A Profusion of (Jewish) Greenery

JTA has just announced its first annual Green Beanie competition competition

to find the most innovative or impactful green initiatives at Jewish organizations and synagogues around the globe. Submissions can be made online until Friday, January 23rd. All you need to provide is a few paragraphs on your initiative, and you can also inlcude links to photos or video.
Entries will be evaluated by Nigel Savage and Barbara Lerman-Golomb from Hazon, Nina Beth Cardin from the Coaltion for the Environment and Jewish Life (COEJL), and Adam Berman from the Isabella Freedman Jewish Retreat Center.

Go on ... enter your local synagogue bike rack, CFL bulb program, or the like!

Registration for the Hazon Heschel hike closes soon.

• Enjoy a 4-day walk through along the Shvil Yisrael (Israel's national hiking trail)
• Visit Mount Tabor, Nazareth, Atlit, and end at the Mediterranean Sea
• En-route education about Israel's history, geography, and environment
• Read a report on the Hike from 2008 Hiker Mirele Goldsmith

Registration Closes January 15. Flights to Israel are now under $900. Check out the new fee structure here. Interested in coming on the Hike? Talk to Hike Chair Mirele Goldsmith - Join us for a conference call on January 12th or 14th at 8 pm (EST) Dial 1-517-417-5000 and use the Access Code 716549

The Jew & The Carrot: Hazon's Blog on Food, Jews & Contemporary Life is moving to an all-volunteer model. If you are interested in being an editor or writer, then please volunteer for JCarrot - deadline extended to Jan 16.

Prices rise on January 16th... Register Today for this year's New York Jewish Environmental Bike Ride, Labor Day Weekend, September 4-7, 2009. Watch the 3-minute highlight video from 2008 NY Ride (and watch out for me, riding my recumbent, in a couple of the shots).

Earn college credits studying the environment in Israel this summer. The Arava Institute for Environmental Studies is offering a four credit, interdisciplinary summer course entitled Israel and the Environment: Development Challenges in a Desert Environment. The Summer Course 2009 will be held from June 28 to July 24, 2009 at the Arava Institute, which is located on Kibbutz Ketura in the quiet Arava Valley of Israel. More details here.