The PAMHoe of ■ ti,1461 ' l 11*Wiegialeafal. 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.