1989 results for tag: Uncategorized

My Latest Interview

I and Rabbi Dr. Shmuly Yanklowitz are interviewed by Carissa Kranz of BeVeg on my latest book, "Vegan Revolutioin: Saving Our World, Revitalizing Judaism, and much more.https://www.facebook.com/JaneVelezMitchell/videos/402027970860234/

Latest Review of My Book, VEGAN REVOLUTION: “Jewish Scholar Pens Book About a Vegan Revolution in Israel.”

Richard H. Schwartz, Ph.D., the president emeritus of Jewish Veg and president of the Society of Ethical and Religious Vegetarians, has written a new book, Vegan Revolution: Saving Our World, Revitalizing Judaism. It explains how Jewish laws pertain to animal rights issues and will surely appeal to Jewish people and anyone with an interest in theology or animal rights. The book is very positive, especially the section about the growing popularity of vegan living around the world. It thoroughly delves into many topics, from factory farms and slaughterhouses to marine parks and horse races to wool and fur production. Among other ...

My Eight Articles Related to Tu Bishvat

Below are my 8 articles related to Tu Bishvat. Their titles are: 1. Why Is This Night Different: Thoughts on Tu B’Shvat 2. Tu B'Shvat and Vegetarianism and Veganism 3. Preserving the Sacred Environment: A Religious Imperative – A Tu Bishvat Message 4. Lessons From Trees: a Tu Bishvat Message 5. Celebrating Tu Bishvat as if Environmental Sustainability Matters  6. Lessons From Trees that Can Help Heal Our Imperilled Planet 7. For Tu Bishvat: 36 Jewish Quotations About Trees 8. Questions That Can Be Considered At a Tu B’Shvat Seder ======== 1. Why Is This Night Different?: Thoughts on Tu ...

Animal Agriculture Is Immoral

Animal Agriculture Is Immoral is an anthology of scholarly,  insightful, thought-provoking essays from environmental, social, religious, and spiritual perspectives by leading vegan activists about the very negative effects of animal-based diets and agriculture. As an activist who has read and written extensively about plant-based diets, I welcomed the new information and ideas from the cogent essays.       Consistent with its themes, the book is dedicated “to all the animals with whom we share this beautiful planet and to all the children who will inherit the consequences of our choices.”      The many ...

The Climate on Capitol Hill: A Roadmap for Jewish Climate Advocacy

Webinar on Tuesday, January 12, 5pm PT, 8 pm ET. The first 100 days of the new Administration and the 117th Congress can be a breakthrough moment for action to put us on a sustainable and just path.   Learn what Jews can do from Rep. Mike Levin(CA49), Rebecca Leber, climate reporter for Mother Jones and Rabbi Nina Beth Cardin, co-founder of the Maryland Campaign for Environmental Human Rights.  Register here: https://bit.ly/3rl9vM4 Please come and help us spread the word about this exciting event.  Publicity materials are available here: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1IImwdOPx8daLbctL...

Article about me and my recently published book, VEGAN REVOLUTION: SAVING OUR WORLD, REVITALIZING JUDAISM, published in the magazine of the Israeli retirement village where I now live

The Vegan Revolution Our very own resident, Richard Schwartz, has recently published another book called “Vegan Revolution: Saving Our World, Revitalizing Judaism.” For Richard, the book is much more than just a book.  It is part of a cause, a passion, a major effort to increase our awareness of the social, environmental, and religious benefits of veganism.  Richard’s fervent passion began way back in the mid-70s when he was teaching a course in the City University of New York that he initiated and developed called “Math and the Environment.”  A few years later, he became a vegetarian.  The shift to veganism was ...

Belgian Shechita Ban Ignores Key Factors

     The recent Belgian government ban of shechita (Jewish ritual slaughter) overlooks some important considerations.      First, it ignores the many problems related to stunning, their preferred method of slaughter. These are thoroughly covered in the book, Slaughterhouse: The Shocking Story of Greed, Neglect, and Inhumane Treatment Inside the U.S. Meat Industry, by Gail Eisnitz. Through many interviews with slaughterhouse workers and USDA inspectors, she carefully documents in gut wrenching, chilling detail the widespread, unspeakable torture and death at U.S. slaughterhouses where animals are stunned prior to ...

Two Health Studies That Could Change the World

There are two major health studies that have the potential to radically affect medical practice. They dramatically show how dietary and other lifestyle changes can prevent and in some cases reverse several life-threatening diseases.      The first study, the Lifestyle Heart Trial, was conducted by Dean Ornish, M. D. of the Preventive Medicine Research Institute in Salusito, California, and his medical colleagues. Its aim was to study if changes in diet, exercise, and stress levels can unblock clogged arteries and save lives, without the use of expensive surgical techniques or drugs.      Ornish’s initial study ...

Celebrating Miracles at Chanukah

by Richard Schwartz and Daniel Brook Hope springs eternal. Indeed, it’s always been an integral part of Jewish history, spirituality, and politics. Without hope, there wouldn’t be a Chanukah; without hope, there might not even be a Jewish community. That’s the power of radical hope! Jewish survival is a miracle of hope. Increasing light at the darkest time of the year to celebrate Chanukah and Jewish survival is also a miracle. Each year, we should work and hope for further miracles. We sincerely hope that Jews will enhance their celebrations of this ancient, beautiful, and spiritually-meaningful holiday of Chanukah by making it a ...

The latest review of my newest book, “Vegan Revolution: Saving Our World, Revitaliizng Judaism” /this one at the website of the UK Jewish Vegetarian Society

https://www.jvs.org.uk/2020/12/04/book-review-vegan-revolution-saving-our-world-revitalizing-judaism/?fbclid=IwAR1S4hRy6JCVBiHdFjQEMmVAHX0f777MRvIA1xRsMPl7rTy9YJQxp6tu3LM

A Dialogue Between a Jewish Vegan Activist and a Rabbi

Dialogue Between a Jewish Vegan Activist and a Rabbi It is vital to conduct respectful dialogues within the Jewish community on whether Jews should be vegtarians, or even vegans. I have imagined a dialogue as a means of encouraging readers to conduct such debates with local rabbis, educators, and other Jewish leaders. Scene: A Jewish vegan activist meets his or her rabbi in the latter’s office. Jewish Vegan Activist (JVA): Shalom, Rabbi. Rabbi: Shalom. Good to see you. JVA: Rabbi, I have been meaning to speak to you for some time about an issue, but I have hesitated because I know how busy you are. But I think this issue is ...

Eighteen Reasons Jews Think They Should Not Be Vegetarians or Vegans (and Why They Are Wrong)

Below are 18 reasons why many of my fellow Jews think they should not be vegetarian or vegan (henceforth veg*an) and my rebuttals to the reasons: 1) The Torah teaches that humans are granted dominion over animals (Genesis 1:26), giving us a warrant to treat animals in any way we wish.Response: Jewish tradition interprets “dominion” as responsible guardianship or stewardship: we are called upon to be co-workers with God in improving the world. Dominion does not mean that people have the right to wantonly exploit animals, and it certainly does not permit us to breed animals and treat them as machines designed solely to meet human needs. In “A ...

What Diet Does God Prefer for People?

What Diet Does God Prefer for People? The most basic line of demarcation in the realm of Halacha (Jewish law) is the one between the permitted and the forbidden. Yet, in the realm of the permitted, we also find a further line between the accepted and the ideal. At this point, we do not simply ask what does God allow but what does God prefer.      Within this context, it is essential that we not only ask which foods God permits but that we also consider the diet that God prefers for us. The following arguments are submitted in furtherance of my view that God's preference for people is veganism. Vegans and vegetarians eat plant-based diets. ...

First published review of my latest book, VEGAN REVOLUTION: SAVING OUR WORLD, REVITALIZING JUDAISM, in the Jerusalem Report

Chronicling the Jewish Vegan Revolution Review by Abigail Klein Leichner Chicken soup on Shabbat, lox and bagels on Sundays, pickled tongue on Purim, eggs on Passover, cheesecake on Shavuot, brisket with tzimmes for Rosh Hashanah, pastrami on rye for any occasion.Animal products are as deeply ingrained in the cultural rituals of Judaism as a schmear of schmaltz on matzah.While Israel is believed to have the highest percentage of vegans per capita in the world – approximately 5% of the population – the switch to a plant-based diet mainly is confined to the secular sector and is motivated by animal-welfare, environmental or health ...

Reduce Our Carbon Footprint

Last fall, Rabbi Rain Zohav, Director of Jews of the Earth, led an intergenerational program at the Mishkan Torah Synagogue in Greenbelt, MD. Rabbi Rain served as the Education Director on how to reduce our carbon footprint. The format of the day was organized like this: - Meeting with both adults and students. - Begin with the chant Ma Gadlu (How Wonderous Are Your Works) by Shefa Gold—see the sample here—it is the first song on the list: https://www.oysongs.com/products/songs.cfm?artist_id=200&EzPage=3 - Present some key environmental Jewish texts. (see “Texts for the Earth”) - Open up an intergeneration discussion about ...

Jews of the Earth at Ohalah

A Conference for Rabbis and Cantors Dedicated to Renewing Judaism Jews of the Earth, also known as J.O.T.E., had a very visible presence at the Ohalah Conference which was held in January 2020. Before the planning for the conference started, the members advocated for the theme to be about the climate crisis and it was: Lizkor et Ha Brit - To Remember the Covenant: Inspiring Hope and Vision."  “I will remember my covenant, which is between Me and you and every living creature (Genesis 9:15).” “And Elohim heard their cry and remembered the covenant with Avraham, Yitzhak and Ya’akov (Exodus 2:24).”  Just as the cries of ...

A Largely Overlooked Issue That Should Defeat President Trump

 Whether or not humans are causing climate change should not be a political issue. In the scientific community, it is a settled debate. Climate experts agree that the world must undertake changes to avert devastation of human civilization due to climate catastrophe. Yet, President Trump and almost all Republican legislators have denied human-caused (anthropogenic) climate change and have rolled back or weakened regulations designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions      Climate change is a major threat to human civilization. Broad society breakdown could occur by the end of this century, and self-reinforcing positive feedback ...

WHY JEWS SHOULD SUPPORT JOE BIDEN

         The upcoming US elections will be critical for the future of Jews, Israel, the US, and, indeed, the entire world. Below are some key reasons, many of which relate to President Trump’s negatives, why Jews should support Joe Biden:    1. There is an overwhelming consensus of climate experts that the world will soon experience catastrophic climate events unless major changes soon occur, and there have been many recent examples of severe climate events. However Trump is not only in denial about climate change, but, along with most Republican legislators, has been doing all he can to roll back or weaken legislation designed to reduce ...

“I will command my blessing on you in the sixth year” – The sixth year before the shmita is the time to develop social resilience

In the "Behar" Torah portion, God commands the people of Israel to observe the shmita - by stopping the cycle of agricultural activity (which most people rely on for sustenance) once every seven years and make due with things that grow on their own. The following verses address a question that may arise:  "But you might ask, ‘What will we eat during the seventh year, since we are not allowed to plant or harvest crops that year?’" (Leviticus 25:20) – In other words, it’s fine and dandy to take a break from work and all, but if we don’t plant what will we eat? The same verses that command us to halt the economic wheel once every seven ...

Interview of me about my newest book, VEGAN REVOLUTION: SAVING THE WORLD, REVITALIZING JUDAISM

Shalom,     An interview of me about my just published book, VEGAN REVOLUTION: SAVING THE WORLD, REVITALIZING JUDAISM on “Vegan Stories Podcast’ can be heard by visiting veganstoriespodcast.com. .   The promotion message by interviewer Jeff Rosenblum is:     I am so proud and honored to share Episode 7 of Vegan Stories Podcast (published this morning) with my guest, Richard H. Schwartz, who I interviewed (remotely from Israel) last Tuesday (the day his new book was published).  I'll let the title, subtitle and, of course, Episode 7 (see link below) speak for itself:     Richard H. Schwartz ... At 86-years young, this highly-prol...