Congregation For Humanistic Judaism of Fairfield County, Connecticut. Newspaper Articles. Social Action

Helping the community, or "doing Mitzvot" (good deeds), is a cherished Jewish tradition. Each year the congregation allocates funds to further the work of worthwhile charitable organizations recommended by the Social Action Comitee. We also promote social awareness by inviting speakers from charitable or progressive groups. CHJ members are active in the effort to stop the genocide in Darfur. We attended the September 17 2006 rally in Central Park and the April 30, 2006 rally on the National Mall in Washington, DC. In December, CHJ participated in a Weekend of Conscience. In the photo below, Lucy Katz talks to the Sunday School students and their parents about the genocide in Darfur and what steps they can take to help stop it. CHJ supports the Communities United to Save Darfur Program. Communities United is a network of groups located in cities and towns across the country dedicated to stopping the genocide in Darfur. Groups in Communities United represent a diverse mix of students, professionals, and people of faith, all of whom have joined together to advocate for the people of Darfur and educate their communities.The emergency in Sudan’s western region of Darfur presents the starkest challenge to the world since the Rwanda genocide in 1994. Tens of thousands have died. Well over a million people have been driven from their homes. The U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum has issued its first ever genocide emergency.
	www.iabolish.com ♦ www.jfact/darfur ♦ www.savedarfur.org

CHJ member Relly Coleman started "Books for Zim" through which books are donated to the Jewish Lemba tribe of Zimbabwe. On May 14 the U.S. Postal Service eliminated International Surface Mail (M-Bag). This is the method used extensively by book donation programs supporting many rural schools and communities around the world. It is how our own Books-for-Zim shipped books to Zimbabwe.

Support Affordable Overseas Shipping for Books for Zim
Please sign the petition to Restore Low Rate Shipping for Humanitarian Purposes:
http://www.petitiononline.com/zikomo/petition.html

USPS now offers airmail service only, which has tripled (or even quadrupled) the cost of shipping items overseas. Many projects have already shut down other had to considerably scale back operations. The increase has affected non-profits, universities, libraries, schools, churches and synagogues, youth groups, Peace Corps, exchange students and teachers, and private individuals.
The "Coalition to Restore Low Rate Shipping for Humanitarian Purposes" is compiling a list of non-profits, other concerned groups and individuals who are protesting the elimination of International Surface Mail. This list will be sent to the Board of Governors of USPS as well as to Congressman Henry Waxman (D-CA), the Chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, which oversees USPS.

Barbara Gardner, President of Darien Book Aid, receives stacks of books from CHJ members Kim and Laura Snow, May 2005. The donation was one of the community service activities performed by Humanistic Judaism congregations throughout the U.S. during the month of May. Darien Book Aid distributes books to needy children in the U.S. and abroad.

Not just for Chanukah... Environmentally Gifts to Give for any Occasion

CHJer Joan Shaw tells the Sunday School children about CFL bulbs. Each child got a bulb to bring home.

1. Reusable items: cloth napkins and napkin holders travel mugs.

2. Candles - lots of them – to symbolize alternative energy

3. A supply of CFL long-life light bulbs.

4. The DVD “An Inconvenient Truth.” Invite friends and family over to watch it.

5. A donation to an environmental organization or other charity. Adopt an animal through the Heifer fund, plant an acre of rain forest, or plant a tree, in honor of someone.

6. A set amount of Hanukkah gelt; for example, money, to your children that they must donate to a charity of their choice. A great way to teach the habit of Tzedakah.

7. Something of yours that you no longer use. Re-gifting = recyling! Even better, at any gathering, plan a recycling gift exchange.

8. A “certificate” for your time: child care to a young family, yard work for an older couple, cooking a special meal, dog-walking or pet-sitting, a “day-off” for an overworked, overstressed friend or relative.

Elise Sullivan shows her mom, Lisa, the compact fluorescent light bulb she was given.

Our volunteers have labored at environmental cleanups, community projects, and soup kitchens. For the 2007-2008 year, the congregational theme once again is the Environment. For Chanukah last year, CHJ joined other congregations in supporting the Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life to encourage families to switch to compact fluorescent light bulbs, or CFLs, which consume 75 percent less energy than the traditional kind.

Here are 8 actions you can take to conserve energy.

Send e-cards, or make your own.
Use recycled paper: napkins, paper towels; gift-wrap; stationary.
Turn the heat and hot water temp down a few degrees.
Change to CFL long-life light bulbs.
Use the cold water rinse cycle on the washing machine
Do your own home energy-audit and tighten or plug up drafty windows and doors. Heavy duty plastic or pillows can do a lot to keep the heat indoors. A good activity for families.

Measure your Co2 footprint to determine your own carbon dioxide emissions. Go to http://www.safeclimate.net/calculator/ and take the simple quiz.
Make a long range plan to save energy. Plan to drive less. Carpool, walk, ride a bike. Consolidate errands. Buy a hybrid car, insulating drapes, a new furnace, or tune up the old one. Replace an outdoor light fixture with one that has a motion-detector, to minimize unnecessary use.

Got more and better ideas? Post them on the listserver, and watch your email for more information and sources. And remember: reuse, recycle, renew.