Celebrate a Happy Green Hanukkah

This year an unprecedented number of people are incorporating green into Hanukkah celebrations, point out Rabbis Arthur Waskow and Jeff Sultar of the Philadelphia-based Shalom Center. The center is helping lead the way with its Green Menorah campaign.

'Each year that we go deeper into what I call global scorching, [environmental sustainability] is even more important than the year before,' says Rabbi Waskow. 'The American Jewish public is readier to move than in the past, from a combination of Al Gore, Katrina, threats to polar bears, the diminishing Great Lakes, and so on.'

Waskow says three levels of wisdom running through Hanukkah's rich and living traditions invite thought and action on planetary problems:

• 1. The Talmud's legend about using one day's oil to meet eight days' needs: a reminder to conserve resources.
• 2. The vision of the prophet Zechariah (read on Hanukkah), in which the Temple Menorah is viewed as a living being, flanked by two olive trees feeding oil into it, and uniting the worlds of nature and humanity.
• 3. The memory that a community of 'the powerless' can overcome a great empire. 'Now we face great oil and coal empires, and if people feel helpless they should be inspired,' says Waskow.

Waskow says the spirit of Hanukkah is to turn individual actions outward for the rest of the world to see. The Shalom Center's Green Menorah Covenant encourages taking action, on personal, communal and political levels, to help the environment.

Sustainable Wood Dreidel

Dreidel, dreidel, dreidel, I made it out of . . . sustainable wood? Yes, 3RLiving's dreidel is made from sustainable wood, so you can feel good with every spin.

Recycled Hanukkah Cards

What better way to say Happy Hanukkah than with a stylish 3-D card made of recycled paper? Purchase them individually or in box sets of eight from 3RLiving.

Beeswax Chanukah Candles

Celebrate the Festival of Lights this year with 100% beeswax, hand dipped, Hanukkah candles from The Jewish Museum. These natural candles are paraffin and toxin free, so they require no petroleum products, and will burn slowly with little smoke or odor. Now that's bright!

Recycled Glass Chanukah Ornament

This elegant Smart Glass Jewelry ornament is handcrafted by artist Kathleen Plate and available from 3RLiving. Plate makes these recycled glass ornaments out of blue and white bottles to resemble Israel's flag. In a full circle of green gifting, even the box is recycled.

Fair Trade Divine Chocolate Coins

Play dreidel with fair trade chocolate gelt from Divine Chocolate. Part of the Farmer Kuapa Kokoo cooperative, the farmers for Divine Chocolate have a say in company decisions and a right to all profits.

Steel Pipe Menorah

Who knew repurposed pipe stock could make an innovative object of worship? Assembled by hand, the piece creates a new use for material that otherwise would go to waste. The Steel Pipe 'Man-orah' from designers Josh Korwin and Alyssa Zukas is available at Notshlock.

Recycled Jewish Holiday Crayons

Let your kids get creative with fun, festive Hanukkah crayons made from 100% recycled materials. Available at The Jewish Museum, each set includes 6 shaped crayons: a menorah, dreidel, Star of David, Torah, Shofar and Ten Commandments.

Felt Hanukkah Gift Bag

Rather than waste paper and ribbons on disposable wrapping paper, bestow gifts in this Felt Hanukkah Gift Bag from The Jewish Museum.

Hanukkah Flower Bouquet

The Hanukkah Bouquet from Organic Style is the perfect gift for your holiday host or hostess. To represent the blue and white Israeli flag, the vibrant arrangement is composed of certified Veriflora sustainable Iris and Oriental Lilies.

Glass Flexus Menorah

The Glass Flexus Menorah's versatility brings reuse to a new level. Available at The Jewish Museum, the glass pieces move independently to serve as individual candleholders all year long. Over Hanukkah, the pieces can join together to make a full menorah.