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Helen and Dr. Michael Grossman at the EarthKeepers II press conference
U.P. Jews lend support to new
environmental project.
Greg Peterson
Special to the Jewish News
Ishpeming
L
ocated in a small unassuming
red-brick building, Temple Beth
Sholom is one of Michigan's small-
est synagogues, but it may be the greenest
congregation in the state.
Calling Beth Sholom "Home of the
Frozen Chosen" because of the Upper
Peninsula's harsh winters and deep snow,
these supporters of Reform Judaism have
definitely "chosen" to be stewards of the
Earth by participating in more than a
dozen interfaith environment projects in
the past decade.
For more than 60 years, these active
Jews have planted their roots near Lake
Superior, the world's largest freshwater
lake. However, for decades, the once-pris-
tine lake has been threatened by mining
and other industries. There have been fish
consumption warnings about mercury
and other deadly chemicals, and the lake
is choked by many invasive species.
Members of Temple Beth Sholom are
now part of the Great Lakes Restoration
Initiative (GLRI), a team of Native
Americans, 10 faith traditions and two
nonprofits helping to reduce airborne
mercury in Lake Superior and destroy
invasives by planting native plants.
Following their hearts and Jewish law,
the Upper Peninsula Jewish community
started 2013 by launching an interfaith
environment project during a Marquette
press conference Jan. 18 with Northern
Michigan University students, Native
Americans and religious leaders.
"There is a long tradition in Judaism
that honors the Earth and honors the
stewardship of the Earth," said Helen
Grossman, a retired Negaunee High
School chemistry and science teacher who
also teaches Hebrew to girls studying for
their bat mitzvah at Beth Sholom.
"We have several holidays that celebrate
that stewardship and command us really
to honor the Earth and take care of the
Earth," Grossman told the media. She said
the press conference coincided nicely with
Tu b'Shevat, the festival of the trees.
"It's traditionally a time for planting of
trees in Israel and also for setting aside
money to provide food for the poor," she
explained.
From several large tree plantings to
helping to collect nearly 400 tons of haz-
ardous materials in honor of three Earth
Days since 2004, members of Temple Beth
Sholom have participated in a decade's
worth of environment projects in part-
nership with the nonprofit Cedar Tree
Institute in Marquette.
The latest project is a U.P.-wide inter-
faith energy conservation and community
garden initiative called EarthKeepers II
that will create at least 30 native-plants
gardens and offer free energy audits for
40 houses of worship.
EarthKeepers II will then offer grants
of up to $1,000 to each church or temple
to help make repairs identified in the
The Play's The Thing
JET's anti-bullying plays hit home with schoolchildren.
Allison Batdorff
I Special to the Jewish News
ven though the popular childhood
taunt says otherwise, kids know
that sticks, stones and names DO
hurt, and the pain extends far beyond
slight grazes and pinched feelings.
While bullying is a hot buzzword of late,
the Jewish Ensemble Theatre (JET) has
been arming kids with knowledge and an
approach to interact peacefully since long
before the issue of schoolyard bullying
came to light nationally.
JET YES (Youth Education Services) is
a program through which several JET pro-
ductions shine the spotlight on the power
of words and deeds to make — or break
— childhood experiences. The perfor-
mances are age-appropriate, with scenes
and settings child-centric audiences can
relate to. Dates still are open to bring a
JET production to local schools during
this school year.
"A live performance sends a resonat-
ing message in a way that books and
E
12
February 14 • 2013
classroom discussions may not," says
Christopher Bremer, JET managing
director. "We are proud of our school
productions and the role that they play
in teaching children how to interact with
kindness:'
Thousands of tri-county children —
20,000 to 30,000 kids every year — watch
JET YES assemblies coordinated through
their schools, said Bremer.
JET takes a unique tact, using 25 years
of professional live theater experience to
create a spellbinding connection between
the children in the audience and the inter-
play that happens on stage.
"It plugs them right into emotions
that are familiar to them," Bremer said.
"There's no filter with theater; you see it,
and you feel it. We've found this approach
works really well to get kids and teachers
and administrators thinking, talking and
handling these situations in new ways that
stem the tide of bullying:'
One production, I Was Just
Kidding, educates budding bullies about
the unintended impacts of "joking
around:' This show examines why "just
kidding" is not a legitimate apology or an
excuse for meanness.
"Kids learn early that it's OK to say
mean and nasty things to each other as
long as they're 'just kidding,"' Bremer said.
"But it's not OK, and it still hurts:'
JET YES's other shows — Word
and Mean Girls — are aimed at older
elementary and middle-school students
faced with more "situational" bullying,
Bremer said.
With Word, the audience looks at one
situation through three viewpoints: the
bully, the victim and a witness. Mean
Girls tackles the issue of girl bullying,
cliques and the unintended price of
popularity.
Surveys taken after JET YES shows
reveal enthusiastic responses from stu-
dents, teachers, counselors and school
administrators. For many students, this is
their first exposure to live theater.
Troy's Larson Middle School counselor
Mary McGrath commented that the stu-
dents are "extremely attentive" and that
many girls reference the play throughout
the school year.
audits to reduce the amount of toxins
entering the Great Lakes, including
Lakes Michigan, Superior and Huron.
Congregations also will be given informa-
tion on energy conservation kits and util-
ity company rebates to lower household
bills.
"It seems very, very appropriate that
EarthKeepers II will plant community
gardens that will then be contributing
to food pantries," Grossman said. "So it
really seems to fit quite well with the tra-
dition that we have in Judaism."
EarthKeepers II partners also include
the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency, the U.S. Forest Service and
Northern Michigan University students.
Dr. Michael Grossman, Helen's hus-
band, makes another connection, recall-
ing the road from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
"The entire way was forested with pine
trees, all planted since Israel became a
state," he said.
"One of the most important holidays
in Judaism is the celebration of Shabbat,"
Helen Grossman said.
"Shabbat is a time for rest and reflec-
tion, but one of the interpretations is that
Shabbat is a time to celebrate what is
good about the world today and to work
for the redemption of the world," she said.
"So I think that's really an apropos
way to summarize the importance of the
environment and our stewardship of the
Earth," she said.
❑
"After the play, many students told me
how much they enjoyed it and could really
relate," McGrath said.
Engaging tactics like JET YES are more
effective than zero-tolerance policies, wars
on bullying or consequence-based lec-
tures, according to a recent study by the
California-based Peaceful Playgrounds,
a schoolyard activity program aimed at
increasing physical and cognitive activity
while decreasing bullying.
Another study by the University of
Washington found that anti-bullying
programs can diminish harmful gossip
among elementary schoolchildren by 72
percent.
Parents, educators and children need to
understand that there's no such thing as
"idle" or "harmless" gossip, especially in
an age where school shootings have been
connected to school bullying, Bremer
said.
"Just look at the news; bullying is one of
the most relevant issues facing us today,"
said Bremer. "We've got to address it:'
Book a JET YES performance for your
school or follow the JET YES tour online at
www.jettheatre.com . Previews are available.
(248) 788-2900.
❑
Allison Batdorff is an assistant publicist at
Your People LLC.