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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2     WHEREAS, The Jewish Reconstructionist Congregation was
3 inspired to build an energy sustainable synagogue by Rabbi
4 Brant Rosen's sermon for Kol Nidre in September 2006 on
5 "Walking the Walk: The Sacred Art of Energy Conservation"; and
 
6     WHEREAS, The Jewish Reconstructionist Congregation has now
7 achieved the honored status as the "greenest Shul in America"
8 with the first Platinum LEED rating for a synagogue from the
9 U.S. Green Building Council; and
 
10     WHEREAS, The process by which the new building was created
11 was truly magnificent, with Jewish Reconstructionist
12 Congregation Board members, staff, and congregants being
13 involved in every detail of planning, fundraising, relocating,
14 design, and construction; and
 
15     WHEREAS, The architecture critic of the Chicago Tribune
16 commended that the new Jewish Reconstructionist Congregation
17 building "fuses the structural, the sustainable and the
18 spiritual into a powerful whole" and "adds a rich new sense of
19 possibility to the no-rules field of Jewish architecture"; and
 
20     WHEREAS, The new Jewish Reconstructionist Congregation
21 building serves as a model in new construction with reduced

 

 

HR1119 - 2 - LRB095 20615 GRL 48792 r

1 energy costs of about 45-percent less than a typical synagogue
2 of the same size; and
 
3     WHEREAS, The combination of water efficient features are
4 projected to save 40% on water consumption throughout the life
5 of the building; and
 
6     WHEREAS, The Jewish Reconstructionist Congregation plans
7 to educate its own congregation in sustainable practices, with
8 the goal of reaching 100-percent participation in the years
9 ahead, and plans to create a movement for sustainability and
10 environmental consciousness in the larger Jewish community;
11 therefore, be it
 
12     RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
13 NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we
14 congratulate the Jewish Reconstructionist Congregation on the
15 occasion of its community dedication weekend on April 11-13,
16 2008, celebrating its new sustainable synagogue; and be it
17 further
 
18     RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
19 presented to the Jewish Reconstructionist Congregation as an
20 expression of our esteem and best wishes for continued success
21 in the future.