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COEJL PROGRAM BANK
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Getting Involved
Mark X Jacobs
info@coejl.org
Source: Operation Noah
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Getting Involved At-a-Glance
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Transforming our society into an environmentally sustainable one is a decades-long project which requires multiple simultaneous strategies. Here are a number of propositions & suggestions about Jewish environmental organizations.
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| Audience:
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Early Childhood
Ages 5-7
Ages 8-10
Ages 11-13
Ages 14-17 (High School)
Ages 18-21 (College)
Adults
Family/Community
Seniors
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| Facility:
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Community Center
Hillel
Religious/Day School
Synagogue
Other
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| Program Type:
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Advocacy
Arts/Drama
Bible/Text
Community Service
Educational Program
Lifecycle Event
Prayer and Liturgy
Social Activity
Other
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| Issues:
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Air/Water/Trees
Baal Tashchit/Waste/Recycling
Eco-Kashrut/Vegetarianism
Energy/Global Warming
Environmental Health and Justice
Israel's Environment
Shmittah/Land Use/Agriculture
Spiritual Awareness
Sustainability
Tikkun Olam/Stewardship/Values and Ethics
Tzaar Baalei Chayim/Biodiversity/Endangered Species
Other
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Description
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Educating young people and their general public; political action in response to current legislation and issues; organizing for fundamental political chance; changing individual, institution and corporation behavior; and helping people develop an appreciation for and relationship with the natural world (among others) are all important strategies for creating needed changes.
Involving People:
* In order to involve people, it is most effective to meet people where they are now; Jewishly, politically, ecologically -- and to meet at least some of the needs for which they are turning to your community. Create programs and actions that have broad appeal-- with creativity such programs can have concrete positive outcomes for the environment as well.
*It is more effective to involve people through inspiration and a sense of personal power than through fear and a sense of powerlessness. Judaism and ecology and their interconnections can be quite inspiring and spiritually uplifting to people, as can outdoor experiences. Motivation for action emerges from inspiration and appreciation, as well as the urgency of a problem.
* Effective local action usually requires that people understand and feel a connection to the local dimension of a problem (a local endangered habitat, local water contamination or air pollution, local environmental justice issues)
* Hands-on activities which produce observable results inspire and engage people. Habitat restoration, tree-planting, gardening, and letter writing all enable people to accomplish tangible results.
Involving Institutions:
* Involving Jewish institutions and their leadership and members in environmental programs and action requires developing a strong understanding that ecology is a Jewish issue and the ability to effectively communicate that understanding. COEJL can provide materials to help you accomplish this goal.
* It is often effective to link environmental issues with other issues of concern to the community, including social justice, inter-group relations, Israel, health, spirituality and "continuity" Think about ways to involve institutions and people based on their existing public affairs agenda and commitments.
* Work with other community organizations: environmental groups, African-American and other ethnic groups, other religious groups, etc. Interfaith/inter-ethnic programs can be very exciting and appealing.
Program Content:
* Start with the Big Picture. A first step in most communities is to develop understanding and vision about the issue (Jewish, ecological, and political). Educational programming is tremendously important in order for people to feel committed to taking even small action. Starting with something such as a recycling project (asking people to change their behavior) without providing a strong rationale and view of the larger picture is an ineffective way to approach both the immediate goal and a broader agenda.
Organizing Tactics:
* Form a core committee to get a project going. It is more fun and more effective to work with a group.
* Use the holidays. This is the time when Jews are looking for an opportunity to connect with other Jews and the Jewish tradition.
* Pick projects you know will be a success. Start small, and build up to larger projects. While it is important to start with the big picture, you don't have to start with big projects.
* Have fun. Saving the planet is serious business. But it's a long-term project. Enjoy the process. Organize events that give people an opportunity to do things we all want to do: meet other people, spend time outdoors, eat…
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Materials Needed
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A motivated individual(s) who is (are) passionate about what they do.
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Benchmarks
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Have fun getting others involved, but remember education is the key. Educate yourself while educating others.
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Resources
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COEJL can supply you with educational resources that you need. Contact them via e-mail at info@coejl.org, or by phone at 212-684-6950. Have an idea of what specific information you are looking for so they can assist you better.
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Preparation Time
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This is an ongoing project.
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Attached Files
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Comments
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This program added on 2002-12-06.
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Programs placed on the Jewish Environmental Educator's Program Bank are
solely the property of the program submitter. COEJL has no right or
interest in the posted programs and is making no representations or
warranties concerning same. All inquiries concerning programs should be
forwarded directly to the program submitter.
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