Caring for the Earth
As a sacred community we believe it is essential that we take steps to preserve and protect the Earth for future generations. Care for the environment is a central principle in Judaism. At Ohavi Zedek we have taken that principle and put it into concrete action.
Part of Ohavi Zedek’s 195 panel solar array.
Solar Panels
In 2014 Ohavi Zedek installed a 52.65 KW solar photovoltaic system on the roof of our facility. The system consists of 195 solar panels and is expected to generate over 50% of the electricity used by the Synagogue over the course of a year, resulting in a huge reduction in our community’s carbon footprint.
Land Stewardship
Ohavi Zedek manages around five acres of undeveloped land as an essential wooded “urban wilds” in Burlington. The land serves as an important wildlife corridor, as well as a natural playscape for our preschool and Hebrew School students. Community members are also invited to enjoy our trails and breathe in forest air, right in downtown Burlington.
Compost Program
In an effort to live into our collective roles as “shomrei adamah” (stewards of the earth), we design our events to be as little to no-waste as possible. We use all compostable materials and run a small composting system behind our kitchen for food scraps.