and ideas on every aspect of climate change action from how you consume energy and what you eat, to how climate change affects already disadvantaged communities the most. We heard how other congregations had inspired their members to action through a sense of community. We also learned how cities, states and the country could achieve aggressive carbon reduction goals, and the policies and politics to get there.

Members of TBE’s Climate Activists Ma’asim Tovim group (sixth and seventh graders doing meaningful work for their b’nei mitzvah) participated in the teen session led by the founder of the Sunrise Movement. Supporting them were their parent co-leaders, Justine Cohen and Karen Miller, along with Danny Navisky.

Justine said she also, “particularly loved the session on the plant-based food movement and learned so much!” The conference organizers and volunteers, including TBE’s Beverly Rich and Martin Kessel, put these ideas into practice by serving a delicious vegan meal (prepared by Beantown Jewish Gardens) and by composting the waste.
I spoke on the panel “Your Synagogue’s Sustainability: Surveying Success and Setbacks” about TBE’s successes in reducing our greenhouse gas emissions by over 20% since 2012, while learning from other panelists who had achieved even bigger energy reductions. We have much more that we can do! In that vain, TBE Green Team member Ed Jaros sought advice from other congregations for TBE’s upcoming lighting efficiency project.

This successful event, attended by an estimated 200 attendees was organized by the Jewish Climate Action Network, Boston of which TBE is a member, with assistance from the Synagogue Council of Massachusetts, Limmud Boston, and Temple Reyim, who hosted.