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This past week, many of us at our seders recited the blessing over karpas, or, “fruit of the earth,” often represented by parsley. And, 6 months ago, many of us spent time in a sukkah so that we could be more in touch with our environment and engage with our fall harvest holiday. A few weeks from now we will read in the Torah how it is not only humans that are commanded to celebrate Shabbat, but every seven years we are supposed to let the land lay fallow for a year and have its own Shabbat.

In so many ways, Judaism acknowledges our relationship to our planet and environment. In the creation story, Adam and Eve are commanded to “tend and till” the earth. From our very beginning, we are tasked with being the earth’s stewards.

Our technological world often separates us from nature. We spend more time indoors, we procure our food from fluorescent, sterile grocery stores; our kids often spend more time on screens than playing outside. On vacations that have brought me in touch with grand works of nature, I often ask myself, “Why don’t I spend more time outdoors?”

This out of touchness has led humanity to be neglectful caretakers of our planet. If we want to get back to our original mandate to be good garden keepers, one need look no further than our sacred texts and our practices here at Sinai. You may have noticed our migration to recycling and composting, and that we installed solar panels last year which makes a real difference in how we harness energy for our facility.

Our Shomrei Adamah committee has placed the care and keeping of Earth at the center of their Sinai experience. They envision a planet treated with respect, dedicated care, and honor, and lead our congregation to adopt Earth-friendly practices. This Friday night in honor of Earth Day, we will offer a blessing for them and our planet. I hope you’ll join us both for Shabbat and participate in our ongoing efforts to work for the betterment of our precious planet.

Shabbat shalom,

Beth