Green Holiday Celebrations Continue with a Green Sukkah

After celebrating Rosh Hashana sustainably this past week (even making pomegranate-nut salad for that extra special touch), some of us may be looking forward on our calendars and wondering how to celebrate the next holiday in an environmentally friendly way.  Yom Kippur is already, by default, observed in a green way due to the complete refrain from use of cars and reduction in electrical usage because no televised or audio entertainment is available.

But what about Sukkot?

Luckily, several organizations (including Adam Teva v’Din, the Ecological Greenhouse in Ein Shemer, the Kibbutz Movement and others) have joined together to make it real easy to celebrate Sukkot in a green way this year.  On Wednesday, October 15th they’re hosting an open green Sukkah at the ecological greenhouse in Ein Shemer that includes practical and theoretical workshops about society and the environment.  (Israeli Minister of Environmental Protection – Gideon Ezra – will be there too.)

This open greenhouse (or, green sukkah) will have a varied program so that everyone can find something that he or she is interested in.  From 9-12 children we be able to enjoy hands-on workshops about recycling, planting, and environmentally friendly crafts.  At 10:15, Rabbi Yoel Ben Nun will speak about environmental protection from a Jewish perspective and at 11:00, a panel of experts will discuss the global resource crisis.  At 12:30 Minister Gideon Ezra will speak about Israeli environmental policy.  Lastly, at 2:30, an open discussion about environmental issues will be held by Tsipi Iser, the CEO of Adam Teva v’Din.

We’d love to hear more ideas for how to celebrate this holiday season in environmentally friendly ways, so please share with us in the comments section below!

Read more about how we’ve celebrated other Jewish holidays in green, eco friendly ways:: Heschel Center’s Online Environmental Shavuot Webinar, Green Shavuot Activities (Because You’re Gonna Need a Break From All That Cheese), A Happy, Sustainable Passover to All, Don’t Pass Up on Eco Camp This Passover, A Healthy, Sustainable Purim, and Feed Your Soul on Tu B-Shvat

Author: Karen Chernick

Much to the disappointment of her Moroccan grandmother, Karen became a vegetarian at the age of seven because of a heartfelt respect for other forms of life. She also began her journey to understand her surroundings and her impact on the environment. She even starting an elementary school Ecology Club and an environmental newsletter in the 3rd grade. (The proceeds of the newsletter went to non-profit environmental organizations, of course.) She now studies in New York. Karen can be reached at karen (at) greenprophet (dot) com.

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