Earth Day Shabbat and Kick Off of the Pause-the-Plastic Challenge

Our Green Maven blog, edited by Dayenu (climate action and environmental justice) Circle members Chris Wynn and Sharon Smaller, will give you ideas, information, resources, and things you can do to make this world a better place environmentally, tikkun olam. As a community, we can learn from each other, so we welcome your ideas and questions. Please share with us your successes in your endeavors to “go green.”

Happy spring! Earth Day is just around the corner. It’s officially on Tuesday, April 22, 2025, but the holiday is certainly not confined to one single day. The month of April offers a buffet of Earth Day events for you and your family to tap into.

At Beth Emet, our Dayenu Circle (green team) will offer a few key opportunities for you to celebrate and honor the Earth. This month’s blog also includes some Earth Day events happening in the larger nearby community that you won’t want to miss.

Here’s how we are celebrating Earth Day at Beth Emet:

Earth Day Shabbat on 4/18

Featuring guest speaker Representative Robyn Gabel, Majority Leader of the Illinois House of Representatives. She will highlight how Illinois is one of the nation’s leading states in addressing climate change and is standing up to the current administration’s environmental funding cutbacks and rolling back of programs. Also, Eli Coustan, ETHS senior, will talk about the Beth Emet composting program.  Stop by Dayenu’s info table during the oneg to find out more about reducing your use of plastic, especially single-use plastic.

On 4/18, we’ll also be kicking off our Pause-the-Plastic Challenge with a fun bingo game. The “actions” will give you 16 different ideas for living with less plastic. You can complete four actions across, down, or diagonally, and you can commit to completing the four actions for whatever length of time suits you: a week or the whole month. Once you have done your four actions, you’re eligible to enter a drawing for a gift basket filled with eco-friendly items. Simply turn in your card by taking a photo and sending an email to  bcwynn@sbcglobal.net  or smallersharon@gmail.com by 5/31. You can also drop off your card at the Beth Emet office at the side entrance. Here’s a link to the bingo card that you can print out at home! Click here.

• Sunday, April 27, from 4 to 5 pm, The 2^nd Annual Interfaith Prayer for the Planet in Raymond Park, Evanston. Rabbi London and Cantor Young will both be there helping to lead the outdoor service with clergy from across Evanston. Cantor Young will be performing some music at the beginning and conclusion of the brief program. The rain location is at St. Lukes Episcopal Church, 939 Hinman Evanston.)

A sampling of other events in the larger community:

• Check out Climate Action Evanston’s calendar in its April Newsletter for an array of Earth Day activities: Earth Month Calendar.
• Evanston is celebrating Earth Day at the Ladd Arboretum on 4/26/25 from

12 to 3 pm.

• Skokie is hosting the Music of the Earth as its Earth Day celebration on Sunday, 4/27, from 12 to 4 at the Emily Oaks Nature Center, 4650 Brummel St.
• Wilmette will be holding a spring clean-up at Elmwood Dunes Preseves on 4/19/25 from 9 to 11 am. Bring your own equipment: gloves, rakes, and/ or clippers. They will have donuts and coffee. For more offerings in Wilmette, go to Home – Go Green Wilmette