NEWS & PRESS

January 20, 2009

Honor B’nei Mitzvah and TBT Going Green
-Julie Buffington Rizner

As my son Jonathan and I explored our options for decorating the bema for his becoming Bar Mitzvah, we were feeling just a little stuck.  Our desire was to accomplish hidur mitzvah- beautifying the mitzvah... We were inspired by the autumn beauty and wanting to bring the outdoors into the sanctuary, when together we had that aha! moment.  Let’s buy some beautiful shrubs and plants that cannot only be arranged on the bema, but can then be planted at TBT to give lasting beauty! The idea had energy and grew.  
 
We realized that we needed some professional advice on planting.  Immediately I thought of a talented and lovely congregant and landscape designer, Meeka Asayag of Namaste Garden Environments, whom I met a couple of years ago during a Family Day of Social Action here at TBT.  Meeka had generously donated her time and expertise to direct family “crews” in preparing and planting a garden in TBT’s back yard.  Some of you may remember that warm, sunny, beautiful spring day.  Meeka was so excited when I called her because she has wanted to design and plant gardens at TBT for some time.  Naturally, a landscape designer’s eye is sensitive to our outdoor space and sees what it needs.  She drove right over and we studied the space my son had chosen.  After offering to draw a garden plan, shop with us, and do the planting, her eyes lit up!  The landscape plan could work as a “registry” whereby other TBT families could purchase plants listed on the plan for their simcha.  In this way, all congregants could contribute to the greening effort underway at TBT while enhancing the appearance.   
 
Why greening?  Because cut flower arrangements beautify the bema, however their beauty fades quickly. By adding potted trees, shrubs and perennials, we not only beautify the bema in an eco chic way, we are adding something sustainable to the temple grounds.  This in turn not only creates a lasting experience during all seasons but creates a green space in our environment.  By planting beds, we are mowing less lawn and thus using less gas to sustain the mowers and cutting back on pollution in the environment.  In addition, by planting a healthy mix of perennials, grasses and flowers shrubs, we are creating a polyculture of plantings in order to sustain the ever-depleting bee colonies.  Adding to the garden on a seasonal basis helps us maintain a garden that is blooming month after month. ...

— excerpted from Alenu, November/ December 2008

Download the Full Article and Newletter from Temple Beth Torah

November 17, 2008

A Day of Service for Ourselves and Our Community
by Julie Marshall, Social Action Committee

On Sunday, April 22nd, Temple Beth Torah families swarmed into the synagogue with smiles on their faces and industry in their hearts, to participate in Celebrate TBT– a day devoted to service and self-help, demon strating Rabbi Hillel’s axiom: “If I am not for myself, who will be for me? If I am for myself alone, what am I? And if not now, when? ...

The bulk of the day was devoted to project work — including starting a Meditation Garden, making stepping stones for the garden, Sukkah decorating, outdoor and kitchen clean-ups, a mezuzah and tzedakah workshop, a tallit workshop, library organization and clean-up, Torah maintenance, college care packages, window washing, a greening team, and other activities dedicated to helping our environment. ...

Outside, in the Sukkah, Lauren Rothstein was painting an orange curlicue border on a canvas for decoration. “I thought the color would look nice,” Lauren said. “I thought it would stand out.” Lauren’s mother, Mia, was able to obtain free paint from Paley Paint and Sherwin Williams. “I just asked them!,” Mia said. Judy Levy said the younger kids were making free-form designs, and the older ones were doing things like leaves, trees, etrov and lulag decoration. Outside, gardeners were transforming the area where the old swimming pool was sited, into a mediation garden. Meeka Asayag, from Namaste Garden Environments, and Ken Levitt, were loading rich dirt into a wheelbarrow from the back of a truck. Meeka said they’d be planting shrubs, perennials, and a tree. Nina Lazar said she hoped it would give people a special place to go and reflect, to have some “quiet time.”

Sara Tucker showed a rapt audience of children how to plant a tuber — a dahlia, asking questions like, “what does a flower need to grow,” and murmurs of“worms” met with her approval. “That makes the soil really rich.” ...

— excerpted from Alenu, June 2007

Download the Full Article and Newletter from Temple Beth Torah

April 10, 2008

Going Green Event on Sunday

A shop called The Outside in Piermont is hosting a “Going Green” event on Sunday afternoon. The owners are Joe Serra and Bill Walsh.

My friend and colleague Mary Shustack says “It’s an old-fashioned shop with a focus on nature – they have all kinds of art and artwork – and a big garden section/greenhouse with space in the back for art gallery-receptions.” I haven’t been yet, but Mary paid them a visit earlier this year for her Just Browsing blog. Here’s a link.

“Come relax, meet local experts, and browse information on what it means to be green and how we can make our local communities safer. Snacks & refreshments from local chef Dawn Violano (Chefaliscious) will be served.

“Among the experts that will be on hand with information are:

Dr. Joan Gussow, Nutritionist & Author of “This Organic Life” – Sustainable food systems
Rose Marie Racciopi, Orangetown Environmental Committee – Making Rockland lawn care pesticide free
John McDowell, Rockland Farm Alliance – Biodynamic farming
Meeka Asayag, Landscape Designer, Namaste Gardens – 6 Step Healthy Lawn Program & Native Plantings
Brice Dorwart & Jay Kaplan, Arborists, Sav-a-Tree – Non-toxic pest control
plus other guests…

The OUTSIDE IN Piermont
249 Ferdon Avenue
Piermont, NY 10968
(845) 398-0706
Hours: Wed-Sun 11 – 6”

– from In The Garden, On Gardening with Bill Cary, LoHud.Com

 
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