A significant part of the campaign will include helping congregations, Jewish institutions, and individuals purchase and install 'energy-efficient', 'cost-effective' compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs during the week of Hanukkah 2006, as part of moving the Jewish community and the country forward in its understanding and support of energy conservation.

How to order Compact Fluorescent Bulbs:

COEJL has brochures that contain all the basic information on the program, global warming, the Jewish responsibility to act and an order form for the CFLs. They send these brochures out, free of charge, to participating congregations and institutions. In turn, these brochures should be given out to each family unit so that they can educate themselves and decide if and how many light bulbs to order. Some congregations have already requested an expanded order form, so now there is an addendum if congregations would like to offer a greater variety of light bulbs.

Congregants fill out the order forms and write a check for the full amount of the order made out to the synagogue.  The synagogue then collects the members' orders until approximately two weeks before Hanukkah at which point one large order is made using the synagogue credit card.  The ordering goes through a company called bulbs.com.  We have already secured an incredible discount on the bulbs and have finalized the logistics to allow each synagogue to take care of its own ordering.

There are two reasons why we suggest that the ordering go through the synagogue.  The first is simple - it is economically efficient. bulbs.com charges a flat shipping rate of $7.90 - if each family were to order, they would each have to pay $7.90.  This way, shipping costs are minimal. More importantly, this campaign is not only about changing a light bulb. Yes, we hope that people are inspired by this campaign to change their lighting fixtures, but it is not just about individual action.  This campaign is bringing together the Jewish community at large.  We are all changing light bulbs as members of a globally responsible community.  To make this happen, we hope that the synagogue is the source and center of this campaign.

Congregations can download the Order Form here.

To order brochures or place your congregational order for bulbs contact:
Liore Milgrom-Elcott
COEJL Climate Change Campaign
116 East 27th Street, 10th Floor, New York, NY  10016
212.532.7436  climatechange@coejl.org

For more information visit: www.coejl.org/climatechange or contact climatechange@coejl.org.

For more information on JRF's involvement in this initiative please contact Rabbi Shawn Zevit, Director of Outreach, External Affairs and Tikkun Olam at SZevit@jrf.org.

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