Resolution Adopted by the CCAR
Energy
Adopted by the CCAR at the 88th Annual Convention of
the Central Conference of American Rabbis
or subsequent to that Convention in 1977
We recognize that the gifts of nature with which God has blessed His universe are
intended for the benefit and enjoyment of all His creatures. It is in this context
that we view the current crisis which confronts the world with regard to energy and
environment.
We commend the President of the United States for dramatizing the urgency of the energy
situation. We support his call for the swift development of an effective national
energy policy in consonance with the needs of an environment which will nurture life
on earth. Recognizing that the decisions made in the current session of Congress will
commit us for decades to come, we affirm the following moral principles as guidelines
for the development of any energy program:
1. The conservation of energy must be the personal responsibility of every American.
2. All sacrifices necessary to achieve our goals should be borne equitably by all
segments of our society commensurate with their ability to bear such burdens.
3. Care should be taken to assure effective public control of alternate energy sources
to prevent monopolist control.
4. The development of energy sources must also afford maximum protection to the health
of our people and to the integrity of the environment.
5. Fission nuclear energy processes should not be a current priority for the development
of alternatives to fossil fuels.
We urge that our congregations take the lead in implementing these principles and
we call upon the Joint Commission on Social Action in conjunction with the Joint
Commission on Synagogue Administration to develop an extensive and effective educational
program for our congregations dealing with the energy crisis.