|
Judaism And Environmentalism
Judaism intersects with environmentalism on many levels. The natural world plays a central role in Jewish law, literature, and liturgical and other practices. Within the arena of Jewish thought, beliefs vary widely about the human relation to the environment. Jewish law and the environment In Jewish law (''halakhah''), ecological concerns are reflected in Biblical protection for fruit trees, rules in the Mishnah against harming the public domain, Talmudic debate over noise and smoke damages, and contemporary responsa on agricultural pollution. In Conservative Judaism, a new initiative has adopted ''ecokashrut'' ideas begun in the 1970s. In addition, Jewish activists have recruited principles of ''halakhah'' for environmental purposes, such as the injunction against unnecessary destruction, known as '' bal tashkhit''. The rule of tza'ar ba'alei hayyim is a restriction on cruelty to animals. Other Jewish beliefs about the environment Generally speaking, the Bible and rabbinic trad ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Jewish Law
''Halakha'' (; he, הֲלָכָה, ), also Romanization of Hebrew, transliterated as ''halacha'', ''halakhah'', and ''halocho'' ( ), is the collective body of Judaism, Jewish religious laws which is derived from the Torah, written and Oral Torah. Halakha is based on biblical commandments (''Mitzvah, mitzvot''), subsequent Talmudic and Mitzvah#Rabbinic mitzvot, rabbinic laws, and the customs and traditions which were compiled in the many books such as the ''Shulchan Aruch''. ''Halakha'' is often translated as "Jewish law", although a more literal translation of it might be "the way to behave" or "the way of walking". The word is derived from the Semitic root, root which means "to behave" (also "to go" or "to walk"). ''Halakha'' not only guides religious practices and beliefs, it also guides numerous aspects of day-to-day life. Historically, in the Jewish diaspora, ''halakha'' served many Jewish communities as an enforceable avenue of law – both Civil law (legal system), civil a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Book Of Genesis
The Book of Genesis (from Greek ; Hebrew: בְּרֵאשִׁית ''Bəreʾšīt'', "In hebeginning") is the first book of the Hebrew Bible and the Christian Old Testament. Its Hebrew name is the same as its first word, ( "In the beginning"). Genesis is an account of the creation of the world, the early history of humanity, and of Israel's ancestors and the origins of the Jewish people. Tradition credits Moses as the author of Genesis, as well as the books of Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and most of Deuteronomy; however, modern scholars, especially from the 19th century onward, place the books' authorship in the 6th and 5th centuries BC, hundreds of years after Moses is supposed to have lived.Davies (1998), p. 37 Based on scientific interpretation of archaeological, genetic, and linguistic evidence, most scholars consider Genesis to be primarily mythological rather than historical. It is divisible into two parts, the primeval history (chapters 1–11) and the ancestr ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ritual
A ritual is a sequence of activities involving gestures, words, actions, or objects, performed according to a set sequence. Rituals may be prescribed by the traditions of a community, including a religious community. Rituals are characterized, but not defined, by formalism, traditionalism, invariance, rule-governance, sacral symbolism, and performance. Rituals are a feature of all known human societies. They include not only the worship rites and sacraments of organized religions and cults, but also rites of passage, atonement and ritual purification, purification rites, oaths of allegiance, dedication ceremonies, coronations and presidential inaugurations, marriages, funerals and more. Even common actions like handshake, hand-shaking and saying "hello" may be termed as ''rituals''. The field of ritual studies has seen a number of conflicting definitions of the term. One given by Kyriakidis is that a ritual is an outsider's or "Emic and etic, etic" category for a set activity (o ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kabbalah
Kabbalah ( he, קַבָּלָה ''Qabbālā'', literally "reception, tradition") is an esoteric method, discipline and Jewish theology, school of thought in Jewish mysticism. A traditional Kabbalist is called a Mekubbal ( ''Məqūbbāl'' "receiver"). The definition of Kabbalah varies according to the tradition and aims of those following it, from its origin in medieval Judaism to its later adaptations in Western esotericism (Christian Kabbalah and Hermetic Qabalah). Jewish Kabbalah is a set of esoteric teachings meant to explain the relationship between the unchanging, eternal God in Judaism, God—the mysterious ''Ein Sof'' (, ''"The Infinite"'')—and the mortal, finite universe (God's Genesis creation narrative, creation). It forms the foundation of Mysticism, mystical religious interpretations within Judaism. List of Jewish Kabbalists, Jewish Kabbalists originally developed their own transmission of Primary texts of Kabbalah, sacred texts within the realm of Jewish traditio ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Aytzim
Aytzim (meaning "trees" in Hebrew), formerly the Green Zionist Alliance (GZA), is a New York-based Jewish environmental organization that is a U.S.-registered 501(c)(3) tax-deductible nonprofit charity. A grassroots all-volunteer organization, Aytzim is active in the United States, Canada and Israel. The organization is a former member of the American Zionist Movement and has worked in partnership with Ameinu, the Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life (COEJL), Hazon, Interfaith Moral Action on Climate, Interfaith Oceans, GreenFaith, Mercaz/Masorti ( Conservative Judaism), the National Religious Coalition on Creation Care, and the Jewish National Fund (JNF)—although Aytzim has long criticized JNF for not prioritizing sustainability and environmental justice in its actions. Aytzim's work at the nexus of Judaism, environmentalism and Zionism has courted controversy from both Jewish and non-Jewish groups ( see below section on criticism). Projects Aytzim has five projects: ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Eden Village Camp
Eden Village Camp is a co-ed Jewish sleep-away organic farm camp in Putnam Valley, New York. It is a non-profit sustainable-living "farm-to-table" camp founded by Yoni Stadlin and Vivian Lehrer, located on touching the Appalachian Trail, 50 miles north of New York City. Culture of Kindness Eden Village promotes a "Culture of Kindness" to the campers. Part of that culture includes a guideline on "Body Talk." Campers refrain from talking about others appearances, positive or negative. This concept gained a lot of press in the NY Times and the Today Show. Commonly misconstrued as a strict rule at camp, body talk is a guideline that serves as an image-based break for campers and allows them to attempt communicating in alternative ways. The goal is to limit bullying, social cruelty, and an inflated focus on image during the campers time at Eden Village. History Eden Village Camp was founded in 2006 by Yoni Stadlin and Vivian Lehrer. Their aim was to create a sleep-away camp based on the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hazon
Hazon ( he, חָזוֹן ) is an American nonprofit organization based in New York City that seeks to "create new vision" in the Jewish community through outdoor and environmental education. It was founded in 2000 by its British-born CEO Nigel Savage. The organization claims to be America's "largest faith-based environmental organization". Hazon's advisory board of directors is chaired by Ruth Messinger. Name and aims In Hebrew, ''hazon'' means "vision". In March 2019, Hazon issued a cease and desist order to stop an Israeli right-wing organization that is against same-sex marriages and promotes a Jewish religious agenda from using its trademarked name. Savage has stated that the messages from the Israeli organization "radically stand against all that we have done, and all that we have tried to do, since our founding in 2000". Hazon promotes what it calls "immersive JOFEE experiences". JOFEE stands for Jewish, Outdoor, Food, Farming & Environmental Education. Events Hazo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Coalition On The Environment And Jewish Life
The Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life (COEJL) is a leading Jewish environmental organization in the United States. It was founded in 1993 and is based in Washington, D.C. COEJL promotes policies and programs that help increase energy efficiency, promote energy independence and security, protect land and water resources, and build core Jewish knowledge on environmental issues while serving as a Jewish voice in the broader interfaith community. COEJL has also begun to focus specifically on federal advocacy on international climate finance, the Clean Power Plan, and conservation since moving to Washington. COEJL has been an initiative at the Jewish Council for Public Affairs since 1993 and serves as the Jewish partner in the National Religious Partnership on the Environment (NRPE). See also *Jewish Council for Public Affairs The Jewish Council for Public Affairs (JCPA) is an American Jewish 501(c)(3) tax exempt organization that deals with community relations. It is a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Everett Gendler
Everett Gendler (August 8, 1928 – April 1, 2022) was an American rabbi, known for his leadership of and involvement in progressive causes, including the civil rights movement, Jewish nonviolence, and the egalitarian Jewish Havurah movement. From 1978–1995, he served as the first Jewish Chaplain at Phillips Academy, Andover. He has been described as the "father of Jewish environmentalism". Biography Gendler was born in Chariton, Iowa, in 1928 to a religious Jewish family who moved to Des Moines in 1939. He graduated from Theodore Roosevelt High School and went on to earn a B.A. from the University of Chicago in 1948 during the height of Robert Hutchins's leadership. He remained at Chicago until 1951 studying with the philosopher Rudolf Carnap. In 1957, he was ordained as a Conservative rabbi by the Jewish Theological Seminary. In the late 1950s and early 1960s, Gendler served as rabbi to a number of congregations throughout Latin America, including the Beth Israel Community ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Farm Forward
Farm Forward is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit whose mission is to promote conscientious eating, reduce farmed animal suffering, and advance sustainable agriculture. Farm Forward aims to eliminate the most harmful practices in intensive animal agriculture, increase the market share of humane and sustainable animal agriculture, and raise awareness about the cultural significance of animal agriculture. Programs Eating Animals '' Eating Animals'' is a nonfiction book promoted by Farm Forward and written by American author Jonathan Safran Foer, who serves as a member on Farm Forward's Board of Directors. The book was written in close collaboration with Farm Forward CEO Dr. Aaron Gross, an Associate Professor of Theology and Religious studies at the University of San Diego, as well as Ben Goldsmith, Senior Strategist at Farm Forward. ''Eating Animals'' presents a discussion of what it means to eat animal products in an industrialized world where intensive animal agriculture, also known as f ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Lynn Gottlieb
Lynn Gottlieb (born April 12, 1949, in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania) is an American rabbi in the Jewish Renewal movement. In 1974, she founded the now-defunct feminist theater troupe Bat Kol. In 1981, she became the first woman ordained as a rabbi in the Jewish Renewal movement; she was ordained by rabbis Zalman Schachter, Everett Gendler, and Shlomo Carlebach. She authored ''She Who Dwells Within: A Feminist Vision of a Renewed Judaism'' (1995). In 2007 she was selected as one of The Other Top 50 Rabbis by Letty Cottin Pogrebin. Gottlieb led a Fellowship of Reconciliation delegation to Iran in 2008, thus becoming the first female rabbi to visit Iran in a public delegation since the 1979 Iranian Revolution. A 2013 dissertation from the University of New Mexico's department of anthropology, “Storied Lives in a Living Tradition: Women Rabbis and Jewish Community in 21st Century New Mexico,” by Dr. Miria Kano, discusses Gottlieb and four other female rabbis of New Mexico. Gottlie ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
