The joyous festival of Purim shares many connections with veganism. According to the Talmud (Megilla 13a), Queen Esther, the heroine of the Purim story, refrained from eating meat while she lived in the palace of King Achashveriosh. She was thus able to avoid violating the kosher dietary laws while keeping her Jewish identity secret. During Purim it is a mitzvah to give mat’not evyonim (charity to poor people). In contrast to these acts of sharing and compassion, animal-based diets involve the feeding of

  There is increasing evidence that the world is approaching a climate catastrophe. The hottest year in recorded history was 2024, breaking the record set just the year before. Amazingly, all 13 months from June 2023 to June 2024 broke monthly temperature records. All 25 years in the current century are among the 26 hottest years since temperature records have been kept worldwide. Because of the hotter temperatures, there has been a significant increase in the melting of glaciers and

Shalom, You are cordially invited to a Zoom Tu Bishvat Seder on Tu Bishvat, Wednesday, February 12, from 8  to  930 PM Israel time (1:00 to 2:30 PM US Eastern time) You can attend at https://tau-ac-il.zoom.us/j/88447791056 The link for the ten pages of source sheets that will be the basis of the Zoom seder is https://drive.google.com/file/d/1k9V0a02e2M7lJXY1MTMxYLwmavqEHdT0/view?usp=sharing:. They will be screen-shared. I have conducted many Tu Bishvat seders in the past, both in rooms with attendees and by Zoom. You may attend

  Shalom, dear rabbi, As a respected community leader, you are in an excellent position to help create a habitable, healthy, environmentally sustainable world for future generations in a way that will promote Jewish teachings and significantly enhance the image of Judaism worldwide. It has become increasingly apparent that the world is rapidly approaching a climate catastrophe.  In early November, 2024 was already declared the hottest year worldwide in recorded history, surpassing the record established in 2023. Amazingly. all 23

The titles are: Chanukah and Vegetarianism and Veganism 2. Miraculously Stretching the Oil:  Dietary Connections to Energy Use 3. Celebrating Miracles at Chanukah 4. Eight Reasons to Become Vegan During Chanukah 5.  Chrismukah: Giving Thanks for Miracles! 6. Chanukah and Veganism ========================= 1. Chanukah and Vegetarianism and Veganism                Many connections can be made between vegetarianism and veganism (henceforth veg*ism)  and the Jewish festival of Chanukah: 1. According to the Book of Maccabees, the

  This article was co-edited by Prof. Dan Brook (Bio at end)   Christmas on December 25 and Chanukah on 25 Kislev periodically coincide and do so again in 2024 on Christmas Day, which is the first night of Chanukah. Some are calling it Chrismukah. Some are calling it another miracle! Hope springs eternal. Indeed, it’s always been an integral part of Jewish and American history, spirituality, and politics. Without hope, there wouldn’t be a Chanukah; without hope, there might

Humanity’s most urgent issue is whether a climate catastrophe can be prevented. Alarming trends and recent extreme climate events suggest that the world is approaching a critical tipping point. In 2024, heat waves were so frequent and intense that by early November, the year was declared the hottest in recorded history—breaking the previous record set just one year earlier in 2023. Astoundingly, all 13 months from June 2023 to June 2024 set new monthly temperature records. Additionally, 25 of the

Veganism is the diet most consistent with fundamental Jewish teachings.  Judaism emphasizes pikuach nefesh, that Jews should carefully preserve our health and our lives. Of the 613 Jewish mitzvot (commandments), 610 can be overridden if it might help save a life. The only three exceptions are the prohibitions against murder, idolatry, and sexual immorality. However, many scientific studies have linked animal-based diets to an increased risk of heart disease, stroke, several types of cancer, and other life-threatening diseases. These findings

This article was co-authored by Michael Gribov. Director of Movement Building for Jewish Vegan Life. The world is at a tipping point. The United Nations has declared a “code red for humanity” in response to the accelerating climate crisis. From rising sea levels to extreme weather events, the planet is being pushed to the brink by human activity. As the effects of climate change become more pronounced, it is clear that we are running out of time to avert catastrophic

6 Nov. 2024 / 5 Cheshvan 5785 For many who care about environmentalism and addressing climate change — and for many who fight White supremacy — the results of Tuesday’s election are exceptionally concerning. Among other promises, the president-elect — whose campaign rhetoric and first White House term were tainted by extensive anti-Semitism and other forms of racism — has vowed to gut environmental programs, reversing many federal-government policies that address climate change. Take some time to mourn what could have been had