Tending our holy ground

Take off, take off your shoes.
The place you are standing on is holy ground.
—from Woody Guthrie’s lyrics set to music by Frank London of the Klezmatics in 2003

Listen to the congregation’s version:

We care deeply for our corner of holy ground — 35 acres that includes welcoming trails through woods, across fields, and past wetlands and ponds.

We share the Jewish approach to living in balance and harmony with the earth. We do it through teaching and we do it through practice. 

Our goal is to be an organization that fulfills the Torah teaching to be Shomrei Adamah: Guardians of the Earth. Our actions have been recognized by Hazon, the largest Jewish environmental organization in the United States.

Teaching Tikkun Olam.

Doing better for our world begins with education — sharing the Jewish approach to living in balance and harmony with the earth. This is reflected at every level of teaching, for young to old, in the classroom, in the sanctuary, or while walking our woodland campus. We are out in the community, too! We participate in local events, like Earth Day celebrations, and we collaborate with neighboring organizations to address issues of sustainability, including co-hosting an environmental film series.

We’re Eco-Energized.

From the solar panels atop the shul’s roof — providing much of our electricity — to energy efficient LED light bulbs, fuel conserving heating and air conditioning systems, programmable thermostats, and Energy Star-approved appliances, we have built our infrastructure to lighten our footprint on this earth.

Making Meals Mindfully.

We serve primarily vegetarian meals, locally sourced when possible, and at every opportunity we choose dishware, flatware, and linens that can be washed, not tossed in a landfill.  

Giving “Stuff” a Second Life.

From sanctuary chairs donated by a local church and office furniture culled from our annual yard sale to hand-me-downs and reused copier paper, we bring a second life to items that might otherwise have ended in the trash. 

Choosing Greener Cleaners.

We choose environmentally-friendly cleaning products to minimize the chemicals that leach into our groundwater (and because they are safer for our bodies).

Tending our Holy Ground.

Take off, take off your shoes. The place you are standing on is holy ground.
— from Woody Guthrie’s lyrics set to music by Frank London of the Klezmatics in 2003

Listen to the Congregations’s version!

We care deeply for our corner of holy ground — 35 acres that includes welcoming trails through woods, across fields, and past wetlands and ponds. We maintain a retention pond to prevent flooding, creating a lively wetland ecosystem. It is our special place for Tashlich, too.

In addition to providing an abundance of visual beauty, our pesticide-free gardens are designed to require minimal watering. An integral part of the Pollinator Pathway Project, our gardens and grounds are a haven for birds and pollinating insects.