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A Green Chanukah
Great tips for making this year’s holiday environmentally-friendly.
Ellen Spokes
Photography by Ryan Murray
Bring some green into your Chanukah celebration this year! Not the color but the concept of environmental awareness and conservation. Although the term “green” recently has been associated with the fall harvest holiday of Sukkot, there is no reason why other Jewish holidays can’t be green too!
The eight-day “Festival of Lights,” which begins this year on the evening of the 24th of Kislev, the 21st of December, is also the holiday of rededication and renewal, and gives us an opportunity to introduce “green” into our lifestyles, suggests Rabbi Nina Beth Cardin, founder and director of the Baltimore Jewish Environmental Network, whose mission is to “green” Baltimore Jewry.
Green Lights
Falling during one of the darkest times of the year, resulting in more household energy usage for lighting and heat, Chanukah is a logical time of year to begin to conserve and “green” your household.
“Reflect on the story of Chanukah and the miracle of the oil that was supposed to last only a day, but lasted eight, and use it as a lesson in conservation,” suggests Leah Wacks, wildlife ecologist at Kayam Farm at the Pearlstone Conference and Retreat Center. “Think about how far you can stretch what you have,” she adds.
If you display a chanukiah in your window, use the CFL (compact florescent bulbs) candelabra bulbs, suggests Ricky Gratz, a member of BJEN, and Sarah Gratz, both Chizuk Amuno Congregation members. “Make an effort to turn away from electronics and, instead, enjoy the light of the menorah and spend the nights of Chanukah focusing on family. Use the opportunity to rededicate yourselves to making small changes in the way your family uses energy,” he adds.
Conducting a household energy audit is a great way to begin, suggests Rabbi Cardin. Installing programmable thermostats, motion-sensor lights and converting lights to the energy efficient CFLs are all ways to save energy. The two biggest energy consumers in the house are the refrigerator and the air conditioning; if there are two refrigerators or freezers in your home, use the second only as needed and keep it unplugged the rest of the time. Closely examine your family’s use of electronics and how many rooms are occupied and how many lights are on in each room.
Chanukah, notes Rabbi Cardin, is the perfect time to evaluate your family’s carbon footprint and ways to lessen its impact on the earth.
Eco-Friendly Gift Giving
In addition to striving to conserve, there are numerous ways to share an appreciation for “green” in choosing gifts that can make a positive impact on the environment. CFLs are a practical option and the Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life (COEJL) has bulk pricing on them as a part of their “A Light Among Nations: How Many Jews Does it Take to Change a Lightbulb?” campaign which began in 2006.
If CFLs are not appealing, there are myriad ways to give a “green” gift to those you love this year. COEJL has an entire Web page with eco-friendly gifts for the Festival of Lights. Some of the suggestions include giving tickets to a botanical garden, investing in renewable energy, purchasing carbon offsets and planting a tree in Israel.
COEJL also suggests giving “fair trade” products to celebrate the holiday. These items have been produced in countries that emphasize fair value return, environmental protection, human and workers’ rights.
Try spinning a hand-painted driedel made from Buffalo bone from Nepal sold by Asian World Markets. An entire fair trade Chanukah gift basket is available from San Francisco-based Global Exchange and includes a hand painted menorah from El Salvador, a pack of hand-dipped beeswax menorah candles, kosher chocolate Chanukah gelt, a set of note cards created by Ethiopian Jews from Israel, kippot crocheted by weavers from the Guatemala Highlands, 12-ounce Global Giving Uganda Light Coffee and a Shalom Banner created by artisans in Mexico.
Local Latkes
Like so many Jewish holidays, Chanukah is associated with food latkes and applesauce, to be specific. To infuse a bit of green into your holiday menu, Casey Yurow, education director of Kayam Farm, suggests “making an intentional effort to get seasonal food, such as potatoes, apples and root vegetables, from local farms.” The Baltimore Farmer’s Market (under the JFX, open on Sundays until Dec. 21), the Waverly Market (open on Saturday mornings all year) and local food markets are often good resources for locally grown produce.
Jerusalem artichokes, or sunchokes, a crunchy root vegetable with an appearance similar to ginger that tastes like a cross between an apple and potato, are in abundance right now and can be used to make latkes.
Jerusalem Artichoke Latkes
- 1 1/2 lbs organic Jerusalem artichokes, parboiled for 1 minute (for easier digestion), drained and shredded
- 1 lb organic baking potatoes, shredded
- 1 large organic carrot, shredded
1. Use the shredder blade of a food processor (or a hand-grater) to quickly shred the artichokes, potato and carrot. Place in large bowl and toss gently to combine.
2. Add flour, salt and pepper to mixture. If using 8-day latke ingredients (see below), add at this time. Toss gently to combine. Add egg and egg white and stir until just combined.
3. Heat about a Tbsp of oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Spoon latke mixture into hot oil and cook.
Yield: 18 latkes
Optional: 8-day latkes- they’ll keep you burning for eight days!
- 1 habanero pepper (or equivalent), minced (for latkes that keep you burning for just one day, omit this pepper)
- 1 jalapeño pepper, minced
- 2 tsps ground coriander
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1/8 cup chopped cilantro
- 2 Tbsp lime juice
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
Recipe adapted from Becca Weaver, Kayam Farm at Pearlstone
Resource Guide For A Green Chanukah
Baltimore Jewish Environmental Network (BJEN)
COEJL’s Green Gift Guide
Fair Trade Judaica
The Daily Green
For ideas for a home energy audit, check the Department of Energy Web site
Maryland Farmers Markets
Do Your Part
Show your commitment to the environment by displaying green LED bulbs in your electric window menorah as part of “Give a Green Light for Chanukah.” Sponsored by The Associated: Jewish Federation of Baltimore, BJEN, BG&E and Greater Washington Interfaith Power and Light, the program is designed to encourage families to reduce their energy consumption by 8 percent.
In addition, energy reduction kits will be available at both JCCs on Dec. 16 and 17 between 4-6 p.m. To get your free kit, donate one of the following: bandages, garbage bags, kosher breakfast bars or kosher canned food. These will be included in emergency preparedness kits, which will be given to
community seniors.
