As Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year is celebrated, I hope many more synagogues and Jewish Community Centers in America will install solar panels on their roofs and grounds this year.
Congregation Beth Shalom of the Blue Hills (Milton, MA)
"Light serves as one of most prominent motifs in the torah, and illuminates every holiday with traditional lighting of the candles. It serves as a symbol of guidance, resilience and spiritual kinship"
The installation of solar panels on synagogues roofs represents a powerful symbol for congregations, local communities, and the Jewish community that synagogues can rely on the sun for lighting and energy, removing the need for oil and gas.
There is a concept in Judaism called Tikkun Olam, which refers to acts intended to repair and improve the world. Solar energy is an example of Tikkun Olam. It would be beautiful if far more synagogues can reap their energy from the sun’s light.
In addition to setting a positive climate example in the community, solar supports energy independence and contributes to making the world more peaceful .There are around fifty synagogues in America with solar arrays today. Hopefully, this will increase to over five-hundred synagogues over the next few years.
Five hundred synagogues represents one-sixth of all of the synagogues and Jewish Community Centers in America.
Shahah Tovah! To more solar shuls.
Listing of Solar Synagogues IN America, AS of 2019
