In "Judaism and Vegetarianism", Richard Schwartz argues persuasively
that a switch toward vegetarianism is not only permissible for Jews, but
is
also a Jewish imperative. Schwartz, a professor emeritus of mathematics at
the College of Staten Island, succeeds in developing a strong argument for
vegetarianism by showing the connections between our food choices and core
Jewish values. Although he shows a vast and solid understanding of the
ethical, economic, medical and environmental issues that lead most
vegetarians to their choice, he is most compelling when he reminds us that
Judaism's most central beliefs are best served when Jews match their diet
to
"God's ideal diet".
In this third edition of the book that has been called the "bible" of the
Jewish vegetarian movement, Schwartz argues that the Jewish ideal of
non-cruelty to animals - long cited in defense of Jewish slaughter methods - is
in direct conflict with the realities of the production and consumption
of
meat. This is not the way our great-grandparents raised and slaughtered
animals. Our tradition requires that we treat animals as sentient, feeling
beings created by God. Some Torah sages even believe that animals have
souls.
Are these teachings consistent with the values and technologies of modern
factory farming?
Hundreds of the Torah's commandments address our physical body and
Judaism
places its highest emphasis on maintaining our health. This is not a
secondary value, or an esoteric tradition, but one of the central pillars
of
our faith, like the prohibition against causing suffering to sentient
animals. The consumption of meat is now considered a serious health risk
with
links to some of the most frightening degenerative diseases of our age.
Vegetarian diets are increasingly recommended to promote optimal health
and
well being. Walter Willett, Ph.D., a Harvard University School of Health
dietician stated in 1990, "If you step back and look at the data, the
optimum
amount of red meat you should eat is zero." Should we, as Jews, choose
anything less than a diet which promotes our health and enables us to best
serve God?
Looking beyond our personal health and observance, Dr. Schwartz asserts
that
adopting a vegetarian diet is a societal imperative because animal-based
agriculture and diets have devastating effects on our air, water, and
land.
Animal farming contributes substantially to global climate change,
requires
far more land, water, energy, and other agricultural resources than
plant-based diets, and hence negatively impacts on the world's food
supply,
and is a major factor behind rapidly rising medical costs. He demonstrates
that it also is a Jewish imperative, since the realities of the production
and consumption of animal products violate basic Jewish teachings which
require us to protect the environment, treat animals with compassion,
conserve resources, help hungry people, and pursue peace and non-violence.
Schwartz amasses an abundance of recent statistics and quotations from the
Torah, Talmud, and other traditional Jewish sources to bolster his case.
Thus
it is hard to imagine that anyone who lives by Jewish values could read
this
book and not be swayed towards a healthier, more just, and kinder
plant-based
diet.
In this new edition, Schwartz also provides an extended section of
questions
and answers on a wide variety of Jewish and general issues. These
questions
include: Don't we have to eat meat on the Sabbath and to rejoice on
festivals? Isn't it a sin not to take advantage of pleasurable things like
eating meat? Weren't we given dominion over animals? What about
sacrificial
Temple services? Aren't vegetarians deviating from Jewish tradition in
asserting that people and animals are of equal value? Schwartz's cogent
answers enable vegetarians to respond effectively to the concerns of
non-vegetarians.
Since vegetarians are often questioned by doubtful omnivores, Schwartz
also
provides questions that vegetarians can use to respectfully turn the
tables
on challengers. Perhaps most important is the question that is used to
conclude the book: "In view of strong Jewish mandates to be compassionate
to
animals, preserve our health, help feed the hungry, preserve and protect
the
environment, conserve resources, and seek and pursue peace, and the very
negative effects animal-centered diets have in each of these areas, will
you
now become a vegetarian, or at least sharply reduce your consumption of
animal products?"
Schwartz provides additional valuable information and resources including;
biographies of famous Jewish vegetarians, (Isaac Bashevis Singer, Shmuel
Yosef Agnon, Franz Kafka, and several present and past chief rabbis), a
discussion of Jewish vegetarian groups and activities in England, where
the
International Jewish Vegetarian Society is located, Israel, and the United
States, contact information for the leading Jewish vegetarian and
vegetarian-related groups, action ideas for promoting vegetarianism,
suggestions for leading a healthy Jewish vegetarian lifestyle, and an
extensive annotated bibliography.
At a time when we are struggling with the devastating effects of an
epidemic
of degenerative diseases, soaring health care costs, a multitude of
environmental threats, increasingly severe effects of global climate
change,
widespread hunger, and widening scarcities of water, and energy, Judaism's
powerful teachings on vegetarianism and other positive societal changes
should no longer be ignored. These issues should be brought to the center
of
our Jewish dialogues, to renew the power of our faith and vision as we
bear
witness to God's presence. This important, challenging book deserves a
wide
readership and much discussion in the Jewish community and other
communities.
Oh, and you'll feel better too.
==============================
Rabbi Hillel Norry is the spiritual leader of Congregation Shaare Zedek
in New York City. He is a graduate of The Jewish Theological
Seminary of America and has been a vegetarian for
thirteen years. He is the Scholar in Residence at
Camp Ramah in the Poconos for the Summer of 2001.
He is on the professional skills faculty of JTS, and
sits on the Committee for Jewish Law and Standards
of the Rabbinical Assembly.
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