Hoosier Jews Till

1
Hoosier Jews Till Tend the Earth Conserving
Energy in Our Homes and Synagogues

• A Statewide Initiative

2
What Kehillot across Indiana Will Do

• Reduce energy use in synagogue by at least 25
  from their base year usage
• Engage a third of their households to reduce use
  by a seventh relative to an average Hoosier
  household
•  

3
Achievable? Quite!
SIX HOOSIER CONGREGATIONS Beth Shalom ECC STLC TEC UUB UUCI AVG.
House of Worship
Electricity reduced 23 34 35 17 25 47 29
Nat. gas reduced 35 28 1 17 16 43 37
Households
Total number 180 90 125 135 345 103 978
have met goal 35 33 33 TBD 34 53 34
Average reduction 22 28 22 TBD 30 30 26
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How do we reduce use by 25 to 40?Cut out
waste.

• Heat, cool , light people - not empty spaces
• Plug holes in exterior of building insulate
• Invest in technologies that use less energy
• Automatic controls turn items off when not in
  use
• Cost-effective lighting
• When replacing HVAC units, boilers, fridges

5
For example,
Monroe County Schools reduced their energy use by
35 almost solely by setting back their
thermostats!
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Achieving the Household Goal is Easy

• Quick simple survey to document achievement
• Sample household energy conservation pledge
• Info sheets posters provide guidance
• Many households will already have met the goal
• Builds kehilla

Synagogue youth weatherizing a retirees home
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How will the Hoosier Jews Till Tend team help
us succeed?

• Energy conservation tools technical support
• Guidance to mobilize our kehillot
• Individual support from a team member
• Peer support from other synagogue teams
• Simple accessible tools to measure progress

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Hoosier Jews Till Tend Tools
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The benefits are many...

• Lower utility bills for synagogue households
• Caring for creation together builds kehilla
• Serve as a model for Jews nationally for
  Hoosiers
• Fun and joyful
• Will attract major media attention

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Hamish Chanuka Kick-Off
Till Tend bulletin board
Selling CFLs
What it can look like... building kehilla
Training youth energy team
Well heal our Earth as worship of the Lord! (a
playful rendition of Adon Olam)
Board weatherizing each others homes
Youth caulking retirees homes
Dedication of solar panels