Bucharian Kippot

Message: I love your website -- what a lovely project! I am looking for fair trade kippot that are the large bukharain style. They have sides, and they don't fall off my students' heads so much. Any ideas?

Thanks!
Pamela

Answer
Hi Pamela,

Thank you for contacting me. So far I have not come across any "eco-friendly" Bucharian kippot per se. However, if you know that Bucharian is the style you want I suggest buying raw cotton and silk kippot that are made in Israel.

A few companies worth exploring (just type Bucharian in the search box) are:

AJudaica = good selection starting at $7.50

Judaism.com = carry kippot by the artist Yair Emanual - probably more expensive than you were hoping but would make a nice bar mitzvah gift idea for readers.

All Judaica = A nice selection all made in Israel but a bit pricers than aJudaica.

I hope these help. If anyone out there has more ideas please add your comments below.

For non-Bucharian eco-kippot click here.

Picture This

Photo: Graham & Graham Photography

Instead of buying disposable cameras for your bar or bat mitzvah, consider trying CameraRenter - a new service that rents digital cameras across the country. Like a netflix for cameras, the cameras arrive in the mail, you give them to your guests to use at your party and then mail them back in. CameraRenter uploads all of the pictures for you onto a Personalized Memory Sharing Website.

In addition to being an environmentally friendly alternative to disposable cameras, CameraRenter has added benefits including...

1. You get pictures the photographer couldn't get.
2. You get to see the party from your guests' point of view...

3. Instead of being limited to just a few pictures per roll - your guests can take hundreds.
4. You don't have to bug guests for their pictures because all of the pictures from all of the cameras go to the same website.
5. Nothing is disposable, no bad pictures are printed = nothing is wasted!

What a cool, eco-friendly way to capture the big day!

I was so impressed with this service that I asked the owner Jonathan Bailor about offering a discount to my readers - and he said yes! So -to receive a FREE archive CD enter the following code at check out: 0.00_81thegreenbrideguide

An Eco-Guitar Hero

Photo Credit: Sally Apfelbaum

Brendan Eprile (pictured above with mom Judy Schwartz, dad Tony, and dog Thembi) had his bar mitzvah last month at Congregation Beth El in Bennington, Vermont. For Bendan's bar mitzvah project he helped make Bennington more energy-efficient. He sent a letter with conservation tips to families at his school. The letter was also published in the Bennington Banner.

When it came time to plan his bar mitzvah, it was important to Brendan and his family that the event be consistent with his project (and their values). Here are a few of the green choices they made:

1. Location
Brendan's bar mitzvah party took place at Pompanuck Farm Institute, a living/learning eco-retreat center in Cambridge, NY - fifteen minutes from Bennington. As Brendan's mom Judy explained, "All of the structures at Pompanuck are hand-built from local materials, using sustainable practices. Events like ours help support their educational programs."

2. Simple Decorations
Because they were in such a beautiful location, the family chose to keep the decorations simple by using lights and colorful place settings.

3. Activities
Instead of having plastic toys, the kids explored the farm, played soccer and made up games.

4. Cake
For dessert they had a cake shaped like a guitar made by Lisa Carrino, co-director of Pompanuck. The entire meal was served on compostable dishes and was eaten with compostable cutlery.

5. Music
Brendan, who is an avid guitar player, played songs he wrote himself and blues improvisation with his guitar teacher, Barry Hyman. His electric guitar, and all of the electricity for the event, was powered by solar energy.

After dinner the band played. Everyone danced the horah and partied the night away.

What an awesome eco-friendly event!

Photo Credit: Charles Kozierok