457 results for tag: Earth-Based Jewish Practices

Prevention: the Jewish Approach to Health

Since maintaining a healthy and sound body is among the ways of God . . . ,  one must avoid that which harms the body and accustom oneself to that which is helpful and assists the body become stronger. (Maimonides, Mishneh Torah, Hilchot Deot 4:1)      Contemporary western medicine has generally focused on the treatment of diseases, rather than on their prevention. Medical schools teach that prescription drugs are the most powerful tools doctors have for treating disease; diet and other lifestyle changes are seldom stressed as therapeutic tools. The generally accepted medical response to many diseases today is to prescribe medications first ...

 Ten Ways to Help Create a Vegan-Conscious World

Eating meat and other animal products is destroying the planet, ruining our health, mistreating billions of farmed animals,  and contributing to hunger and the wasteful use of water, energy, and other valuable natural resources. Despite the increasing need for a shift toward veganism to counteract the present epidemic of diseases and the many environmental threats caused by the production and consumption of animal products, progress has been relatively slow. It is time for a consideration of new strategies to promote veganism more effectively. The ten ideas suggested below are designed to start a dialogue that will lead to positive changes. It is my ...

Two Articles Relating Tisha B’Av to Current Environmental Issues and Threats

1. Relating Tisha B'Av to Today’s Environmental Crises                         Tisha B'Av (the 9th day of the month of Av) which we commemorate in 2018 on July 21 - 22, reminds us that over 2,000 years ago Jews failed to heed the warnings of the prophet Jeremiah, with the result that the first Temple in Jerusalem was destroyed--the first of many negative things that occurred on that day, including the destruction of the second Temple as well.       Today there is no Jeremiah or other prophet, but it is thousands of climate exerts warning us that now it is not just Jerusalem but the entire world that is threatened by climate ...

My Response To An Article Claiming “The US Left Is the Greatest Existential Threat Facing Israel”

This article is a response to an article, “The US Left is the greatest existential threat facing Israel,” that appeared in the Arutz Sheva Israel National News publication on July 2, 2018. http://www.israelnationalnews.com/Articles/Article.aspx/22395 A very strong majority of Democratic politicians strongly support Israel and believe that Israel has the right to exist and to defend itself against terrorism and military attacks. Just as opposing Trump’s policies does not make one anti-American, opposing some of Israel’s current positions, as many Israelis, including military and strategic experts, do, does not make one anti-Israel. Many ...

Acclaimed documentary, “A Sacred Duty: Applying Jewish Values to Help Heal Our Imperiled Planet,” to be shown in Jerusalem

Please forward the message below to Israelis you know who might be interested. Thanks. If you have not yet seen the documentary mentioned or haven’t seen it in many years, I strongly suggest you see it and consider how you might use it to promote veganism in Jewish communities. A complimentary DVD will be sent to you if you would like to arrange a showing. You can freely see the one-hour video at www.ASacredDuty.com or by going to You Tube and searching for A Sacred Duty. Thanks. Kol tuv, Richard ======== Thursday July 5th Gathering and refreshments at 6:30 pm, starting @ 6:45 pm Screening of “A Sacred Duty; ...

My challenge to Chabad, the Lubavitch chasidic movement

I recently completed a Chabad course, 'Faith and Food,' which discussed how to sanctify eating. I was very disappointed because the moral and halachic (Jewish law) issues related to the production and consumption of meat and other animal-sourced foods were not addressed. I felt that Chabad missed a great opportunity. So I posted the message below when asked to evaluate the course: Kol hakavod to Chabad, Rabbi Kaplan and everyone else involved in preparing and presenting this course. However, as president emeritus of Jewish Veg, formerly Jewish Vegetarians of North America, and author of three editions of my book, "Judaism and Vegetarianism, I ...

This Mother’s Day Be Good to Mother Earth.

Here are ways you can be “greener” for Mother’s Day and going forward: Reduce. Try to buy less — especially those things that have a negative impact on the environment, such as plastic tableware if you have company coming for Mother’s Day dinner. Reduce your energy needs. Winter is finally over and it’s warmer inside and out. Open your windows and let the fresh air in. If it is really hot, set your thermostat no higher than 78°F (26°C) when you are home and higher when you are away (information from the U.S. Department of Energy). A programmable thermostat can make this easier to do. Reuse. If you go out to eat, bring your own ...

Three Shavuot Articles Related to Vegetarianism

~Please feel free to share these articles widely. Thanks. By Richard Schwartz.   A Shavuot Message: Applying Torah Values To Our Diets      Since Shavuot is z'man matan Torateinu (the commemoration of the giving of the Torah to the Israelites on Mount Sinai), many dedicated religious Jews admirably stay up the entire first night of Shavuot to hear talks about and discuss Torah teachings.      Among these Torah teachings are that Jews should preserve human health, treat animals with compassion, protect the environment, conserve natural resources, help hungry people, and pursue peace. By becoming vegetarians, and preferably ...

Summary of my efforts to help revitalise Judaism and heal the world

     Below is a summary of my writings and activities that aim to revitalise judaism and help shift our imperiled planet onto a sustainable path.They are based on my strong belief that Jewish values can make major differences and are needed perhaps more than ever before.       I welcome your comments and suggestions and would be very happy if you would join in my efforts and/or suggest others who might be interested in doing so.  The second edition of my book, “Judaism and Global Survival,” can be freely read at www.jewishVeg.org/schwartz. It discusses how Jewish teachings on compassion, justice, peace, environmental sustainabili...

“Interfaith Climate Change and Renewable Energy Conference” on May 9th

This blog discusses the conference and also efforts to get many rabbis and other influential Israelis to sign a climate change statement (below) that will help get media attention. ------------      You are cordially invited to join me in attending a potentially transformative event, an “Interfaith Climate Change and Renewable Energy Conference.” It is scheduled for Wednesday, May 9, from 9 AM to 6 PM at the Tantur Ecumenical Institute in Jerusalem. You can attend part of the conference if you want.      Admission is free if registration occurs on April 25 or 26 and is 70 shekels after that. You can sign up when you register online ...

My Review of “Jewish Law as Rebellion: A Plea for Religious Authenticity and Halachic Courage,” by Rabbi Nathan Lopes Cardozo

      Time to Revitalise Judaism: A Respectful Challenge to the Jewish Establishment      Review of “Jewish Law as Rebellion: A Plea for Religious Authenticity and Halachic Courage,” by Rabbi Nathan Lopes Cardozo      As author of “Who Stole My Religion? Revitalising Judaism and Applying Jewish Values to Help Heal Our Imperiled Planet,” I was immediately intrigued by the title of Rabbi Nathan Lopes Cardozo’s new book. The idea that Jews should not blindly accept the status quo but should use Jewish law as a source for rebelling again complacency, denial, injustice, oppression, and more, with the courage to apply Jewish ...

Three Updated Passover-Related Articles

1. Freeing Ourselves at Passover from diets that hurt us and the Planet. Jews commendably go to extraordinary lengths before and during Passover to avoid certain foods, in keeping with Torah mitzvot. But at the same time, many continue eating other foods that, by Torah standards, are hardly ideal. On Passover, Jews are prohibited from eating, owning, or otherwise benefiting from chometz, foods such as breads, cakes, and cereals, that are made from one of the five grains (wheat, barley, rye, spelt, and oats) that ferment from contact with liquid. These prohibitions are based on several Torah verses and are observed with great care by religious ...

For many years I have believed that my religion, Judaism, has been stolen. Why? Because Judaism has powerful messages on peace, justice, compassion, sharing, and environmental sustainability that can help shift our imperiled planet onto a sustainable path. Yet, most Orthodox Jews, while doing many  commendable things, are in denial about climate change and other environmental threats and are increasingly supporting politicians who promote benefits for the wealthiest Americans and highly profitable corporations, at the expense of average Americans. I was a member of a Modern Orthodox synagogue for 48 years, prior to moving to ...

What People Are Saying About My Book, “Who Stole My Religion?”

The many endorsements below are included to show that it is not just the author, but many other people also - including Orthodox, Conservative, Reform, and Reconstructionist Jews, as well as Christians, and Muslims - who think their religion has been "stolen" by right-wing politics, but who still believe that compassionate religious values have relevance to current crises. Provision of a blurb here does not imply that the person who provided it agrees with everything in my book. However, it is hoped that the voices of the people who submitted the statements below, as well as many more voices, will be raised, each in their own way, ...

Starting a Major Campaign to Help Heal Our Imperiled Planet

Shalom, It is time for a major effort for committed Jews, preferably joining with others, to apply Jewish values to help heal our imperiled planet. Here are some issues to be considered: The world is rapidly heading toward a climate catastrophe. Many climate experts think we are close to an irreversible tipping point when climate change will spin out of control, with disastrous consequences, unless very significant positive changes soon occur. My article: “Climate Change: An Existential Threat to Israel, the US, and the World,” published in the Jerusalem Post on May 2, 2017, can be read at: http://www.jpost.com/Opinion/Climate-change-An...

Please Help in this Important Effort That Can Avert a Climate Catastrophe and Help Shift Our Imperiled Planet Onto a Sustainable Path

There is increasing evidence that the world is rapidly heading toward a climate catastrophe. An exaggeration? Please consider: 2017 was the third warmest year since temperature records were kept in 1880 and this follows three consecutive years of worldwide temperature records, In 2017 there were three category 3 or 4 hurricanes, three extreme wildfires in California, followed by a major mudslide there,and other severe climate events in many of the world’s areas. Climate experts are predicting even more severe climate events as temperatures keep rising. Points that illustrate the extreme seriousness of climate threats are below in a statement on ...

Please Consider Organising a Tu B’Shvat Seder or Encouraging Others to Do So

by Richard Schwartz ~Tu B’Shvat, the 15th day in the Hebrew month of Shvat, the ‘New Year for Trees, January 30-31 in 2018, has been increasingly popular, with more and more Tu B’Shvat Seders held annually, especially in Israel. It is important that vegetarian and vegan Jews organize such Seders, encourage rabbis and other Jewish leaders to conduct them, and/or attend Seders that are scheduled by others. Here are several reasons why: Tu B’Shvat is a completely vegetarian, actually vegan, holiday, featuring mainly fruits, along with other vegan foods. So, Tu B’Shvat Seders provide great opportunities to increase awareness of the ...

Imagining a Vegan World

The late Senator Robert Kennedy often stated: "Some see things as they are and ask why, I dream of things that have never been and ask why not?" Yes, why not? Why not a vegetarian world? Or, even better, since we are dreaming, why not a vegan world? When one considers all the negatives related to the current widespread production and consumption of animal products, it is hard to believe that so few people have seen the importance of shifting to such a world. What would a vegan world be like? It would be a world with far healthier people. There are numerous studies showing that plant-based diets can sharply reduce the risk factors for heart ...

My Green New Year’s Resolutions

I want to be "greener" this year and here are my plans: Resolution #1: Reduce. I am going to buy less — especially those things that have a negative impact on the environment, such as plastic tableware when I have company coming for dinner. I am also going to reduce my energy needs. I am going to wear more layers of clothing at home this winter, for example, so I can lower my thermostat without feeling cold. Resolution #2: Reuse. When we go out to eat, I am going to try to bring my own containers to take home the leftovers. Styrofoam can take hundreds of years to decompose and is one of the most frequent pollutants found in our oceans. ...

Veganism’s Essential Role In Preventing an Unprecedented Global Catastrophe

This article was originally written in 2009 and has been updated in 2017, with conditions in 2017 far worse than in 2009. Synopsis: The world is rapidly approaching an unprecedented catastrophe from global climate change and other environmental threats, and a major societal shift to plant-based (vegan) diets is an essential part of the necessary responses to avoid that catastrophe. Since methane emitted by farmed animals is in the atmosphere for less than 20 years and is 72 to 105 times as potent as a greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide during that time, reducing the number of farmed animals would have a major, rapid effect in reducing climate ...