Our ancestors from Europe came to New York in all types of vessels,but I am pretty sure none of themarrived on an upside-down school bus, fueled by used vegetable oil. The second annual Topsy-Turvy Climate Change bus tourset sail for the UN Headquarters in Manhattan on the evening of October 22, 2009, seeking to rally Jewish communities across the country and determine where they stand when it comes to environmental awareness, action, and advocacy. While our ancestors could only hope to improve their lives, our bus screeched into the Big Apple ready to change the world: spreading awareness about climate change and asking how we as a Jewish community can make conscious life choices that reflect our beliefs, with the goal of becoming a brighter or lagoyim (light unto the nations).

Israel is quickly establishing a reputation as a global leader in technologies that promote environmental sustainability. But this is not a new realm of technological development in Israel. Although many Israeli technologies are only now gaining global, mainstream attention, Israel has been involved in innovative practices in the realm of natural resource management for decades.