Every Passover, Jews around the world give up leavened bread – hametz.  It’s a sacrifice we make willingly, to recall our ancestors’ journey from slavery to freedom.  But what if we could make another kind of sacrifice – one that would have an immediate impact on the world?  What if we chose to mindfully free ourselves from the plague of plastic waste?   

Plastic has many important uses, but our over-reliance on it has had disastrous consequences for our health and the health of our planet.  In particular, single-use plastics offer us brief convenience at a devastating cost, contributing to climate change, polluting our lands and waters, and harming wildlife.  Reducing plastic use is a moral responsibility as well as a practical necessity.   But it seems so overwhelming -- how to begin?  

Today, we challenge you to take the first step out of slavery to our plastic-driven economy by committing to eliminate your use of single-use plastic for the duration of the Passover holiday. That means no plastic bags, straws, candy wrappers, cellophane, bubble wrap, or take-out containers.  It won’t be easy, but we have all of the information you need to make it happen – and plenty of information about why it matters.  

We know that saving the world from plastic will require more than just eliminating single-use plastic for a week and a day. We’ll need political and economic interventions to drive systemic change. When the Jews escaped from Egypt they still had 40 years of wandering the desert before they arrived in the promised land. We have a long journey ahead of us as well, but pushing now for industry change will help us use Passover to spark a sustained climate intervention. An Exodus of a thousand miles begins with a single step.

Scroll down and fill out the form to access our digital toolkit with a brand new 10 Plagues of Plastic. Whether in your home, community or congregation - these tools will kickstart a sustainable change for you and our world.

Support the Break Free From Plastic Pollution Act!

We don’t have 40 years to start making changes! Join us in pushing for industry regulations to use Passover to spark a sustained climate intervention by expressing your support for the Break Free From Plastic Pollution Act (BFFPPA), builds on successful statewide laws across the country and outlines practical plastic reduction strategies to realize a healthier, more sustainable, and more equitable future.

A key piece of the project is an art piece by Detroit Artist Olivia Guterson. The piece, titled “At Our Table,” is a collaboration of Reboot and the Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit, made possible with the generous support of CANVAS.  The work is part of the national project – Dwelling in a Time of Plagues – which makes new art possible at outdoor sites.

“At Our Table” is a reimagining of a Passover table constructed from locally sourced, discarded single-use plastics, illuminating the concept of convenience, throwaway culture, and environmental responsibility during a holiday centered on the joy and the sacrifices necessary in finding our own personal liberation. 

Visit the installation (safely) at MOCAD from March 25 - April 5.

Reboot Ideas Presents: Plastover

Reboot recently hosted Jonathan Bines, social change consultant Jessy Tolkan and Plastic Pollution Coalition CEO and Co-Founder Dianna Cohen for a conversation that leverages Passover's power of symbology and transformation to use plastic to spark a sustained climate intervention. This Reboot Ideas conversation was a part of The Big Bold Jewish Climate Fest, a community-wide collaborative event to make climate change a central moral issue of the Jewish community.

Plastover is a project of Reboot, an arts and culture non-profit that reimagines and reinforces Jewish thought and traditions. Learn more here.

Thank you to those who have contributed to this project:

Jonathan Bines

Dianna Cohen and the Plastic Pollution Coalition

Jessy Tolkan

Rabbi Susan Goldberg

Hazon

Amanda Charney