In contrast to contemporary Christmas competitions to outdo our grandchildrens' other grandparents in gift giving, and to win the lighting contest or for our city to use more electricity with its public lighting display than the neighboring one, I enjoyed this program promoted by the Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life (On their website, they tout the compact flourescent lightbulb as the modern Hannukah miracle light. Almost like the oil in the Hannukah story, CFL bulbs burn 7 times longer and give more light with less energy):
COEJL PRESS RELEASE: CONGREGATIONS LINK CELEBRATION OF HANUKKAH WITH ENERGY CONSERVATION CONTACT: Mark X. Jacobs, 212.684.6950, ext. 213 EDITORS: AVAILABLE AT YOUR REQUEST � OP - ED: Hanukkah: Light the Way to Freedom and Renewal, by Fred Krupp, executive director of Environmental Defense and a Trustee of COEJL. � OP - ED: Hanukkah 5762/2001: A Time for Re-dedication (New York, NY - December 2, 2001) Jews around the country will be celebrating Hanukkah with a new twist this year. Linking the miracle of Hanukkah - a little oil going a long way - with energy conservation, families and congregations are taking action to reduce their energy use and rededicating themselves to protecting the environment. "During the holiday of Hanukkah, we celebrate the miracle that a small amount of oil burned for eight days. We should take this as an example," explained Sharon Bloome of Seattle, chair of the Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life (COEJL). "Today, we know it is possible to make a kilowatt of electricity or a gallon of gas go much further. This is an urgent thing for us to do - to protect the environment and help stop global warming, and to reduce our dependence on foreign oil." Last month, COEJL, the New York-based national Jewish environmental organization, launched "Let There Be (Renewable) Light: A New Look at Hanukkah" as part of its ongoing efforts to educate the Jewish community about energy and environmental issues. COEJL's message is being heard around the country. Congregation Shir Hadash in Los Gatos, CA, is installing solar panels on the roof of their building. Clean, renewable solar energy will now fuel the synagogue's ner tamid (eternal light), as well as help power the building's lights and air conditioning. The Social Action Committee of Adat Shalom Reconstructionist Congregation in Bethesda, MD, has made protecting the environment a central concern of the synagogue. They are sending out unique Hanukkah gifts to the congregation: compact fluorescent lightbulbs, which save energy and money. Women's League of Conservative Judaism members are taking eight symbolic energy-saving actions, one for each night of Hanukkah. The actions include replacing one standard lightbulb with a compact fluorescent lightbulb and lowering the thermostat a couple of degrees. All of these actions will help conserve energy - and they will save money over the long term, though they might take some up front investment. "Energy conservation is a triple mitzvah," said Rabbi Fred Dobb of Adat Shalom Reconstructionist Congregation. "We protect the environment and public health by reducing pollution. That's two right there. Third, we prevent waste by saving fuel. On top of all of that, we reduce American dependence on Middle Eastern oil. While that's not technically a mitzvah, it's certainly good for the security of both America and Israel." Though "Let There Be (Renewable) Light" was planned long before September 11th, the war on terrorism has given the initiative added urgency. The United States imports more than 50 percent of its oil, much of it from the Middle East, leaving America vulnerable to oil embargoes and supply disruptions. In addition, the long-term American presence in the region to protect its oil supply is widely considered a significant cause of hostility toward the U.S. Because the U.S. has only three percent of the world's proven oil reserves, conservation is the only way for the U.S. to become more energy independent. So what's the downside to energy conservation? "There isn't one," said Mark X. Jacobs, COEJL's executive director. "It's just a matter of learning what we can do, taking the time to do it, and asking others - including our government - to do what we know we can. We can make a very big difference - even on huge issues like global warming - through energy conservation. Let's hope generations from now they will look back at us like we do the Macabees and say, 'They were courageous enough to do the right thing.'" To learn more about "Let There Be (Renewable) Light: A New Look at Hanukkah" and energy conservation, visit www.coejlorg. SIDEBAR: EIGHT NIGHTS, EIGHT ACTIONS This Hanukkah, join Jews around North America in 8 simple actions to help conserve energy, slow global climate change, and save you money! Day 1: Change one regular bulb in your home to a CFL (Compact Fluorescent Light). Day 2: Turn down the temperature of your water heater to the warm setting (120�F). Day 3: Lower your thermostat 3�F. Day 4: Skip a car trip. Day 5: Start a scrap paper pile. Day 6: Give your home a Hanukkah gift from Energy Star - look for the "Energy Star" label on all appliances. Day 7: Write letters to the President and Congress. Let them know what you've done at home and urge changes in energy policy to promote conservation and the development of clean energy sources. Day 8: Have a candlelight dinner. More background information and tips for each of these actions can be found at www.coejl.org. Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life 443 Park Avenue South, 11th floor New York, NY 10016-7322 tel: 212.684.6950, ext. 210 fax: 212.686.1353 [EMAIL PROTECTED] www.coejl.org
