Tikvat Israel Congregation

A Friendly, Participatory, Egalitarian Conservative Synagogue in Rockville, MD

Community-Supported Agriculture (CSA)

Tuv Ha’Aretz, a Community-Supported Agriculture (CSA) program, has become a popular way for consumers to buy local, seasonal food directly from a farmer. Before the growing season, Tuv Ha’Aretz members purchase an entire season of produce from an organic family farm. Each week during the growing season, usually from Shavuot (May/June) until Sukkot (October), our local farmer makes a delivery of fresh, organic vegetables (and in some cases fruits and/or herbs) to our synagogue. Tuv Ha’Aretz members come to pick up their share of the food. Tuv Ha’Aretz sites also typically offer at least one or two educational programs so that members and their families come together to learn about food through the double prism of Jewish tradition and contemporary life. We work with Pam Stegall of Calvert Farm, an organic grower in Cecil County, Md.

100_0143Tuv Ha’Aretz:

  • Strengthens members’ connection to the synagogue by giving them a new way to participate in community life
  • Improves the health of the community by providing fresh, organic produce
  • Is a platform for innovative education programs for adults and families from cooking classes and farm visits to text study at a “green” Shabbat oneg
  • Spurs a new dialogue about what kosher, or “fit,” food is, and thus renews our sense of excitement about what it means to keep kosher

PLEASE NOTE: Due to unforeseen circumstances, we are not able to offer our CSA for the summer of 2023. We hope to be back next year!

Contact: Dalit Baranoff