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Christians Against All Animal Abuse Book Review
Autumn News Letter 2001

JUDAISM & VEGETARIANISM

Review by Reverend James Thompson

Richard H Schwartz a Jewish philosopher has recently published a profound yet simple to read book of 216 pages on the need to take up a non-meat lifestyle. Though the publishers are American (and I have consequently found difficulty in having it and also Regina Hyland's superb work: 'God's Covenant With Animals' stocked in the local library!), the UK distributors Airlift stock them both:

One might have thought that one whose religion is steeped in the Old Testament would have great difficulty in presenting his stance; however, Richard Schwartz is far removed from any fundamentalist approach akin to that of a Christian Bible college or, indeed, a conservative evangelical seminary. As a Jew he not only quotes the many scriptural verses scattered here and there throughout the Old Testament as we all know it, but he also has the Talmud which makes such isolated verses come alive with meaning. Various Rabbinical references of antiquity are given to support a vegetarian diet as well as the opinions of top leading Jewish authorities today. (I would wish that we had as many leading Christian figures to compare!). What follows is full of relevance for the health of the individual; the salvation of the starving; and the preservation of the planet There is also a whole chapter on common questions vegetarians are asked and the answers one could give, which would make an ideal booklet in itself. Such members of Jewry - as is this writer - are far more tolerant, far more embracing, and certainly far less dogmatic than are most schools of traditional Christianity - Unitarian & Quakers and Christian Spiritualists excepted!

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