By Dr. Jon Greenberg
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In this week's Torah portion, G-d tells Moses:"Command the Children of Israel that they shall give to the Levites, from the heritage of their possession, cities for dwelling; and open space all around the cities shall you give to the Levites. The cities shall be theirs for dwelling, and their open space shall be for their animals, for their possessions, and for all the amenities of ...
By Matthew Mausner
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“…You have dwelt long enough at this mountain.Turn and journey, and come to the mountain of the Amorites and to all its neighboring places, in the plain, on the mountain, and in the lowland, and in the south and by the seashore, the land of the Canaanites, and the Lebanon, until the great river, the Euphrates River. See, I have set the land before you; come and possess ...
By Akiva Gersh
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There is a well-known Midrash [1] (an originally oral teaching that comes to explain the written Torah)that tells of G-d taking Adam on a tour of the world shortly after his creation. At the end of the tour, G-d says to Adam, “Now, make sure you don’t destroy this world, for there will be no one after you to come and fix it.”
We can still hear G-d speaking these words today if we listen carefully enough. Woven into the fabric of our tradition, an ...
By Rebbetzin Chana Bracha Siegelbaum
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The Land of Israel is described as “A land of wheat, and barley, and vines, and fig trees, and pomegranates; a land of olive oil and honey."[1][2] These seven species were the staple foods consumed by the Jewish people in the Land of Israel during biblical times. They contain special holiness, as reflected by the unique blessing recited after ...
By Leiba Chaya David
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The Land of Israel has been conquered and divided, and Jewish farmers have settled into the yearly cycle of growth and harvest. Now they are given a special commandment, one applying only in the Land: they must take their first fruits to the Temple to express their gratitude to G-d. The first verses ...
By Rabbi Yuval Cherlow
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“Give ear, O Heavens, and I will speak,
and may the Earth hear the words of my mouth"[1]
The Heavens do not know how to listen, and the Earth cannot hear that which the Creator has spoken. So how are we to understand Moses’ call to the cosmos, “Give ear, O Heavens, and I will speak, and may the Earth hear the words of my mouth” at the beginning of the Torah portion Haazinu?
Some commentaries interpret the call to Heaven ...
COEJL Director Sybil Sanchez hosted the webinar and began with a brief explanation about COEJL and how the organization is focused on moving the Jewish community forward on energy and environmental policy, networking with other Jewish environmental organizations, and promoting a religious understanding of our responsibilities as Jews towards our world.
The Panel:
Rabbi Saul J. Berman, Stern College Professor and Orthodox rabbi, began with a D’var Torah on the Jewish sources and content directly relating to environmental issues with specific references to ...
During this time of pivotal global environmental challenge, we have a unique opportunity to work together toward a better future on the common ground of a healthy environment, green jobs, and a secure energy future. Our actions include living more sustainably, leaving a smaller carbon footprint, and repairing God's Creation by seeking to share inspiration in the cause rather than facing the struggle alone. By signing this Covenant, I commit, through a campaign facilitated by the Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life, to join hands with a broad community of ...
This is a segement of a larger documentary on Jewish environmental and animal rights values. This section gives a very good overview of the environmental situation in Israel for all audiences.
Time: 12:18
Audiences: Ages 12 and up
Film: Excerpt from A Sacred Duty
CLIMATE CHANGE
Excerpt:
Adopted by the 116th Annual Convention of the Central Conference of American Rabbis
Houston, TX
March, 2005
Background
...The following Jewish and secular moral principles serve as the foundation for the Conference's position on the development of agreements and policies to address climate change:
Responsibilities to Future Generations: "Therefore choose life, that you and your descendants may live." (Deuteronomy 30:20) Humankind has a solemn obligation to improve the world for future generations. Minimizing ...
NEW NORTH AMERICAN ENERGY STRATEGY
Excerpt:
Adopted at the 61st General Assembly
November, 1991
Baltimore, MD
BACKGROUND
"The earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof" reminds us that we are only stewards of nature, obliged to cherish and preserve it. Jewish tradition is emphatic that human dominion over nature does not include a license to abuse the environment.
...During the last ten years, reliance on imported oil increased from less than 30% in 1980 to nearly 50% in 1990. During the same period numerous ...
THE ENVIRONMENT
Excerpt:
Adopted at the 61st General Assembly
November, 1991
Baltimore, MD
BACKGROUND
The Jewish community's mandate to cultivate, protect, and nurture the environment is deeply rooted in our tradition. The commandment "Bal Taschit" enjoins "Do not destroy things from which humanity may benefit" (Deuteronomy, 20). The warning against idolatry founded in Deuteronomy reminds us that if we abuse the environment, displaying contempt for the integrity of God's creation, purse rain will cease to fall ...
Climate Change and Energy
Exceprt:
Submitted by the Commission on Social Action to the Union for Reform Judaism’s 70th General Assembly
...For more than forty years the Reform Movement has advocated in defense of our environment and all those species — from the smallest creatures to humankind itself — that rely on our shared natural habitat and resources for survival.
...We now face the unprecedented challenge of climate change due to greenhouse gas emissions, and the need for serious and urgent action on this ...
Summary: This Rosh Hashanah sermon was presented by Rabbi Rabbi Mark Kaiserman of Temple Emanu-El of West Essex, Livingston, New Jersey.
Learn more at http://rac.org/Articles/index.cfm?id=2215&pge_prg_id=12704&pge_id=2403.
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Reform Jewish Movement and the Environment
Exceprt: As heirs to a tradition of stewardship that goes back to Genesis and teaches us to be partners in the ongoing work of Creation, we cannot accept the escalating destruction of our environment and its effect on human health and livelihood. It is our sacred duty to alleviate environmental degradation and the human suffering it causes instead of despoiling our air, land, and water.
For more than 40 years, the Reform Movement has been ...
Overview
"Environmental justice" has entered the lexicon as the term of choice for describing the intersection of environmental and economic justice concerns, in particular, the impact of environmental degradation on the health and welfare of people of color, and low income and minority populations, both across national boundaries and within societies.
Across the world, poor people are affected disproportionately by environmental degradation. Two-thirds of lower-income urban dwellers across the globe breathe air that contains dangerously high levels ...
The JCPA supports: substantial foreign aid and technical assistance to developing nations for environmental protection, sustainable economic development and family planning; U.S. ratification of international environmental treaties and provisions in trade agreements to protect the environment; efforts to address environmental degradation and resource shortages in regions where such developments might lead to either mass migration or armed conflict; incentives for the revitalization of cities through environmentally responsible "Brownfields" programs; policies ...
Agriculture
COEJL and the JCPA (Jewish Council for Public Affairs) support comprehensive testing of all genetically engineered products for their capacity both to disrupt ecosystems and to cause illness.
COEJL supports policies which promote sustainable agricultural practices — including soil conservation, minimized use of pesticides and fertilizers, and maintenance of the genetic diversity of food crops (JCPA Agenda for Public Affairs 2000-2001). In addition, governments should protect agricultural lands and public health through programs to safeguard ...
