TEMPLE BETH RISHON TO PILOT GREENFAITH CERTIFICATION PROGRAM
( Wyckoff , NJ ) Temple Beth Rishon of Wyckoff has been chosen from over 40 houses of worship nationwide to pilot GreenFaith’s new Sanctuary Certification Program. Beth Rishon is the only Jewish house of worship and one of six congregations, five from New Jersey and one from Illinois , to launch GreenFaith’s new Certification Program. The next program deadline is September and GreenFaith is fielding requests for information from hundreds of houses of worship nationwide.
Founded in 1992, GreenFaith is working to create a community of interfaith organizations with a shared concern for the environment. GreenFaith is quickly becoming recognized as a national leader on environmental sustainability. More and more religious institutions want to become environmental leaders. The GreenFaith Certification Program provides the support, resources and guidance to make this possible. Over two years, participating institutions carry out initiatives to integrate environmental themes into their worship, religious education, facility maintenance, and social outreach. In recognition for their accomplishments, these institutions earn certification as a GreenFaith Sanctuary.
The GreenFaith Certification Program empowers religious institutions to play their uniquely important leadership role in the development of an environmentally just and sustainable world. With their ordained leaders and governing board’s endorsement, participating institutions form a Green Team whose members mobilize their houses of worship to carry out:
• Religious education programs for children, teens and adults
• Environmentally oriented worship services
• A host of “green” facility management activities
• Education to help members “green” their consumption habits
• Environmental justice education and advocacy
• Collaboration with environmental groups and other houses of worship
In April, the Temple Beth Rishon Board of Trustees, with the endorsement and support of Rabbi Kenneth Emert, adopted a resolution committing their Temple to meet the requirements of the GreenFaith Certification Program. They were selected in early May as one of six congregations to pilot the program and in early June were introduced to the program through GreenFaith’s first webinar. All areas of the congregation including the Preschool, Hebrew School , youth group, clergy, and facilities team will be involved in the process. They will build on the work already accomplished by their environmental committee , T’Green Olam, and will move towards a more focused and coordinated approach to sustainability. Temple Beth Rishon will serve as a leader not only for the Jewish community at large, but for the local interfaith community as well. For more information contact the Temple office at 201-891-4466.
