REFLECTION: A Birthday Gift to be Treasured

On the evening of September 20^th, the Jewish community will celebrate Rosh Hashanah, the start of the year 5778 on the Hebrew calendar. Rosh Hashanah is both the beginning of a period of introspection culminating in Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, as well as a celebration of the birth of the world. Inspired by that thought, some twenty members of Adat Shalom Reconstructionist Congregation in Bethesda, Maryland recently undertook an eco-service mission at the Jug Bay Wetlands Sanctuary on the Patuxent River south of Annapolis. At a time when Jews reflect on the birth of the world -- this amazing gift from our Creator -- it is fitting to remember our time out on Jug Bay and the ecological wonder that it is.

Our mission day started with a teaching session by Rabbi Julie Gordon that emphasized the need to actively work to protect and nourish our “birthday gift”. None of us are exempt from that mandate. It is our moral duty to be stewards of this Earth so that its bounty is equitably shared with all living beings. As the Rosh Hashanah liturgy notes, when the Day of Judgment arrives, “none will be exempt from justice’s eyes.”

The staff at Jug Bay Wetlands Sanctuary started the day’s activities with an excellent overview of the important role the Sanctuary has in protecting the region’s water quality and as a resting place for many migrating birds. The use of the word "Sanctuary" here is tremendously fitting -- a gathering place of all that is right and good, giving honor to the beauty of Creation. After our orientation, Adat Shalom volunteers removed invasive, non-native grasses that are clogging the Sanctuary’s waterways. After a lunch break, we went on a guided canoe trip on the Patuxent River. It was a potent combination of learning new things, being challenged to see the world around us differently, and taking action to help restore healing to the watershed.

Eco-service missions have become a regular and well-supported feature of Adat Shalom’s ongoing social action calendar. This mission was a meaningful reminder that there are no geographical boundaries to our acting as agents of change - we can do it on a hurricane-ravaged Caribbean island or we can do it in the shadow of our national's capitol. If you are interested in learning more about this wonderful location and the good work that they do, check them out at: jugbay.org. I, and the staff of Interfaith Partners for the Chesapeake, would also be more than happy to discuss how to replicate this experience at your congregation in your watershed. You can email me at [email protected], or email Kolya Braun-Greiner, IPC's Religious Educator at [email protected]. 

Bill Halpern
Member of IPC's Board of Trustees
Adat Shalom Reconstructionist Congregation of Bethesda

---

Faith Leaders Speak Out

Several faith leaders are elevating the moral perspective on national issues relating to the environment. Faith leaders from New York, Pennsylvania and Maryland met with US Senators and Representatives on September 6th about the importance of sustaining Chesapeake Bay funding in the FY 2018 Budget. On September 12th, Interfaith Partners for the Chesapeake and several other organizations led a prayer service followed by advocacy meetings on Capitol Hill. And on September 18th, several faith leaders from the Eastern Shore, including the Episcopal Canon to the Ordinary Rev. Patrick Collins, are meeting with US Representative Andy Harris' office to discuss the importance of maintaining full funding of Chesapeake Bay restoration in the national budget. 

As faithful stewards and informed citizens, we have a responsibility to engage in public discourse and meet with our elected representatives. The faith leaders who have been engaging in this action are critically important to the work of Interfaith Partners for the Chesapeake and we thank them for taking their time to prepare for and participate in these meetings. 

---

New Stormwater Remediation Fee Regulations

The Baltimore City Department of Public Works has updated the Stormwater Remediation Fee Regulations, which was a joint effort between the Department and DPW’s Stormwater Advisory Committee (SWAC). IPC was an appointed member of SWAC and was integral in keeping the faith voice front and center as regulatory changes were being recommended. The new regulations are now in effect and can have significant impact for congregations and your individual members. They are posted on the DPW website under “Stormwater Fee”.

A few changes to highlight:

• Tax-exempt veterans' organizations are exempt from paying the stormwater fee;
• Charitable, nonprofit organizations may be eligible for a hardship exemption if they can show a financial hardship and have an approved Alternative Compliance Plan;
• Streets in cemeteries that are privately maintained and open to the public are exempt;
• The number of volunteer hours needed to receive a $10 Participation Event credit has been reduced to 4 hours
• Rain barrels (of at least 50 gallon capacity) are now eligible for a one-time $25 credit
• The credit for trees has been increased from $3 to $5 (min. two trees planted)

Feel free to contact Mark Cameron at DPW [email protected] (410) 396-0732 Cell: (410) 215-1961 or Bonnie Sorak at [email protected]  to see how you can take advantage of these changes or if you have any questions.

---

We Can See Clearly Now: Visions Established for Positive Actions in Jones Falls 

Congratulations to St. Ignatius Catholic Church, Har Sinai, Chizuk Amuno and Beth Am volunteers who joined us for a Visioning Session on September 10th. Now they know which actions they want to take in order to make improvements in their local watershed. Check out what you might do at your congregation by Clicking HERE for our full Menu of Actions.  Email Bonnie Sorakor call her at 443-799-0349 for the details. Fill out this brief interest form and we'll follow up to schedule a conversation on your congregation's interests and capacity.