Temple Sinai of Glendale to Dedicate Solar Panel Installation

Jan. 20, 2012 - PRLog -- Temple Sinai of Glendale will mark a major milestone in the congregation’s 84-year history on Sunday, January 29th by dedicating their newly installed solar panel installation.  This installation will significantly decrease the congregation’s environmental footprint and will help ensure its future financial health by dramatically decreasing its energy costs.  The project places Temple Sinai of Glendale in the vanguard of Los Angeles-area religious institutions making tangible efforts to support a global sustainable energy movement.

Introducing the project to the congregation, Rabbi Rick Schechter explained that the new solar energy system will “reduce our energy consumption, reduce our greenhouse gas emissions, reduce our costs, and enable us to do our part to help sustain and improve the world.”

Founded in 1928 in rented space above the Ralphs grocery store on North Central Avenue, the congregation erected their current sanctuary on Pacific Avenue in 1962.  Over the past several years, the congregation has been working to not only improve and enhance their worship space, but also to make it more environmentally friendly.  
These efforts have been inspired by the Jewish imperative of tikun olam, repairing the world.

In addition to the solar energy project, the congregation has taken steps to make its buildings more energy-efficient, installing LED (light-emitting diode) lights and retrofitting the building’s aging air-conditioning and heating system.  The congregation has also worked to decrease its water consumption by transforming its gardens with plants mentioned in the bible that also have the advantage of being drought tolerant.
Upon completion, the solar-panel system will provide approximately one third of Temple Sinai’s electrical usage.  Coupled with additional energy saving measures currently being implemented, the solar panels will soon provide half of the congregation’s electricity needs.

Temple Sinai’s Solar Dedication Celebration on Sunday, January 29th will begin with a buffet breakfast at 9:00 AM sponsored by the Temple Sinai Brotherhood, followed by the Dedication Ceremony at 10:00 AM led by Rabbi Rick Schechter and Cantor Steve Hummel and featuring appearances by local public officials.  At the conclusion of  the ceremony, the congregation is hosting an Energy Conservation Fair, with booths from Glendale Water and Power, the Sierra Club, Moore Solar (the local contractor that installed the Solar Panels), and the Solar Sinai Committee.

Temple Sinai is located in Glendale at 1212 N. Pacific Avenue, three blocks north of Glenoaks Avenue.