JEWISH GROUP
COMMENDS CONSERVATIVE MOVEMENT FOR “GREEN” INITIATIVE; URGES FURTHER STEPS
For Immediate Release:
August 28, 2008
Contact:
Richard H. Schwartz, President of the Jewish Vegetarians of North America
(JVNA)
President@JewishVeg.com
Phone: (718) 761-5876
Jewish Vegetarians of North America (JVNA) issued the following statement
today:
We commend the Conservative movement for its ambitious new green initiative
(please see JTA article below). At a time when the world is arguably
approaching an unprecedented catastrophe from global warming and other
environmental threats, their initiative is very important and deserves much
praise. We hope it will serve as a model for similar campaigns by other Jewish
denominations and groups.
However, as praiseworthy as their initiative is, we respectfully believe that
they are ignoring a major contributor to current environmental threats:
animal-based agriculture. Please consider:
* According to a 2006 UN report, livestock agriculture emits more greenhouse
gases (in CO2 equivalents) than all the cars and other means of transportation
worldwide combined (18 percent vs. 13.5 percent).
* At a time when food prices are skyrocketing, food riots are occurring in many
areas and an estimated 20 million people are dying annually worldwide from
hunger and its effects, over 70 percent of the grain produced in the
* In an increasingly thirsty and energy-dependent world, animal-based diets
require up to 14 times as much water and 10 times as
much energy as vegan (all plants) diets.
* The raising of 60 billion farmed animals annually worldwide for slaughter
also contributes significantly to rapid species extinction, soil erosion and
depletion, the destruction of tropical rain forests and other valuable habits,
and many more environmental problems.
* Making all of the above points more serious, the consumption of animal
products is projected to double in 50 years. If this happens, it will make it
very difficult, if not impossible, to reduce greenhouse emissions enough to
avoid very severe effects from global climate change.
Additional dietary-related factors to consider include:
* Animal-centered diets are contributing to an epidemic of heart
disease, several types of cancer and other diseases in the Jewish and other
communities;
* Even if animals are
slaughtered strictly according to Jewish law, with minimum pain, billions
of animals still suffer greatly from cruel treatment on factory farms.
* The production and consumption of animal products arguably violate basic Jewish mandates to preserve human health, treat
animals with compassion, protect the environment, conserve natural resources,
help hungry people and pursue peace.
It is essential that our rabbis and other Jewish leaders recognize that a major
shift toward plant-based diets is essential to avoid the unparalleled disaster
that the world is rapidly approaching and to move our precious, but imperiled,
planet to a sustainable path.
It is urgent that tikkun olam-the
healing and repair of the world -- be a central issue in synagogues, Jewish
schools and other Jewish institutions. Judaism has splendid teachings on
environmental conservation and sustainability, and it is essential that they be
applied to respond to the many current environmental threats.
JVNA would very much welcome respectful dialogues/debates with Conservative
rabbis and, indeed, all rabbis and other Jewish leaders on “Should Jews be
Vegetarians?” Such discussions would constitute a kiddush Hashem (a
sanctification of G-d's Name) because it would show
the applicability of eternal Jewish teachings to dietary issues.
Further information about these issues can be found at the JVNA web site
JewishVeg.com. We will provide complimentary copies of its new documentary A
SACRED DUTY: APPLYING JEWISH VALUES TO HELP HEAL THE WORLD to rabbis and other
Jewish leaders who will contact us (president@JewishVeg.com) and indicate how they might use them to involve their
congregations on the issues. The entire movie can be seen and further
information about it can be found at ASacredDuty.com.
=========================
JTA Breaking News
Conservatives launch green initiative
Published: 08/26/2008
The Conservative movement launched a greening initiative in North America and
A project of the Federation of Jewish Men's Clubs, the initiative kicks off with
a solar Ner Tamid, or
eternal light, for synagogues, and soy-based Shabbat eco-candles for home use.
The candles have lead-free wicks and
recyclable tins.
A third prong is encouraging community support for carbon offset programs in
North America and
The fourth component is using biodegradable building and food service supplies.
A joint purchasing agreement is in place to help Conservative institutions buy
such products in bulk instead of non-reusable plates, cups
and utensils.
"Being green is a Jewish imperative," said Rabbi
Ten pilot congregations signed on to the effort July 1. More information is at www.solarcombo.com.
http://www.jta.org/cgi-bin/iowa/breaking/110098.html
=========================
Letter on Conservative Movement's Green Initiative
Dear Editor:
As president of Jewish Vegetarians of North America (JVNA), I commend the
Conservative movement for its ambitious new green initiative
(http://www.jta.org/cgi-bin/iowa/breaking/110098.html). At a time when the
world is arguably approaching an unprecedented catastrophe from global warming
and other environmental threats, their initiative is very important and
deserves much praise. I hope it will serve as a model for similar campaigns by
other Jewish denominations and groups.
However, as praiseworthy as their initiative is, I respectfully believe that
they are ignoring a major contributor to current environmental threats:
animal-based agriculture, which involves the raising of 60 billion farmed
animals for slaughter annually.
According to a 2006 UN report, livestock agriculture emits more greenhouse
gases (in CO2 equivalents) than all the cars and other means of transportation
worldwide combined (18 percent vs. 13.5 percent). It also contributes
significantly to widening water and energy scarcities, rapid species
extinction, soil erosion and depletion, the destruction of tropical rain
forests and other valuable habits, and many more environmental problems. Making
the situation more serious, the consumption of animal products is projected to
double in 50 years. If this happens, it will make it very difficult, if not
impossible, to reduce greenhouse emissions enough to avoid very severe effects
from global climate change.
It is essential that our rabbis and other Jewish leaders recognize that a major
shift toward plant-based diets is essential to avoid the unparalleled disaster
that the world is rapidly approaching and to move our precious, but imperiled,
planet to a sustainable path.
[*** Some or all of the material below may be omitted for space
considerations:]
It is urgent that tikkun olam-the
healing and repair of the world -- be a central issue in synagogues, Jewish
schools and other Jewish institutions. Judaism has splendid teachings on
environmental conservation and sustainability, and it is essential that they be
applied to respond to the many current environmental threats.
JVNA would very much welcome respectful dialogues/debates with Conservative
rabbis and, indeed, all rabbis and other Jewish leaders on “Should Jews be
Vegetarians?” Such discussions would constitute a kiddush Hashem (a
sanctification of G-d's Name) because it would show
the applicability of eternal Jewish teachings to dietary issues.
Further information about these issues can be found at the JVNA web site
JewishVeg.com. We will provide complimentary copies of its new documentary A
SACRED DUTY: APPLYING JEWISH VALUES TO HELP HEAL THE WORLD to rabbis and other
Jewish leaders who will contact us (president@JewishVeg.com)
and indicate how they might use them to involve their congregations on the
issues. The entire movie can be seen and further information about it can be
found at ASacredDuty.com.
=========================
Richard H. Schwartz, Ph.D.
Professor Emeritus,
Author of "Judaism and Vegetarianism," "Judaism and Global
Survival," and "Mathematics and Global Survival," and over 130
articles at www.JewishVeg.com/schwartz
President of Jewish Vegetarians of North America
(JVNA) www.JewishVeg.com
and Society of Ethical and
Religious Vegetarians (SERV) www.serv-online.org
Associate Producer of A SACRED DUTY (asacredduty.com)
Director of Veg Climate Alliance (www.vegclimatealliance.org)
president@JewishVeg.com