Restoring and Transforming the Ancient Jewish New Year for Animals: An Idea Whose Time Has Come Richard H. Schwartz, President Emeritus, Jewish Veg Messages of Support from Rabbis and Other Jewish Leaders About Renewing the New Year for Animals and About This Book Restoring and adapting an ancient Jewish holiday to modern practice may seem insurmountable, but many Jews today believe it is possible. As Thomas Paine wrote: “The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph.” The following rabbis and activists not only believe it can be done, but also wholeheartedly endorse the process. Lists of supporting Jewish organizations, rabbis, and influential Jews are in Appendices A, B, and C, respectively.      There will likely be be many more supporting statements and endorsements after this book is widely distributed. This will help increase awareness that restoring and transforming the ancient Jewish New Year for Animals is indeed an idea whose time has finally come. A. Endorsements From Rabbis (listed alphabetically) From Rabbi Jonathan Jaffe Bernhard, Director of  the Jewish Initiative for Animals (JIFA); Former Executive Director, Shamayim: Jewish Animal Advocacy:  Becoming the people the Torah envisions will only happen through a reassessment of our relationship to animals.  Re-Imagining and Re-Vitalizing this ancient tradition is a step in that process that also allows for a Re-Engagement with an authentic expression of Jewish values and ritual. From Rabbi Dr. Nathan Lopes Cardozo, Dean of the David Cardozo Academy, Jerusalem, and author of many Judaica books, including Jewish Law as Rebellion: A Plea For Religious Authenticity and Halachic Courage:   As always, my dear friend Professor Richard Schwartz makes us aware of one of the top priorities in Judaism. May this book have much influence and inspire, and may we all take notice of his important words. From Rabbi Gabriel Cousens, M.D. Director of Tree of Life Foundation and author of many Judaica and health books, including Torah as a Guide to Enlightenment: It is a great joy that we should reactivate a day to honor the holy relationship between the human and animal worlds, as per Genesis 1:29 and 1:30, where all of the animal and human species will be restored to a vegan way of life, and with that a new level of peace will unfold on the planet. This is something to bring about and celebrate.   From Rabbi Adam Frank, Israeli Masorti rabbi and teacher: I applaud this initiative and effort to bring to fruition the awareness that Jewish tradition expects of humanity toward the animal kingdom.  From Rabbi Akiva Gersh, the “vegan rabbi,” active blogger, author, and speaker about veganism.      \ This important work is yet another example of how Richard Schwartz has changed the conversation in the Jewish world around environmental issues and specifically animal welfare. He had the foresight decades ago to see the importance of Jews learning about, as well as applying, ancient Jewish teachings that can help us deal with, and even solve, our planet’s growing list of environmental problems. This book will increase awareness amongst Jews of the strong support Judaism has for compassion for animals and for challenging us to make sure our food choices don’t cause suffering to animals or destruction to the environment. It is an essential for all Jews living today. FromRabbi Yonassan Gershom, writer and activist; his blog “Notes from a Jewish Thoreau” is at http://rooster613.blogspot.com/: Transforming this holiday, which was originally a time to tithe one’s flocks, into a day to focus on the treatment of animals on modern farms, provides an excellent educational opportunity.  Unlike our farmer/herder ancestors who had daily contact with animals, modern Jews are often completely out of touch with where their food comes from, or how it is produced. From  Rabbi Irving (Yitz) Greenberg, former President of the National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership; author of The Jewish Way: Living the Holidays and many other books: It is a beautiful idea to renew/revive a classic day – Rosh Hashanah for counting and giving ma’aser beheima – that lost its actual function with the destruction of the Temple and the Exile. Addressing humanity’s relationship to animal life – and the widespread mistreatment of food animals and environmental abuse in today’s economy, marked by industrial farming and animal husbandry – is inspired. I wish great success to this project because it would have a morally positive effect on our treatment of animals and the planet, and bring great benefits to human health in switching to a healthier diet and life enhancing eating. In this way, the project fulfills and advances the central mitzvah of the Torah: choose life. From Rabbi Jill Hammer, Director of Spiritual Education for the Academy of Jewish Religion (Riverdale, NY): Rosh Chodesh Elul, the Talmudic New Year for Animals, is a wonderful time to reclaim our connection to our brothers and sisters of all species, examine our ethics around treatment of animals, and celebrate the ways humans are and can be in partnership with all life. I, for one, look forward to blessing the animals in a Jewish context! From Rabbi Dalia Marx, Professor of Liturgy and Midrash at Hebrew Union College in Jerusalem and author of several Judaica books: Israel, the only Jewish state in the world, holds the dubious record of being one of the top two countries for consumption of single-use dishes per capita. We create mountains of plastic every year. This shameful record indicates we have a long way to go in fulfilling our moral call as humans and as Jews l’ovdah u’l’shomrah, to preserve and sustain creation. I believe Richard Schwartz’s book presents a prophetic call, compelling for an urgent response. I believe it will enter the canon of Jewish texts that resulted in significant changes. From Rabbi David Rosen, KSG, CBE, International Co-President, Religions for Peace; Member of the Chief Rabbinate of Israel’s Commission for Dialogue with Religions; former chief rabbi of Ireland: Professor Richard Schwartz continues with his inspiring and indefatigable efforts to highlight Jewish teachings for compassion towards animal life and the enormously beneficial consequences of such … Continue reading Complete text of my eBook, “Restoring and Transforming the Ancient Jewish New Year for Animals: An Idea Whose Time Has Come”