Congregation Kehillat Israel is located in a charming old school building (circa 1930) along Lansing’s Forest Road Scenic Corridor. Close to Fenner Arboretum and across the street from the historic Mount Hope Cemetery, our property adjoins a city park and is in walking distance of the Shaw Woodlot and Ingham County’s Hawk Island lake and park.

Among beautiful mature oak trees, we’ve introduced a variety of plantings over the years, including flowering viburnum, red buds and two young apple trees— the beginning of a small orchard. We have hung a number of bird houses and meet the criteria for an Audubon wildlife habitat site.

Michigan native plants and hundreds of daffodils planted on the eastern slope of our parking lot create a spectacular display in the spring. We’ve also planted a biblical garden along the south wall of our building which features plants that are named in the Bible. All of these are maintained by members.

KI actively participates in Lansing’s recycling program and takes products not accepted there to a special recycling center. We use recyclable materials for our Kiddush and celebrations and reuse plastic utensils by sterilizing them (following Health Department regulations). KI is a collection point for inkjet cartridges and CFL bulbs, as well as hotel room toiletries that we deliver to homeless shelters.

In addition to our “garden club,” we have two plant-related holiday programs each year. At Tu B’Shvat, our school children plant seeds for trees and bushes. At Lag B’Omer we hold a spring plant sale for the many gardeners in our congregation.

We delight in our building and setting and find it most appropriate for our approach to Judaism and its relationship to the earth.