Rabbis Across Nation Call for "Moral Reflection" on Energy Policy and Global Warming -  July 31, 2001

Lists of active rabbis in specific cities / states available

600 Rabbis Sign
'Let There Be Light': Energy Conservation and God's Creation

July 31, 2001 (NEW YORK, NY) – Calling energy conservation "faithful stewardship" and an "intergenerational responsibility," more than 600 rabbis have written the members of the U.S. House of Representatives to call for moral reflection on the country's energy policy. The House is scheduled to begin debate on a major energy bill this week.

The letter, 'Let There Be Light': Energy Conservation and God's Creation, cites  the commandment in Genesis to 'till and to tend' (Gen. 2:15), and concludes that there is "a moral obligation to choose the safest, cleanest and most sustainable sources of energy to protect and preserve God's creation."  Burning oil and coal has long been a major cause of air pollution and therefore respiratory illness. It is now known to cause global warming.

The letter was first released in May with the signatures of 41 heads of denominations and senior leaders of major American faith groups, serving more than 60 million Americans. Since then, more than 600 rabbis from 36 states and every denomination have added their names to the letter. The distribution of the letter today comes on the heels of President Bush's withdrawal of the U.S. from the Kyoto Protocol, the only international framework to address climate change.

The open letter is sponsored by the Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life (COEJL) – encompassing 29 national Jewish organizations and 13 regional affiliates, along with the National Council of Churches (NCC). COEJL and NCC are organizing interfaith climate change campaigns in 20 states across the US.

The House debate on the energy bill largely based on President Bush's energy plan is among the most important environmental debates in recent years. COEJL chair Sharon Bloome and NCC General Secretary Rev. Dr. Robert Edgar sent a letter to each House member on behalf of COEJL and NCC to convey specific concerns about the legislation. They call for changes including significantly greater increases in fuel economy standards, continued protection of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, and increased investment in energy efficiency and renewable energy. The House plan "does not reflect our obligations to protect the environment and human health, nor is it prudent," they wrote. "Now is the time to set a new and positive direction for American energy policy."

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The Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life, embracing 29 national Jewish organizations and 13 regional affiliates, serves as the voice of the organized Jewish community on a wide array of environmental issues. COEJL is the Jewish member of the National Religious Partnership for the Environment.

443 Park Avenue South, 11th floor, New York, NY  10016-7322

212.684.6950, ext. 210  fax: 212.686.1353   info@coejl.org  www.coejl.org