Celebrate Shabbat Noah
October 8-9 is Shabbat Noah, when we read the Torah portion about the Noah, the Ark, the Rainbow and the Covenant. This year, Reform synagogues across North America will join a Jewish-community wide initiative as we celebrate an environmental Shabbat in response to the Gulf oil spill crisis and our ongoing climate and energy challenges. We hope your community will commemorate Shabbat Noah and let us know what you are doing to become more environmentally sustainable.

Offer support for residents, families and friends in the affected region with RAC resources and ideas from our congregants and coalition partners:

• A prayer resource (Psalm 104) for the gulf - get it for your congregation today
• Sample sermon connecting the Gulf tragedy to the Jewish calendar
• Model interfaith service for the Gulf
• Short reading on our responsibility to the environment (from the Shalom Center)
• Environmental readings from our Social Action Worship Resource page

More Jewish resources on the environment:

• URJ Resolution: Climate Change and Energy (2009)
• URJ Resolution: Environment (1991)
• URJ Resolution: Energy (1991)
• Central Conference of American Rabbis Resolution: Climate Change (2005)

Learn about current environmental issues and what you can do on our environmental resources homepage and the Greening Reform Judaism web portal.

Volunteer: check out our Gulf Update blog posts for opportunities.

Donate: The Union for Reform Judaism and the Jewish Funds for Justice are collecting funds to support grass roots organizations working to recover and restore communities and ecosystems in the Gulf. Donate online or by check (instructions on the Union's Disaster Relief page).

Advocate: Show your support for our friends and neighbors in the Gulf by signing the Interfaith Petition for the Gulf to President Obama.

In response to the Gulf oil disaster, commit to build a better future rooted in a healthy environment, green jobs, and energy security by pledging to join the Jewish Energy Covenant Campaign.

Follow the latest news on the faith community's response to the disaster.