300 + 4000 23 COMMUNITIES
VOLUNTEERS
COUNTRIES
24,274
POUNDS APPROXIMATE AMOUNT OF DEBRIS REMOVED
Our mission is to share the spiritual wonders of water and the Sea from a Jewish perspective, promote interfaith harmony and cooperation, and raise awareness and encourage action to address the many threats facing the aquatic environment. As you read this report, we hope you will be inspired to join us, and the thousands of people who are part of the Jewish movement to Repair the Sea. Generous donations from people like programs like Reverse Tashlich possible.
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We appreciate any and all support you can give.
Thank you, The Repair the Sea Team
International Reverse Tashlich Communities
Armenia
England
Yerevan - Yerevan Jewish Home
London - Edgware and Hendon Reform Synagogue London - West London Synagogue London - Kol Nefesh Masorti Synagogue
Australia St. Kilda - Temple Beth Israel Sydney - Emanuel Synagogue Sydney - Jewish Sustainability Initiative
Georgia
Baku - Hillel Baku
Tblisi - Hillel Tblisi Tblisi - Progressive Judaism Center "Dor L'dor"
Belarus
Israel
Azerbajan
Minsk - Hillel Minsk
Brazil San Paulo - HALELU
Canada London - Jewish London Montreal - Aleph Canada Montreal - Temple Emmanuel Montreal - Federation West Island Montreal - Lev Shul Surrey - White Rock South Surrey JCC Jewish Federation
Netanya - Bet Israel Masorti Congregation of Netanya Bat Yam - Clean Beach Haifa - Moishe House Haifa Kalya - The Dead Sea Revival Project
Kenya Alliance for Development and Population Services
Mexico Nayarit - Moishe House Pod SF Duboce
Moldova Kishinev - Hillel Kishinev
Montenegro
Russia
Montenegro - Montenegro Jewish Home
Saint Petersburg - Hillel Saint Petersburg Saint Petersburg - Moishe House Saint Petersburg
New Zealand
Auckland - Auckland Hebrew Serbia Congregation Auckland - Beth Shalom Belgrade - Jevrejski Omladinski Auckland - Bnei Akiva Klub Beograd Auckland - Canterbury Hebrew Belgrade - Moishe Pod Belgrade Congregation Bezdan - Jewish Community Auckland - Habonim Dror of Bezdan Auckland - Moishe House Auckland South Africa Auckland - Tikkun HaYam Cape Town - Temple Israel New Zealand Hamilton - Waikato Uganda Jewish Association Mbale - Namanyonyi Jewish Wellington - Temple Sinai Community
Palau Koror - Fish 'n Fins Palau
Ukraine
Dnipro - Hillel Dnipro Kharkiv - Hillel Kharkiv Phillipines Kyiv - Hillel Kyiv Cebu - Gaja (Go) Dive Lviv - Hillel Lviv Portugal Odesa - Hillel Odesa Lisbon - Jewish Community Center Simferopol - Hillel Simferopol of Lisbon Lisbon - Jewish Cultural Center Rua da Judiaria
United States Reverse Tashlich Communities Alaska
San Francisco - Congregation Ner Tamid San Francisco - Congregation Sha’ar Anchorage - Congregation Beth Sholom Zahav Arkansas San Francisco - Freda B. Little Rock - Congregation B’nai Israel San Francisco - Or Shalom Jewish Community California San Jose - Hillel of Silicon Valley Bay Area - Repair the World Bay Area San Rafael - Congregation Rodef Sholom Berkeley - Berkeley Hillel Santa Barbara - Marine Conservation Castro Valley - Congregation Shir Ami Network Contra Costa County, Northwest - PJ Library Santa Maria - Temple Beth El Encinitas - Moishe House Encinitas Santa Rosa - Congregation Beth Ami Hermosa Beach - Temple Shalom of the Temple City - Temple Beth David of the South Bay San Gabriel Valley La Jolla - Dor Hadash Walnut Creek - Congregation B'nai Shalom Lafayette - Temple Isaiah Los Angeles - Beth Chayim Chadishim Colorado Los Angeles - Capital Group Boulder - Adventure Judaism Los Angeles - Jewish Youth Boulder - Beth Ami - Colorado Climate Movement Congregation for Humanistic Judaism Los Angeles - Moishe House - RSJ Boulder - Boulder JCC Los Angeles - Moishe House Venice Boulder - Congregation Har HaShem on Los Angeles - Repair the World Los Angeles the Margolis Family Campus Los Angeles - Shalom Institute - Camp JCA Boulder - Inland Ocean Coalition Shalom/Shemesh Farms/Camp Gesher Boulder - Judaism Your Way Los Angeles - USC Adamah on Campus Denver - Repair the World Colorado Manhattan Beach - Sisterhood, Fort Collins - Colorado State Congregation Tikvat Jacob University Hillel Oakland - Green Committee Temple Sinai Palo Alto - Congregation Kol Emeth Connecticut Palo Alto - Kol Emeth Bridgeport - Congregation B'nai Israel Ranchos Palos Verdes - Sisterhood, Fairfield - Or Hadash Congregation Ner Tamid of South Bay Manchester - Beth Sholom B’nai Israel Redondo Beach - Temple Menorah New Haven - Slifka Center for Jewish Life San Francisco - Congregation Am Tikvah at Yale San Francisco - Congregation Kol Emeth Orange - Temple Emanuel of Greater New Haven
Florida Boca Raton - B'nai Torah Congregation Boca Raton - Hillel of Broward and Palm Beach Boca Raton - Temple Beth El Boynton Beach - Temple Torat Emet Clearwater - Jlearning Clearwater - Congregation Beth Shalom Clearwater - Temple B'nai Israel Daytona Beach - Embry Riddle Aeronautical University Delray Beach - Temple Sinai of Palm Beach County Gainesville - Temple Shir Shalom Hollywood - Temple Beth El of Hollywood Hollywood - Temple Solel Jacksonville - Congregation Ahavath Chesed Jacksonville - Jacksonville Jewish Center Largo - The Tribe of Florida's Gulf Coast Margate - Temple Beth Am Miami - Center for Jewish Life Miami Miami - Enchanted Lakes Community Miami - Florida International Univeristy Miami - Miami Beach Jewish Community Center Miami - Repair the World Miami - The Center for Jewish Life Miami - University of Miami Hillel North Palm Beach - Herut Florida Orlando - UCF Hillel Ormond Beach - Congregation B'nai Torah Ormond Beach - Temple Beth-El Parkland - Congregation Kol Tikvah Palm Beach - Jewish Community Synagogue Palm Beach
Palm Harbor - Temple Ahavat Shalom Pinecrest - Rotary Environmental Sustainability District (6990) Action Committee Ponte Vedra - Beth El Beaches Synagogue Sarasota - Temple Sinai JQuest St. Petersburg - Congregation B'Nai Israel St. Petersburg - Eckerd College Hillel St. Petersburg - ECOmersion Tallahassee - Florida State University Hillel Tampa - Congregation Beth Am Tampa Tampa - Congregation Rodeph Sholom Tampa - Congregation Schaarai Zedek Tampa - Kol Ami Tampa - Tampa Ashdod Sister Cities Committee Tampa - Tampa JCCs and Federation Tampa - USF Hillel Taramac - Temple Beth Torah Sha’aray Tzedek Tavernier - Congregation Ohr Hayam Tequesta - Temple Emanu-El of Palm Beach Vero Beach - Temple Beth Shalom Wellington - Temple Beth Torah
United States Reverse Tashlich Communities Georgia
Maryland
Atlanta - Adamah Atlanta - Ahavath Achim Synagogue Atlanta - Congregation Beth Shalom Atlanta - Congregation Shearith Israel Atlanta - Emory Hillel Atlanta - The Temple - Georgia Interfaith Power and Light Atlanta - UGA Hillel Brunswick - Temple Beth Tefilloh Roswell - Temple Beth Tikvah Statesboro - Hillel at Georgia Southern
Annapolis - Temple Solel Baltimore - Baltimore Repair the World Baltimore - B’nai Israel Downtown Baltimore - Bolton Street Synagogue Baltimore - Chizuk Amuno Congregation and Sisterhood Baltimore - UMBC Hillel Bethesda - Beth Chai Jewish Humanist Congregation College Park - Maryland Hillel Columbia - Columbia Jewish Congregation Damascus - Congregation Or Chadash Frederick - Congregation Kol Ami Olney - B'nai Shalom of Olney Rockville - Kol Shalom Townson - Goucher Hillel
Hawaii Hilo - Aloha HaYam Kihei - Maui Jewish Community
Illinois Chicago - Bernard Zell Anshe Emet Day School Chicago - Beth Emet the Free Synagogue Chicago - Reboot Galesburg - Temple Sholom Chicago - UChicago Hillel Joilet - Joliet Jewish Congregation
Indiana Bloomington - Beth Shalom Religious School Indianapolis - Jewish Federation of Greater Indianapolis
Iowa Iowa City - Iowa Hillel
Maine Rockland - Adas Yoshuron Synagogue
Massachusetts Arlington - Mystic River Watershed Association Beverly - Temple B'nai Abraham Cambridge - Harvard Hillel Cambridge - MIT Hillel Duxbury - Congregation Shirat Hayam Florence - Beit Ahavah Reform Synagogue Gloucester - Temple Ahavat Achim Natick - Temple Israel of Natick Marblehead - Epstein Hillel School Peabody - Temple Tiferet Shalom Plymouth - Congregation Beth Jacob South Hadley - Mount Holyoke College Jewish Student Union Swampscott - Congregation Shirat Hayam Welfleet - Green Shul Wellesley - Temple Beth Elohim Winchester - Temple Shir Tikvah
Michigan Southfield - Congregation Shaarey Zedek Kalamazoo - Temple B'nai Israel
Minnesota Minneapolis - Congregation Mayim Rabim St. Paul - Or Emet - Minnesota Congregation for Humanistic Judaism
Missouri Columbia - Mizzou Hillel St. Louis - WashU Hillel St. Louis - Edwards Stewards
New Hampshire Hanover - Kol Ha'Emek / Upper Valley Jewish Community
New Jersey Elberon - Temple Beth Miriam Hillsborough - Temple Beth-El Highland Park - Highland Park Conservative Temple - Congregation Anshe Emeth Howell - Congregation Ahavat Olam Jersey City - Temple Beth-El Lakewood - Jewish Federation of Ocean County Margate - Jewish Federation of Atlantic and Cape May Counties New Brunswick - Rutgers Hillel North Brunswick - Congregation B'nai Tikvah Sisterhood Princeton - Princeton Center for Jewish Life Ridgewood - Reconstructionist Congregation Beth Israel Somerset - Temple Beth El South Orange - Congregation Beth El Teaneck - Congregation Beth Sholom
United States Reverse Tashlich Communities New York Buffalo - Buffalo Jewish Federation Buffalo - Congregation Shir Shalom Cold Spring Harbor - Kehillath Shalom Synagogue Dobbs Ferry - Greenburgh Hebrew Center East Northport - E. Northport Jewish Center Flushing - Israel Center of Conservative Judaism Flushing - Temple Beth Sholom Forest Hills - The Reform Temple of Forest Hills Geneva - Abbe Center for Jewish Life Hempstead - Hofstra Hillel Huntington - Huntington Jewish Center Ithaca - Cornell Hillel Mamaroneck - Westchester Jewish Center New York - Flatbush Jewish Center and Central Brooklyn New York - Actors' Temple New York - Adamah (Jewish Youth Climate Movement) New York - Ansche Chesed New York - BBYO Big Apple Region New York - BQLI New York - Central Synagogue New York - Congregation Ramath Orah New York - Hillel at Baruch, City, John Jay, Pace, SVA, Fordham, FIT, & New School New York - Kane Street Synagogue, Grades 5-7 New York - Klub Kaarage New York - Moishe House Harlem
New York - Park Avenue Synagogue Newburgh - Temple Beth Jacob Oceanside - Friedberg JCC Port Washington - The Community Synagogue Rockaway - Sababa Beach Camp Syracuse - Jewish Federation Of Central New York West Harrison - Hillels of Westchester White Plains - Bet Am Shalom Synagogue Williamsville - Buffalo Jewish Federation
North Carolina Asheville - Congregation Beth HaTephila Charlotte - Moishe House North Charlotte New Bern - Temple B'nai Sholem
Ohio Cincinnati - Adath Israel Congregation Cincinnati - Shomrei Olam Jewish Environmental Advocates of Cincinnati Westlake - Westside Mosaic Outdoor Meetup
Oklahoma Oklahoma City - Temple Emanuel Tulsa - Temple Israel
Oregon Portland - Congregation Shir Tikvah Eugene - TBI Eugene Adult B'Nai Mitvah Group
Pennsylvania
Virginia
Newtown - Congregation Brothers of Israel Philadelphia - Temple Beth Zion Beth Israel Philadelphia - Temple University Hillel Pittsburg - Beth El Congregation of the South Hills Pittsburg - Rodef Shalom Congregation Wynnewood - Temple Beth Hillel-Beth El
Fairfax - Congregation Olam Tikvah Norfolk - Ohef Sholom Temple Religious School Suffolk - Hampton Roads River Dogs Richmond - Hillel at VCU Woodbridge - Congregation Ner Shalom
Rhode Island
Washington Seattle - Jconnect Seattle - Temple Beth Am Tacoma - Temple Beth El
Providence - Temple Beth El
Washington D.C. South Carolina
DC Green Team
Charleston - College of Charleston Hillel
Texas Brownsville - Temple Beth El Dallas - Temple Shalom Galveston - Jewston Harlingen - Temple Beth Israel Houston - Congregation Beth Yeshurun McAllen - Temple Emanuel Richardson - Hillels of North Texas
Utah Salt Lake City - Hillel for Utah
Vermont Burlington - Ohavi Zedek Synagogue Burlington - University of Vermont Hillel
Wisconsin Glendale - Milwaukee Jewish Day School Oconomowoc - Moishe House Alumni Retreat Madison - Temple Beth El Milwaukee - Hillel Milwaukee
SPECIAL THANKS TO
Joseph Alexander
Foundation Osik Akselrud and
Aaron Weil
AND OUR PARTNERS
A POLLUTION SOLUTION FROM JEWISH WISDOM
Bal Tashchit (literally “Do Not Destroy”) is a fundamental, ethical principle in Judaism. It is based on the passage in Deuteronomy 20:19 which says:
ַת ְׁש ִח ית-ֹלא ֵע ָצ ּה ִל ְנ ֹּדַח-ֶא ת ִּכ י--ָע ָל יו ַּג ְר ֶז ן ִמ ֶּמ ּנ ּו ֹתאֵכ ל
“DO NOT DESTROY THE FRUIT TREES BY WIELDING AN AXE AGAINST THEM, FOR YOU CAN EAT FROM THEM.”
The Talmud expanded the concept of Bal Tashchit to include all forms of senseless damage or waste. It has become a central aspect of the ethical character of the Jewish people. Today, the destruction of the ocean and waterways of the world through pollution, single-use plastic products, and simple carelessness represent a blatant violation of the ethical principle of Bal Tashchit.
Reverse Tashlich Fulfills the Mitzvah of Bal Tashlich
NEW ZEALAND Auckland Beth Shalom Bnei Akiva Aukland Hebrew Congregation Habonim Dror Moishe House Auckland Repair the Sea New Zealand Hamilton Waikato Jewish Association Wellington Temple Sinai
Several prior attempts had been made by a local trust that takes care of the waterway but the job had just been too big. A Trust representative advised that we had turned a seemingly insurmountable task into one that is now manageable. Thank you Repair the Sea for making this possible.
Paul W. Community Leader Repair the Sea New Zealand
The debris comprised of construction material including roof iron, piles of wood, household furniture and miscellaneous items, plus lots of plastic and Styrofoam.
Central Synagogue, The Actors’ Temple, Moishe House Harlem New York City, New York
“Even the dolphins came out to say thanks.” -Tara H.
Friedberg JCC • Oceanside, New York
Buffalo Jewish Federation • Buffalo, New York
Hillel at Baruch • New York City, New York
Hofstra Hillel • Hempstead, New York
Temple Beth Israel • Melbourne, Australia
Jewish London • London, Ontario, Canada
HILLELS OF CENTRAL ASIA SOUTHEASTERN EUROPE Hillel CASE brought together more than 180 volunteers in 10 cities in six countries throughout the region “During these difficult times [in Ukraine], I understood the main thing: Evil can only be defeated by good. The feeling that I’m a part of a powerful global movement, like Repair the Sea, that is changing the whole world for the better, gives me confidence. The Dnipro is an extremely beautiful river with a wonderful view of Kyiv. My heart was beating faster, when I was sitting on the clean shore at sunset.”
Konstantin S. Hillel Dnipro Ukraine
Freda B. • San Francisco, California
Berkeley Hillel • Berkeley, California
Congregation Am Tikvah • San Francisco, California Volunteers removed 16 large compostable garbage bags full of trash, a bed frame, pvc pipes, a twin mattress, and a tea kettle.
Temple Menorah • Redondo Beach, California
Venice Moishe House, RSJLA Moishe House, Repair the World Los Angeles, California
876 pieces of trash removed & logged in the global debris database! Temple Sinai • Oakland, California
Bnai Shalom • Walnut Creek, California
NAMANYONYI JEWISH COMMUNITY “We expected 70 volunteers, but 90 showed up. This was our first time participating in the Reverse Tashlich, and it was extremely successful. We hope to establish a chapter of Repair the Sea in Uganda, that will help to save many polluted rivers in Uganda.” Moishe S. Rosh Kehila Namanyonyi Jewish Community
Mbale, Uganda
Boulder JCC, Inland Ocean Coalition, Beth Ami, Adventure Rabbi, Judaism Your Way Boulder, Colorado
Clean Beach Bat Yam • Bat Yam, Israel
Temple Emanuel • Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Congregation Tikvat Jacob Sisterhood • Manhattan Beach, California
Temple Ahavat Achim • Gloucester, Massachusetts
Aloha HaYam • Hilo, Hawaii
Jewish Community Center of Lisbon & Jewish Cultural Center Rua da Judiaria Lisbon, Portugal
Friends and Family of Peter Uniat. May his memory be a Blessing. Toronto, Ontario
LONDON, ENGLAND This our second year participating in Repair the Sea’s Reverse Taschlich here at Edgware and Hendon Reform Synagogue in London, UK. It was really extraordinary both times to see how much rubbish is thrown into our water sources, and felt so right that we were helping to take it out. Some of our Synagogue members have volunteered regularly with other local water conservancy organisations since finding out about them through Reverse Taschlich. Our Youth and Education Team at the Synagogue were inspired by what we had done to create a ‘Save The Ocean’ themed Beit Tefillah for the hundreds who came to our family service on Yom Kippur, inspired by the Jonah story which we use as our Haftarah. From generation to generation to repair the sea.
RABBI MARK GOLDSMITH EDGEWARE AND HENDON REFORM SYNAGOGUE
Eckerd College Hillel • St. Petersburg, Florida
Center for Jewish Life • Miami, Florida
Beth El the Beaches • Ponte Vedra, Florida
Congregation Rodeph Sholom • Tampa, Florida
Congregation Schaarai Zedek • Tampa, Florida
The Tribe of Florida's Gulf Coast • Largo, Florida
ECOmersion • St. Petersburg, Florida
Tampa JCCs and Federation • Tampa, Florida
HERUT • Miami, Florida
Congregation Beth El & Congregation B’nai Torah • Ormond Beach, Florida
Jewish Council of North Central Florida • Gainesville, Florida
Temple Torat Emet • Boyton Beach, Florida
Temple Beth El • Hollywood, Florida
Temple Emanu-El, Women’s League and Chaverot Circle • Palm Beach, Florida
UCF Hillel • Orlando, Florida
Miami Beach JCC • Miami Beach, Florida
Temple Ahavat Shalom • Palm Harbor, Florida
Temple Beth Am • Margate, Florida
Congregation B'nai Israel • St. Petersburg, Florida
FIU Hillel • Miami, Florida
Repair the World • Miami, Florida
FSU Hillel • Tallahassee, Florida
Congregation Ahavath Chesed • Jacksonville, Florida
Kol Ami & Congregation Beth Am • Tampa, Florida
Rotary District 6990 • Miami, Florida • Bangkok, Thailand
USF Hillel • Tampa, Florida
Temple Sinai JQuest • Sarasota, Florida
Temple Sinai • Delray Beach, Florida
Congregation Or Chadash • Damascus, Maryland
Kol Shalom • Rockville, Maryland
Hillel Tblisi • Tblisi, Georgia (საქართველო)
Hillel at Georgia Southern • Statesboro, Georgia, USA
Temple Beth Tikvah • Roswell, Georgia, USA
Progressive Judaism Center "Dor L'dor" • Tblisi, Georgia (საქართველო)
College of Charleston Hillel • Charleston, South Carolina
Ohef Sholom Temple • Norfolk, Virginia
Ohavi Zedek • Burlington, Vermont
Congregation Olam Tikvah • Fairfax, Virginia
“Since moving to suburban Maryland from the coast of Florida, I have had to find a new Jewish community and reimagine how I interact with the environment. Reverse Tashlich was the perfect way to learn about and help conserve my local waterways while engaging with the Jewish community. I hope to continue participating in Reverse Tashlich no matter where I end up in the future!”
Maiah B. DC Green Team
DC Green Team • Washington DC
I
Temple Beth-El Brownsville, Temple Emanuel McAllen, Temple Beth Israel Harlingen Rio Grande Valley, Texas
Temple B'nai Sholem • New Bern, North Carolina
Congregation Ner Shalom • Woodbridge, Virginia
Princeton Center for Jewish Life • Princeton, New Jersey
Congregation Shir Tikvah • Portland, Oregon
Joilet Jewish Community • Joilet, Illinois
Maui Jewish Ohana • Kihei, Maui, Hawaii
Mystic River Watershed and Temple Shir Tikvah • Arlington, Massachusetts
Jevrejski Omladinski Klub, Moishe Pod Belgrade, Jewish Community Belgrade, Serbia
Moishe House Alumni • Oconomowoc, Wisconsin
B’nai Israel Downtown & Repair the World • Baltimore, Maryland
Beit Ahavah • Florence, Massachusetts
Temple Beth Zion Beth Israel • Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Center for Jewish Education of Congregation Shirat Hayam of the North Shore • Swampscott, Massachusetts
Congregation Or Hadash • Fairfield, Connecticut
Congregation Beth Sholom • Teaneck, New Jersey “We had high hopes going into the cleanup after last year’s successes — and despite the rain — we fed off of each other’s energy,” - Lymor W. Congregation Beth Sholom
Temple Israel • Cape Town, South Africa
Beth Shalom Religious School • Bloomington, Indiana
Iowa Hillel • Des Moines, Iowa
Or Emet • St. Paul, Minnessota
Moishe House Pod SF Duboce • Sayulita, Nayarit, Mexico
Hillel at Virginia Commonwealth University • Richmond, Virginia
Beth Chai Jewish Humanist Congregation of Greater Washington Bethesda, Maryland
Repair the World Denver • Denver, Colorado
Bernard Zell Anshe Emet Day School • Chicago, Illinois
Fish ‘n Fins • Koror, Palau
“I really enjoyed bringing folks together and being outdoors with one another volunteering. We had volunteers of all ages, which felt very special.” Celena R. Repair the World Bay Area
This program was a great way to connect with our community! Hillel now has connections to two local environmental groups, and we plan to work together again for future events. And of course the students were able to experience a meaningful way to give back to the environment, the community, and fulfill a wonderful mitzvah. Rose S. Hillel at Georgia Southern
“It's a beautiful idea and we hope to increase participation in the future. Our Rabbi made it even more special by sounding the shofar before we started cleaning up.” Betti A. Temple Sinai of Palm Beach County
2016
2017 2018 1st Annual
The first Reverse Tashlich is hosted on Eckerd College Campus with five Scubi Jew Students Hurricane Irma cancels the first planned Community Reverse Tashlich
309 Volunteers Nine Communities
2019 2nd Annual
2020
850 Volunteers 47 Communities COVID limits participation
3rd 600 Volunteers Annual 50 Communities
2021 4th Annual
2000+ Volunteers 170 Communities
2022 5th Annual
3000+ Volunteers 245 Communities
2023 6th 4000+ Volunteers Annual
300 Communities