In honor of the 150th anniversary of its founding, Chizuk Amuno Congregation is casting its eye toward the future of the planet by embracing sustainable energy.
On Nov. 2, the Pikesville congregation of 1,100 families began the weeklong installation of more than 150 solar panels to its complex at 8100 Stevenson Rd. Most of the panels — purchased from the Halethorpe-based Lumina Solar company — were installed on Chizuk Amuno’s gymnasium roof. The installation was completed earlier this week.
“It is a Jewish responsibility to take care of the natural world,” read a letter to the congregation from Senior Rabbi Joshua Z. Gruenberg, Dr. Stephen Pomerantz, Chizuk Amuno’s president, and Dr. Richard Reaven, the synagogue’s sustainability chair. “We are excited at Chizuk Amuno Congregation and Schools to affirm sustainability and taking care of our planet as core values of our community. Installing over 150 solar panels for 150 years of existence is the first of many steps in embodying these values in our daily life”
Serving more than 600 students Chizuk Amuno is the home of the Goldsmith Early Childhood Center, the Rosenbloom Religious School, the Krieger Schechter Day School and the Stulman Center for Adult Learning Center
“Everyone in our community has the opportunity to take part in this exciting sustainability effort,” read the letter from the Chizuk Amuno leadership. “We are excited to announce that any member of the Chizuk Amuno Congregation and School Community can adopt their own solar panel. See the links below for more information and to join with us on our journey for a more sustainable future for our community.”
A drone captured video of the solar panels at sunrise part way through installation, courtesy of Dr. Stephen M. Pomerantz:
For information, visit chizukamuno.org/form/solarpanels.
This article was updated Nov. 10 to include video.
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