What is the responsibility of Jews to save our planet?

Jews have always been in the forefront of social issues, and the Jewish heritage has a great deal to teach about the preservation and care of the planet. Rabbi Dov Peretz Elkins, co-author of Chicken Soup for the Jewish Soul, has written a new book that draws upon the wisdom of biblical, Talmudic, midrashic and other texts, as well as modern, reliable, scientific research.

In Simple Actions for Jews to Help Green the Planet, Rabbi Elkins lists scores of specific actions that we can perform to slow, and hopefully reverse, the deterioration of our environmental well-being. This book couldn’t come at a better time, as the International Energy Agency (IEA) has just issued a new warning:

The world has just five years to avoid being trapped in a scenario of perilous climate change and extreme weather events, the International Energy Agency (IEA) warned on Wednesday.

But that’s not the only reason to order your copy of the book. We are thrilled that one of the articles Rabbi Elkins included in the book was originally published right here on Boulder Jewish News. Our “Queen of Green” Debbie Garelick wrote “7 Ways to Green a Bar/Bat Mitzvah” and we are excited to see her article get even more reach.

This handy, thoughtful book includes ideas, readings and resources. A “Put it into Action!” fill-in at the end of sections prompts the reader to get busy and make a real commitment by writing down specific actions. Covering everything from The Basics to Building a Green Jewish Community, from food to energy, there are 36 sections (double-chai!) and scores of steps each of us can take to make a difference.

Yasher Koach to all!