THE NOAH PROJECT is a focus for Jews to take environmental action in the UK today We promote responsibility throughout the community through celebration of festivals and practical action projects.
We provide information and also produce a range of environmental materials for adults and children including "An Omer for the Earth" and a special leaflet to mark Shabbat Noach each year.
We celebrate the connections between the rhythms of the earth and the Shabbat and festival cycle with our Tu B'Shvat Sedarim and Shavuot and Hashanah Rabbah nature walks.
We co-ordinate hands-on practical action projects as well as political action to promote the care of the environment. We add a Jewish voice to the secular and interfaith environmental movements. Look at My creations! See how beautiful and perfect they are! For your sake I created them all. Do not desolate and corrupt My world, for if you corrupt it there is no one to
set it right after you. Ecclesiastes Rabbah The Noah Project is a UK based Jewish environmental organisation committed to raising awareness of
environmental issues throughout the Jewish community through education, celebration of Jewish festivals and practical action projects. Building a national network through synagogues and other communal organisations, we
promote Jewish values and teachings relating to the protection of the environment. We encourage fellow Jews to take a lead in environmental responsibility, and add a Jewish voice to the secular and interfaith
environmental movements. The idea of a Jewish environment group was conceived at an interfaith service at the Newbury Bypass Protest in March 1996. By autumn 1997 a working committee had formed and produced an
Education Resource Pack. That year Noah Project groups in Birmingham and in Manchester were formed and in January 1998 the London Noah Project held an official launch with prominent environmentalists speaking about the
inspiration behind their commitment to environmental responsibility. Jewish Education
- projects have included a visit to Rabbi Jonathan Black's 'underground' house, a panel discussion on GM foods, regular monthly columns in the London Jewish News and 'the Jewish vegetarian', participation in Channel 5's 'The Agony Hour' programme on Religion and the Environment and continued work on a 'Greening the Synagogue Guide'.
Jewish Celebration
— events have included a Shavuot 'Adamah walk' on Hampstead Heath, a Hoshanah Rabbah walk in the once threatened Oxleas Wood, a Tu B'Shevat Seder in Wimbledon, and the publication of 'Omer for the Earth' — linking the counting of the Omer with day-to-day environmental solutions.
Practical Action
— Together with BTCV (British Trust for Conservation Volunteers) — clearing the site of an ancient monument to increase light, improve the biodiversity of the area and encourage butterflies. The Noah Project is an independent, non-profit making project, run by volunteers and funded solely by donations. We encourage the active involvement of our supporters who receive a quarterly newsletter and notification of all events. In keeping with Jewish teaching we give around 10% of our annual proceeds to environmental tzedakah projects.
To view our supporters, please click here. |
