In B’reshit, on the first day, God says “Let there be light.” And there was morning and there was evening, one day. Soon we will be reading that familiar and evocative text as we do every year around this time.
Looking back, what does this have to do with our community’s energy profile? In 2007 Sister Joan Brown of NM Interfaith Power and Light came to visit Nahalat Shalom bearing loads of new energy-efficient light bulbs. Our forward-looking Va’ad and membership embraced this challenge of improving our energy practices.
The Ner Tamid is the light that is always illuminated above the bimah. Elisa Segal Friedmann and her family were inspired to create the first solar-powered Ner Tamid through a family mitzvah project to honor her Bat Mitzvah in 2008. Ellie’s whole family took a solarization class with longtime member and solar engineer Marlene Brown. Utilizing donated solar panels Marg Elliston had in a garage and two car batteries, a small solar PV system was designed, set up, and installed on our roof to power the Ner Tamid, invoking the Divine light.
Tikkun Olam, our duty to repair the earth, has guided our community energy practices, and we have attended to our water use, heating and cooling, waste practices, and other issues of coexistence. The Ner Tamid expressed our intent to illuminate our space with sunpower, and through the generous bequest of beloved member Andy Moss, in 2020 we were able to expand our solar array with the installation of twenty panels on our roof. They have already cut down greatly on our electric bills, and we plan to keep making changes to move towards 100% offset.
Recently some photos of our panels were taken to become part of a campaign to encourage faith communities to go solar and make other energy improvements with help from federal legislation. Also featured in the photos are Hershel and Esteban with the exquisite portico recently built with Andy’s loving bequest. Many members have contributed to living our intentions for Tikkun Olam, and many thanks go to Myra Segal, Marlene Brown, Marg Elliston, Chuck Buxbaum, Erwin Melis, Hershel Weiss, and Esteban Rael for their focused efforts to sun-power our lights. Dena Palley created our evershining Ner Tamid, commissioned by Tova Indritz.
Looking ahead to the New Year and the ongoing Turning of everything, we know that every step we take to make choices that improve our energy profile will make a positive difference. Our beautiful Ner Tamid evokes the Divine energy that is always there to shine a light in the darkness, as well as the spirit of the community working together to manifest that light.
Judy Brown
Nahalat Shalom member
Board member, NM Interfaith Power and Light
Elul 5784
Sept 25, 2024