Recently five congregations representing a variety of faiths received Energy Oscars in four categories for outstanding leadership and exemplary efforts to address global warming and make their facilities more environmentally efficient.

Temple Sinai of Glendale, a reform Jewish congregation, received a “Green Building” award from California Interfaith Power and Light, an organization comprised of more than 560 member congregations throughout the state that works with houses of worship on energy conservation, energy efficiency and sustainable energy measures. Nationally, the Interfaith Power and Light network is active in 40 states, working with a powerful force of over 14,000 congregations.

“We are thrilled and honored to be recognized for this achievement,” said Eddy Polon, president of Temple Sinai of Glendale. “Putting up the solar panels was a significant undertaking and large expense for a congregation of our size, but our members fully embraced the project, knowing that it was good from both the financial and social perspectives.”

One hundred and fifty people from several dozen houses of worship statewide attended the celebration, emceed by Greg Dalton of Climate One, part of the Commonwealth Club. Winners walked a green carpet to receive their awards, and the evening featured entertainment from international hip-hop activist Aisha Fukushima of Raptivism.org, along with remarks from The Rev. Canon Sally Bingham, founder of California Interfaith Power & Light.

Rabbi Rick Schechter, spiritual leader of Temple Sinai of Glendale added, “This embraces one of our congregation’s core values called tikkun olam in Hebrew.  It means ‘repairing the world’ and is something about which our members feel very passionate. I can’t think of a better way to put such powerful words into action.”