Eco Challenge 2024

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The Temple Sinai Shomrei Adamah: Environmental Awareness Committee announces the 2024 Eco Challenge!

Each month throughout 2024, the EAAC will issue a new challenge for the Temple Sinai congregation.

The monthly challenges will highlight an area of environmental awareness and provide actionable tasks and educational resources everyone can do.

Participate each month and learn how to make being green part of being Jewish. Complete all twelve challenges and become a Shomrei Adamah - Guardian of the Earth! Email ShomreiAdamah@templesianiatlanta.org with questions.

SEPTEMBER - RIVER CLEANUP

As with the previous eco-challenges we’ve tackled, a river cleanup aligns well with several Jewish values, particularly those relating to stewardship of the environment, community responsibility, and respect for creation. Here are a few key connections:

Bal Tashchit (לא תשחית), derived from Deuteronomy 20:19-20, prohibits unnecessary destruction and waste. It reflects the idea that we should not waste resources or harm the environment more than necessary. Cleaning up rivers and protecting natural resources aligns with this value by preventing pollution and preserving natural beauty.
Tikkun Olam (תיקון עולם), "repairing the world," emphasizes our responsibility to improve and heal the world. River cleanup improves the health of our ecosystems and enhances the quality of life for both current and future generations.
Shomrei Adamah (שומרי אדמה), "guardians of the land,” suggests that humans have a duty to protect and care for the environment. Activities like river cleanup embody this role and help maintain the balance of nature.
Pikuach Nefesh (פיקוח נפש) prioritizes saving lives and ensuring safety. Removing pollutants promotes clean, healthy rivers that are essential for drinking water, agriculture, and overall public health and directly contributes to the well-being of communities.
Chesed (חסד), often translated as "kindness" or “compassion, involves caring for others and showing empathy. Taking care of the environment is a form of showing kindness to fellow humans and future generations by ensuring they inherit a cleaner and healthier world.