The Reform Jewish Movement has long recognized our moral and ethical responsibilities to act as caretakers of our environment. This commitment is grounded in our Jewish tradition story of peoplehood, which begins: " The Eternal God settled the Human in the garden of Eden, to till it and tend it." (Genesis, 2:15). Time and again, our tradition insists that we are not owners but stewards of the earth, that we must not destroy what sustains us, and that our treatment of the land reflects our covenant with the Divine. See the Judaism and the Environment page for more information.
What can my community do to act as ethical stewards of the environment?
The RAC has compiled ten action items communities and individuals can pursue to reduce their environmental impact. Because no two communities are alike, there is no one-size-fits-all approach to today's environmental challenges. Communities should feel empowered to pursue whatever makes the most sense given their finances, leadership capacity, size, and location.
1. Conduct an energy audit
An energy audit is a crucial first step toward reducing your environmental impact and saving your community money. This resource from California Interfaith Power and Light provides communities with the steps needed to complete a do-it-yourself energy audit. You can also hire a professional - using this list of certified energy auditors from Energy Star Congregations.
2. Increase Energy Efficiency
Prioritizing energy efficiency reduces negative environmental impacts - and even congregations using renewable energy benefit as every unit of clean energy used frees up capacity for others. To get started, Energy Star's Energy and Water Efficiency Checklist for houses of worship offers EPA-backed guidance on analyzing usage and making improvements, including switching to LED lighting, adding occupancy sensors, upgrading windows, replacing old HVAC systems, and installing smart thermostats with zone controls.
When you are ready to purchase, the Reform Movement Marketplace offers discounted rates on LED lighting, HVAC upgrades, and other infrastructure improvements for affiliated congregations.
3. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
Congregations can reduce waste by using reusable dishes, cups, and cutlery at events; planning food quantities carefully to minimize leftovers (or sending folks home with them!); shifting to digital bulletins, newsletters, and announcements; buying cleaning supplies in bulk with refillable containers; and conducting a waste audit to identify their biggest sources of waste.
Embrace the principle of reusing by hosting seasonal "swap meets" for baby gear, sports equipment, or school supplies, swapping to reusable ink cartridges, and buying refurbished electronics and office equipment.
Improve recycling habits by setting up clearly labeled recycling and composting bins alongside trash bins, partnering with e-waste programs for old computers and batteries, collecting used ink cartridges for specialized recyclers, and properly disposing of old refrigerators, freezers, air conditioners, and dehumidifiers - appliances that, if discarded incorrectly, can leak potent greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. Depending on local programs, congregations can even be financially rewarded for properly disposing of refrigerant appliances.
4. Install Electric Vehicle (EV) charging ports
Transportation is the highest-emitting sector of the U.S. economy. Installing EV charging ports helps address this challenge. The Reform Movement Marketplace offers discounted resources for congregations interested in installing EV charging ports.
5. Install solar panels
Congregations can reduce their environmental impact and save - or even make - money by installing solar panels. The panels generate free electricity from sunlight, reducing how much the congregation buys from their utility. When the panels produce more electricity than the building is using (common on sunny weekdays when the building sits empty), the excess flows back to the grid. The utility tracks that contribution and subtracts it from future bills - like a store credit applied automatically at checkout. Over time, this can dramatically reduce energy spending.
6. Install water-saving fixtures
As climate change continues to destabilize ecosystems and worsen drought conditions, particularly in the Western United States and Canada, there is a growing need to use water more efficiently. Because congregations often have high, intermittent water usage (Shabbat services, holidays, religious school, and events), the most effective upgrades are ones that reduce flow automatically without requiring behavior change.
Congregations improve their water-saving by installing low-flow faucet aerators that mix air into water to reduce flow without sacrificing pressure, installing sensor faucets, upgrading to dual-flush toilets or ultra-low-flow toilets, and replacing sprinkler systems with drip irrigation or other smart irrigation systems. You can find products that meet the EPA's specifications for water efficiency and performance by using this database to find WaterSense products.
7. Advocate for environmental protections
Faith communities bring a powerful voice to the fight for environmentally responsible policy at the local, state, and federal levels. Check out the RAC's environment and climate change page to urge Congress to protect the environment. The RAC's state campaigns - including RAC-NY - have been highly effective, uniting interfaith and secular partners to press elected officials for action. The RAC's legislative team also supports all communities by providing resources for local climate advocacy. Beyond policy work, congregations can establish green teams to lead efforts to reduce their environmental impact.
8. Eat Jewishly and Environmentally
As Jews, we know that eating together can be a profound opportunity to create joy and build community. But as animal agriculture (especially beef production) contributes significantly to global greenhouse gas emissions, it can be helpful to integrate alternatives. Consider serving fewer animal products at synagogue events and be sure to include vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, and dairy-free alternatives for those with dietary restrictions. Discover other ways to eat sustainably, such as planting a synagogue garden or buying from local farmers.
9. Integrate sustainability with holidays and religious school education
Environmental concern deeply resonates with younger Jews searching for meaning and connection. Integrating these issues into religious school can cultivate a lasting love of Jewish tradition and the planet.
The Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life has resources for holidays and religious school education. Check out COEJL's Tu Bish'vat Haggadah, Rosh Hashanah reflection, Earth Justice Passover Haggadah, teen/adult lesson plan on protecting rainforests and Indigenous people, and other resources. For religious school, consider taking students on nature walks and caring for classroom plants, doing food origin projects that connect to ideas of eco-kashrut, and engaging in age-appropriate text studies that explore Judaism and the environment.
10. Invest Responsibly
In 2024, the Union for Reform Judaism (URJ) adopted a landmark resolution committing to address the climate crisis through investment strategies. The resolution is rooted in our faith tradition of caring for the earth that sustains us and encourages all Reform Jewish Movement entities and congregations with financial investments to implement a strategic combination of fossil fuel divestment, shareholder engagement, and redirection of financial holdings.
While no congregation, clergy, or congregant is bound by the positions adopted in URJ resolutions, the RAC has developed a conversation guide that communities interested in reviewing their investments can use when talking with their financial managers.
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