Our Vision is the dream that drives us: Re-imagining Eden
Our Mission captures our purpose:
-- Working to Green Baltimore Jewry
-- Furthering the creation of policies, practices and behaviors that enable individuals and society to thrive while tending well to the earth.
-- Re-imagining the definition of a good life, a good community and a good economy in a spiritually fulfilling, socially just and environmentally sustainable manner
- Promoting an attitude of awe, appreciation, and stewardship toward creation within the Baltimore Jewish community.
Our Objectives are more concrete:
- To create and provide resources that promote and enhance a deep understanding of Jewish environmentalism
- To encourage increased advocacy for environmentally-sensitive values, behavior, legislation and public policy
- To mobilize the wisdom, energy and resources of the Jewish community to improve the condition of the local environment through individual and collective action.
Our History
BJEN was launched in October 2006 at an inaugural conference designed to engage the Baltimore Jewish community in the critical arena of environmental action. The conference was attended by 120 Jewish environmentalists with a broad array of skills, talents, knowledge and expertise: gardeners, lobbyists, engineers, educators, rabbis, and bold citizens.
In our first year, we created the Green Synagogue Handbook, catalyzed environmental initiatives throughout our community, partnered with national Jewish environmental organizations as well as local academic, interfaith and nature environmental organizations, and found a home within the Pearlstone Conference and Retreat Center.
On September 30, 2007, BJEN conducted its second annual community-wide environmental gathering, in cooperation with the Pearlstone Conference and Retreat Center, the Associated, the JCC Adult Services Department, the JCC camps, Jewish Big Brother/Big Sister League, Jewish Volunteer Connection, the Darrell Friedman Institute, Connections, and the Maryland League of Conservation Voters. Over 500 people came to Pearlstone on that beautiful Sukkot Sunday over the course of the six programming hours.
That was the kick-off to BJEN’s second programming year.
