“It is not for you to complete the task,
but neither are you free to desist from it.”

— PIRKEI AVOT 2:21.

Cantor Rachel Gottlieb
Kalmowitz stands next to a
recycling bin in the foyer of
Temple Beth El, purchased
with a Hazon mini grant.
Beth El created a plan for
intergenerational gardening,
and Hazon provided a
summer intern to teach the
kids at camp.

ABOVE: Tamarack and summer camps involved as
green team. “It’s not what a
Camps Sensory
things progress.
cantor would typically do, but
Garden
was devel-
Congregation Shir Tikvah in
it was important; so, I said I
oped by a grant
Troy is also getting assistance
would take it on.”
from Hazon.
from Hazon in removing invasive
And, she added, “Hazon
species and updating a sensory
made it very easy for us. We
took the audits and looked through what path in its garden.
With plans to go solar, Rabbi Herschel
we could reasonably do.”
Finman is leading Jewish Ferndale to
Congregation B’nai Moshe in West
become the city’s greenest building.
Bloomfield, another Seal site, ranks
Tamarack Camps has stepped up
sustainability efforts high on the shul’s
to create powerful connections to
list of priorities. It participated in a
nature. While long-term goals are to
Hazon-organized CSA distribution
change operational policy, Fletcher
(Community Supported Agriculture)
that gives participants the ability to buy Raftery, assistant director of Tamarack
Adventure and Retreat Center, notes,
directly from a farmer. “We are able to
“I don’t think anyone loves change,
achieve some of our financial goals by
unless they’re personally invested in the
being environmentally conscious,” said
change or modified practice. Our agen-
Executive Director Steven J. Fine.
cy has made a commitment to making
Hillel Day School has taken bold
steps in becoming more sustainable,
steps to connect its students to the
but every change needs to be analyzed
natural world, with novel projects in its
for its feasibility.”
greenhouse.
And while city, suburbs and rural
With Hazon’s guidance, and added
areas have different food and sustain-
help from its PTO, the school in
ability needs, Hazon is bridging some
Farmington Hills is now on track to
restore a wetland and pond area behind divisions through common goals. It is
re-establishing the history of blacks
the school. “Phase I includes clean-
and Jews working together for social
ing up the invasive buckthorn that has
change and continuing to develop urban
taken over the wetland area, which we
farming partnerships with its partner
have begun work on this week,” said
Oakland Avenue Urban Farms in the
Scott Reed, Hillel COO.
North End of Detroit.
“Eventually, we’ll spread wood chips
Isaac Agree Downtown Synagogue,
and create a living fence,” Reed said.
“Phase II may include an area for a rock Detroit’s only original remaining syna-
gogue, has a strong and growing com-
garden, more plantings and a cistern.”
mitment to sustainability. According to
Reed hopes to get the greenhouse club

Executive Director Arlene Frank, not only
are they mindful of sustainability, but
her green team is also made up of many
green industry professionals.
Detroit Jews for Justice recently joined
Hazon and has created near zero-waste
events at its gatherings. DJJ connects
Jews to advocacy and has water justice
as a current campaign. DJJ, Repair the
World and Kibbutz Detropia are new this
year with projects in the works.
What is the common thread binding
institutions together to work toward a
healthier, more humane and sustainable
world? Our home address: Planet Earth.
“We are blessed with an incredibly pas-
sionate group of people at a wide variety

Tomato plants, part of Jewish Ferndale’s
backyard garden — a certified natural habitat
— with soil donated by Hazon.

of organizations, who have essentially
teamed up with Hazon to do their part
to care for the planet,” Salinger said. “The
Metro Detroit Jewish community is tak-
ing its place at the forefront of Jewish
environmental responsibility. We are
working to create a world our children
can live and flourish in.”
Kalmowitz summed it up. “As we see
our country becoming more divided, let’s
come together to make the world a bet-
ter place — we must each do our part.” •

Karen Couf-Cohen is a writer, public
relations consultant and green team member based
in Franklin.

A clean air event and Sensory Garden at
Tamarack Camps were made possible by a
grant from Hazon.

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February 1 • 2018

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