NJEP Launches New Energy Conservation Campaign!

This Pesach, the Northwest Jewish Environmental Project is launching a community-wide energy conservation campaign. The campaign will work to foster a dialogue in congregations, agencies and communities about the implications of U.S. dependence on oil for the environment, national security and Israel. The goal of the campaign is to raise awareness of how those in the Northwest can reduce their dependence on oil and other forms of energy at homes, synagogues and other Jewish institutions. As we enter the season of Passover, we are called to identify the chametz in our homes and in our lives, and to extricate ourselves from the things we enslave ourselves to.

This year, we face impending war and continued strife in Israel.Here in the Northwest, we have seen gas and energy costs skyrocket, and with them pollution and the effects of climate change. We will not be free, so long as we are enslaved to our demand for fossil fuels. This pharaoh has brought new plagues upon us in the form of global climate change, increased respiratory illness and unstable, dictatorial governments. But, once again, we can choose to leave "Egypt", to live more thoughtfully, and to renew our covenant to care for the world we are given.

While the issues in the Middle East are complex, one factor is undeniable - dwindling natural resources. We believe that the struggles we are witnessing are a harbinger of future struggles that we will begin to see in other regions of the world, if we do not reduce our dependence on oil.

This Pesach, NJEP is launching a community-wide energy conservation campaign. The campaign states: We recognize that the American Jewish community has three compelling reasons to support, practice and promote energy efficiency. We assert that a decrease in American use of non-renewable energy resources, especially crude oil, will advance the following three objectives - each of utmost interest to American Jews:

1. Defending the United States and its allies from terror. Protecting the security of Israel and its people.
2. Safeguarding the natural environment of our world.

This week the campaign received the endorsements of the Oregon Board of Rabbis and the CRC of the Jewish Federation of Portland. We wish to foster a dialogue in our congregations, agencies and community at large, as well as engage the community in modeling how we in the Northwest can reduce our dependence on oil, and thus support the long-term well being of our family and friends in Israel. We invite you to help us launch this conversation and call to action!