5/28/06 JVNA Online Newsletter

Shalom everyone,

This update/Jewish Vegetarians of North America (JVNA) Online Newsletter has the following items:

1. Happy Shavuot/Shavuot and Vegetarianism/Shavuot Environmental Program Scheduled

2. Open Letter From the European Vegetarian Union (EVU) to UN Secretary General Kofi Annan Re Vegetarianism, With List of Supporters

4. What Would a Vegan World Be Like?

5. Vegan Diet Reduces Probability of Having Twins

6. Opportunity to Express Your Opinion Re Fur

7. Project to Collect Vegetarian- Related Prayers

9. Global Warming Even Worse Than Predictions

10. Jewish Teachings on the Importance of Wilderness (from yesterday’s Torah Portion)

11. Some Powerful Vegetarian-Related Quotations

12. Message From FARM on Global Warming and Their Postcards For Distribution to People Exiting the Al Gore Movie
[I received their postcards yesterday and they are very well done.]

Some material has been deferred to a later update/newsletter to keep this one from being even longer.

[Materials in brackets like this [ ] within an article or forwarded message are my editorial notes/comments.]

Opinions expressed do not necessarily represent the views of the JVNA, unless otherwise indicated, but may be presented to increase awareness and/or to encourage respectful dialogue. Also, material re conferences, retreats, forums, trips, and other events does not necessarily imply endorsement by JVNA or endorsement of kashrut, Shabbat observances, or any other Jewish observance, but may be presented for informational purposes. Please use e-mail addresses, telephone numbers, and web sites to get further information about any event that you are interested in.

As always, your comments and suggestions are very welcome.

Thanks,
Richard

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1. Happy Shavuot/Shavuot and Vegetarianism/Shavuot Environmental Program Scheduled

Shavuot begins this year on the evening of Thursday, June 1. Please see my article “Shavuot and Vegetarianism” at the holiday section of my articles at JewishVeg.com/schwartz or at the “cover” page of the JVNA web site (JewishVeg.com), and please share the article with others who might be interested, and please use it as the basis of letters and talking points for discussions with rabbis and others. Since Shavuot commemorates the Jewish people receiving the Torah, we should stress that vegetarianism (and even more, veganism) is the diet most consistent with Torah teachings about treating animals with compassion, preserving our health, protecting the environment, conserving natural resources, and helping hungry people.
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Forwarded message from the modern Orthodox group EDAH:

For those in Manhattan for Shavuot, please join us at the JCC in Manhattan’s Tikkun Leyl Shavuot, where we will be sponsoring several learning sessions as part of the kickoff of a new Edah initiative, “Moses and Hummers”, which is designed to assist synagogues all over the country to engage their members in social action and serious study of Jewish texts while connecting their congregations to those of other denominations. Edah has created educational materials related to energy conservation and a range of environmental issues. In the coming months, several Upper West Side Manhattan synagogues will be participating in the project in conjunction with the JCC. In NY, the JCC in Manhattan is co-sponsoring several sessions at their Tikkun Leyl Shavuot as part of this initiative:

10:00 PM Congressman Jerrold Nadler: 'The American and Jewish Political interest in Energy Conservation'

11:30 PM Rabbi Dr. Yehuda Felix: 'Environmentalism in the Bible and in Modern Israel' (In Hebrew)

1:00 AM Rabbi Saul Berman, Director, Edah: 'Does Being an Ethical person Require Energy Conservation?'

The Tikkun will take place at the JCC in Manhattan, 334 Amsterdam Ave.

between 75th and 76th Streets [on Thursday night, June 1] and is free of charge.

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2. Open Letter From the European Vegetarian Union (EVU) to UN Secretary General Kofi Annan Re Vegetarianism, With List of Supporters

Below is the open letter sent out by the European Vegetarian Union (EVU) to Kofi Annan and the list of supporters. The letter focuses on health-related issues as the EVU felt it best to stick to one topic.

I think that this is an example of what can be accomplished when groups work together. If you have any suggestions re any aspect of the letter, including using it to promote vegetarianism, and/or about other open letters that we should be considering, please let me know. Thanks.

It occurs to me that an open letter or press release related to the hurricane predictions announced a few days ago and how a shift toward vegetarian diets would reduce global warming and hence the severity of hurricanes would be valuable. After Katrina and the many other severe hurricanes last summer, I think this issue is getting much attention. Any suggestions re this? anyone willing to write a draft?
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Open Letter From the European Vegetarian Union (EVU) to UN Secretary General Kofi Annan Re Vegetarianism

http://www.european-vegetarian.org/lang/en/news/news.php?id=12179&lang=en&ne
wsstart=

22 May 2006

OPEN LETTER

Mr. Kofi Annan
Secretary General United Nations
United Nations Plaza
New York
NY 10017
USA

Dear Mr. Secretary General,

On the occasion of a WHO/FAO meeting in Rome, the FAO distributed a press release, dated 18 May 2006, stating that "the EU diet has gradually deteriorated and has become too rich in fats, particularly saturated fats, sugar and cholesterol," thus contributing to the dramatic situation that 400,000 more children become overweight every year.

Rampant obesity threatens Europeans with heart disease, hypertension, stroke, diabetes, respiratory disease, arthritis and certain types of cancer.

Also in the USA, public health is dangerously undermined by the continuing increase in the number of overweight people in the last decade. During a conference in Brussels on 11-12 May 2006, EU and US have joined forces and developed a common strategy against obesity, which is described by Markos Kyprianou, the European Commissioner for Health and Consumer Protection, as the "biggest health threat of the twenty first century". (1)

Sedentary lifestyles certainly play a role in this dramatic situation but, also according the FAO's explanations, diet is a main culprit.

If they are so dangerous, why do people buy an excessive amount of fatty animal products?

The EU-agriculture policy which heavily subsidizes all but vegetable
products may be one of the reasons why consumers prefer cholesterol-laden food stuffs over healthier but more expensive fruit and vegetables.

The situation in the US is similar. Mark Muller, Director of Institute for
Agriculture and Trade Policy's Environment and Agriculture program (2),
comments: "If we want to seriously deal with obesity, let's create markets that promote healthy food production and consumption. Right now, farm policy is doing just the opposite."

It is becoming clearer by the day that the research and promotion of
alternatives to the traditional meat-based nutrition is long overdue and
therefore the undersigned vegetarian organizations appreciate UN's fight
against weight. However, we would like to invite FAO/WHO experts to take also the next step, namely examining the benefits of a healthy vegetarian diet (3) which, among many other advantages,

- removes saturated fats and replaces them with antioxidants and fiber
- reduces cholesterol which is only found in animal products
- considerably reduces or even eliminates a great variety of health threats
- may result in weight loss (vegetarians have been shown to be leaner on
average than the general population).

Mr. Secretary General, we stand ready to support any of the United Nation initiatives leading to a promotion of the beneficial and compassionate vegetarian lifestyle which will bring better health to humans and play a crucial part in building a more wholesome world for all.

Yours sincerely

Renato Pichler
President
European Vegetarian Union
www.euroveg.eu

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This Open Letter is endorsed by:
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Luka Oman, President
> Animal Friends Croatia
www.prijatelji-zivotinja.hr

> Catholic Concern for Animals-USA
Wayne, NJ, USA
www.Catholic-animals.org


Stephen R. Kaufman, M.D., Chair
> Christian Vegetarian Association (CVA)
[headquarters] Cleveland, Ohio, USA
www.christianveg.com

Sune Borkfelt, Vice-President
> Dansk Vegetarforening (Danish Vegetarian Society)
Aarhus, Denmark
www.vegetarforening.dk

Dan Brook, Ph.D.
> Eco-Eating
San Francisco, USA
www.brook.com/veg

Jan Fredericks, MA, LPC, Licensed Counselor, President
> God's Creatures Ministry
Wayne, NJ, USA
www.Godscreaturesministry.org

Ruth E. Heidrich, Ph.D.
Author of "Senior Fitness"
Vegan Ironman Triathlete and Marathoner
www.RuthHeidrich.com

Lewis Regenstein, President
> The Interfaith Council for the Protection of Animals and Nature (ICPAN)
Atlanta, GA, USA
email: regenstein@mindspring.com

Tina Fox, Chair
> International Vegetarian Union
http://www.ivu.org/

Marcel Hebbelinck
Prof.em., PhD, Dr.h.c., FACSM
Fac LK/ BIOM (Laboratory of Biometry and Biomechanics)
Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Belgium
e-mail mhebbel@vub.ac.be

> Jewish Vegetarians of North America (JVNA)
HQ: Staten island, NY, USA
www.JewishVeg.com

Roberta Kalechofsky, Ph.D, President
> Jews for Animal Rights
Marblehead, MA 01945
http://www.micahbooks.com

Patricia Tricker MCIL Cert Ed (FE),
Founder and President
> North Riding Vegetarians & Vegans
Bedale, UK
e-mail patricia@p-m-t.freeserve.co.uk

Norm Phelps
Author of "The Great Compassion: Buddhism and Animal Rights"
Funkstown, Maryland, USA,
e-mail n.phelps@myactv.net

Marius-Cristian Vasilescu
> Romanian Vegetarian Society
Bucharest - Romania
http://www.svr.ro

Jill Fritz, President
> San Diego Animal Advocates
San Diego, CA 92116-3207, USA
www.animaladvocates.org

Richard H. Schwartz, Ph.D.
Professor Emeritus, College of Staten Island
> Author of ‘Judaism and Vegetarianism, Judaism and Global Survival’
www.JewishVeg.com/schwartz

> Society of Ethical and Religious Vegetarians (SERV)
HQ: Staten Island, NY, USA
http://www.serv-online.org/

> Swiss Union for Vegetarianism
Neukirch-Egnach, Switzerland
www.vegetarismus.ch

George Rodger (Chair)
> The Vegan Society (UK)
St Leonards-on-Sea
England
www.vegansociety.com

Sheila Schwartz, Ed.D., Chairperson
> United Federation of Teachers
Humane Education Committee
New York, NY 10004, USA
www.uft.org/member/today/committees/humane/

Sauraub Dalal, President
> The Vegetarian Union of North America (VUNA)
HQ: Washington, D.C., USA
www.ivu.org/vuna

Ziva Eliezer, Chairperson
> SPCA Hasharon
Raanana, Israel
e-mail ziva0810@Netvision.net

Thomas Schoenberger, President
> Vegetarier-Bund Deutschlands e.V.
30159 Hannover, Germany
www.vegetarierbund.de

Felix Hnat, President
> Vegane Gesellschaft Österreich
Vienna, Austria
www.vegan.at

Herma Caelen
> Vegi Info Belgium
Mons, Belgium
www.vegetarisme.ch/be

There are additional supporters that came in after the deadline here.

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4. What Would a Vegan World Be Like?

Thanks to author and vegetarian activist Vasu Marti for sending the following message:

Joanna Macy, author of "Despair and Personal Power in the Nuclear Age", depicts the advantages of America moving towards a vegan diet in her foreword to John Robbins' "Diet for a New America":

"The effects on our physical health are immediate. The incidence of cancer and heart attack, the nation's biggest killers, drops precipitously. So do many other diseases now demonstrably and causally linked to consumption of animal proteins and fats, such as osteoporosis...

"The social, ecological, and economic consequences, as we Americans turn away from animal food products, are equally remarkable. We find that the grain we previously fed to fatten livestock can now feed five times the U.S. population; so we have become able to alleviate malnutrition and hunger on a worldwide scale...

"The great forests of the world, that we had been decimating for grazing purposes, begin to grow again. Oxygen-producing trees are no longer sacrificed for cholesterol-producing steaks.

"The water crisis eases. As we stop raising and grinding up cattle for hamburgers, we discover that ranching and farm factories had been the major drain on our water resources. The amount of now available for irrigation and hydroelectric power doubles. Meanwhile, the change in diet frees over 90% of the fossil fuel energy previously used to produce food. With this liberation of water, energy and fossil fuel energy, our reliance on oil imports declines, as does the rationale for building nuclear power plants..."

Joanna Macy goes on to admit, "This scenario is wildly, absurdly utopian. It is also clearly the way we are meant to live, built to live. What could possibly make it a reality? "It is this very book!" Paul McCartney also says, "If anyone wants to save the planet, all they have to do is stop eating meat. That's the single most important thing you could do. It's staggering when you think about it. Vegetarianism takes car of so many things in one shot: ecology, famine, cruelty. Let's do it!"

---Vasu vasmurti@netscape.net

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5. Vegan Diet Reduces Probability of Having Twins

Vegan diet lowers odds of having twins
May 20, 2006

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Women who eat a vegan diet -- a strict vegetarian diet that excludes all animal products including milk -- are one-fifth as likely as other women to have twins, a U.S. researcher reported on Saturday.

The reason may be hormones given to cattle to boost their milk and meat production, said Dr. Gary Steinman, an obstetrician specializing in multiple-birth pregnancies at Long Island Jewish Medical Center in New Hyde Park, New York.

Writing in the Journal of Reproductive Medicine, Steinman said he compared twin births rates among women who ate a regular diet, vegetarians who included dairy products, and vegan women.

The vegans had twins at one-fifth the rate of the milk-drinking women. Insulin-like growth factor may be responsible, Steinman said.

All animals, including people, produce a compound called insulin-like growth factor or IGF in response to growth hormone. It is found in milk and it increases the sensitivity of the ovaries to follicle stimulating hormone, thus increasing ovulation.

Some studies also suggest that IGF may help embryos survive in the early stages of development.

Vegan women have about a 13 percent lower level of IGF in the blood than women who consume dairy.

The number of multiple births, including twins, has increased significantly in the United States since 1975, about the time assisted reproductive technologies were introduced.

And women are waiting until they are older to have children, which can increase the rate of twin boths.

SNIP

© Reuters 2006. All Rights Reserved.

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6. Opportunity to Express Your Opinion Re Fur

Forwarded message from vegetarian/AR activist Rina Deych

ELLE magazine is conducting a brief survey on fur. Please take one minute to participate so we can show this iconic fashion magazine that there are a lot more people who think wearing fur is morally wrong than those who think it is a-okay (ugh!).

Note: it doesn't matter whether or not you read ELLE. All people, including MEN, are welcome and encouraged to participant. And, as an added incentive, you can register to win a $500 gift certificate for your participation.

To access survey, click here.

All the best,
Mary Max

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7. Project to Collect Vegetarian- Related Prayers

Message from Herma of the European Vegetarian Union (EVU):
October 2 is World Day of Prayer for Animals. We can't really celebrate that because of the World Vegetarian Day on 1 October when we always organize something - a clash.

However, that gave me an idea: why don't we collect prayers for animals or statements from religious leaders, speakers, scientists, priests, monks, nuns - everyone following a certain religion/sect/philosophy and having interest in and compassion for animals?

As I said, 2 October is not a good day [for us] in any year but I am sure we find other dates when such a compilation could be distributed.

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9. Global Warming Even Worse Than Predictions

Global Warming Predictions Are Underestimated Say Scientists

http://www.truthout.org/issues_06/052306EA.shtml

Climate change models have dramatically underestimated the extent to which global warming will raise temperatures, scientists warn. The flaw means existing predictions for temperature rises will have to be revised upwards by as much as 2 degrees Celsius, suggesting the world could experience a hike of up to 7.7 degrees Celsius by the year 3000.

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10. Jewish Teachings on the Importance of Wilderness (from Yesterday’s Torah Portion)

Forwarded message:

Today's Torah
By: Rabbi Bradley Shavit Artson
from the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies

Jews have always been a community drawn together by virtue of Torah. No matter where you may be, we welcome you to the Ziegler community through Today's Torah email.

Shabbat Parashat Be’Midbar (Torah reading for this past Shabbat]
May 27, 2006 – 27 Iyar 5766

Torah Gone Wild
Torah Reading: Numbers 1:1 – 4:20

Judaism in antiquity was a rugged, grounded faith. Poised between wandering in the wilderness and entering a promised land, the spirituality of biblical Judaism was one of creation as a sign of God’s greatness and munificence, of learning to love a particular land as our inheritance and as God’s gift. Biblical festivals and holy days pulsated to the cycles of agriculture and of weather, recalling not only the great events of Israel’s past, but also the way the earth could adorn itself and provide for its denizens throughout the year. Small wonder, then, that the exultant voice of the book of Psalms, arguably the world’s greatest collection of poems, is one that sees God in the rising of the sun, the way the birds get their food, the way the sea and its breakers roar.

Something happened along the way. Perhaps it was our recurrent conquest at the hands of foreign powers, perhaps it was the trauma of being ripped from our land and denied permanent status in any other place, perhaps it was the natural response to being denied a place among the peoples of the world. But for whatever reason, Jewish spirit turned inward, away from mountains and field, into the more portable and modest realm of the study hall and the sanctuary. The model Jew was now one who sat inside a dimly lit room, eyes focused on the folio of a book. In a world of violent desire, Judaism heard the voice of God in restraint and sublimation. In a world of might and suffering, Judaism heard God’s will to mandate compassion and discussion. In a culture which denigrated intellect and celebrated athletics, Judaism elevated the Sage as the highest possible form of spiritual life.

That shift served us well, preserving the Jewish people in a difficult era and retaining our focus on acting as God’s witnesses in a brutal world. But something was also lost when we went inside, when we took our faith and shut the windows and closed the doors. When the Torah became domesticated, something of its burning brilliance was reduced.

In our own age, what we need is a Torah not only of books and restraint, but also of sun and field and sea. At a time when Jews live in democracies as equals, or have returned to our own land, it is time to summon the resources of that grounded Torah of land and life and seasons.

Today’s Torah portion is one such resource. The Book of Numbers, Ba-Midbar, begins by recording that “God spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, from the Ohel Mo’ed, the Tent of Meeting.” Why does the Torah, so cautious in using extra words, bother to tell us that God spoke to Moses in the wilderness? What is it about wilderness that can serve as an irreplaceable medium for conveying God’s true voice?

Moses Maimonides, the Rambam, understood the connection an antidote to moral depravity: “If all countries you know or hear of follow evil ways, as is the case in our time, then one must go out to the caves, the clefts of mountains, and the wilderness.” When the values around us have gone haywire, when the distance between what people profess and how they behave is insurmountable, then the way to restore spiritual balance and sanity is to escape the confines of civilization and head to the wilderness.

You see, society has a way of accepting its own particular assumptions as self-evidently true. Each culture just assumes that the way it sets priorities, and the choices it presents are the way the world ought to be.

To question those priorities, to even be able to think outside of the constraints of popular assumptions can be quite difficult when in the thick of it all.

One of the great blessings that wilderness provides is precisely that it is not tailored to human standards, does not contour its shape to fit human foibles. Returning to real wilderness means returning to a place in which people are, at best, visitors and guests, where our standards are not the basis for how things operate, where our will and our arrogance doesn’t parade as the measure of all things.

In the wilderness, the world reflects the grandeur of the God who made it. The wilds still pulsate with the novelty of creation, with the unbounded energy of life and of living things. There, the richness of life is sufficient purpose for the myriad creatures and the indifferent majesty of forest, desert, and swamp. They neither need nor seek a human purpose or benefit to justify their existence.

Returning to the wilderness then, reminds us to consider value not simply in terms of our own gratification, but by the standards of how well creation continues to demonstrate the power, wisdom, and goodness of God.

The wilderness reminds us of the true source of all values, our own included.

That may be why God’s voice is heard in the wilderness. That may be why Torah was given on a stormy mountain top, and why we need to look beyond the tops of our books more than occasionally.

The Torah, you see, is wild.

Shabbat shalom.

Rabbi Bradley Shavit Artson (http://www.bradartson.com) is the Dean of the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies at the University of Judaism in Los Angeles, where he is Vice President. A Doctoral Candidate in Contemporary Theology at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, he is the author of The Bedside Torah: Wisdom, Dreams, & Visions (McGraw Hill) and The Gift of Soul: Spiritual Resources for Leadership & Mentoring, scheduled for publication this spring.

Please feel free to forward this message to anyone who you think might enjoy joining our Torah community.

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11. Some Powerful Vegetarian-Related Quotations

The quotations below are from the signature section at the end of messages from award-winning filmmaker Lionel Friedberg:

Apathetic indifference to the suffering of all sentient creatures has no
place in the 21st century.

"The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated." -- Mahatma Gandhi

"Nothing will benefit human health or increase the chances of survival on
earth as much as the evolution to a vegetarian diet." -- Albert Einstein

"Compassion can only attain its full breadth and depth if it embraces all
living creatures and does not limit itself to humankind." -- Albert
Schweitzer

"The time will come when people will look upon the murder of animals as they now look upon the murder of men and women" -- Leonardo da Vinci

"As long as people shed the blood of innocent creatures there can be no
peace, no liberty, no harmony between people." -- Isaac Bashevis Singer

"Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and create a trail." -- Ralph Waldo Emerson

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12. Message From FARM on Global Warming and Their Postcards For Distribution to People Exiting the Al Gore Movie

Forwarded message from FARM (Farm Animal Reform Movement).
[I received their postcards yesterday, and they are extremely well done. Please order some, using the contact information below. Thanks.]

New Study Connects Meat Eating to Global Warming
Order Free Global Warming Cards from FARM for Outreach

A new study published in the science journal Earth Interactions unites veganism and environmentalism by clearly documenting a direct link between intensive animal agriculture and global warming. As part of their research, assistant professors of geophysics at the University of Chicago Gidon Eshel and Pamela Martin compiled a wide range of data on the amount of petroleum needed to produce five different kinds of diets (from an omnivorous diet with a high percentage of animal products to pure veganism). The researchers concluded that the average American's omnivorous diet (which draws about one-third of total calories from meat, dairy and/or eggs) produces 1485 kilograms more carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide emissions (the major gasses responsible for global warming) than a vegan diet does. Read Eshel and Martin's paper, Diet, Energy, and Global Warming.

The debate over global warming is about to heat up even more with the forthcoming release of An Inconvenient Truth, a documentary about former Vice President Al Gore's battle to sound the alarm about the imminent global warming crisis. Since 2001, Gore has traveled the planet and presented a global warming slide show he's designed himself to over 1,000 audiences. For Gore and many other environmentalists,
global warming is of the gravest importance. The former presidential candidate believes that humanity may have only about a decade to slow or reverse the effects of rising temperatures due to accumulation of toxic gasses in our atmosphere before the effects become irreversible. The projected effects on the planet's ecosystem read like an apocalyptic passage out of the Old Testament: coastal cities completely submerged under swelling oceans, whole regions choked by unrelenting drought, cataclysmic hurricanes even more devastating than Katrina, and deadly pandemics that could claim hundreds of millions of lives. The most frightening aspect of these catastrophic predictions is the vast amount of hard scientific evidence that has been documented to support them.

As part of his slide show, Gore presents a plethora of facts, figures, statistics and patterns in a visually engaging manner that is designed to motivate people to action. As such, the film offers environmental and animal activists a golden opportunity to educate the movie-going public about industrial animal agriculture's destructive impact on our planet.

What You Can Do:

Farm Animal Reform Movement (FARM) (www.farmusa.org) has prepared a special color postcard entitled "Stop global warming...one bite at a time!" for distribution at theaters showing An Inconvenient Truth. The cards explain the connection between global warming and animal agriculture and offer people the chance to order a free Veg Starter Guide. You can order the cards free of charge by visiting www.farmusa.org or by calling William at 1-800-MEATOUT.

An Inconvenient Truth is opening on a graduated schedule in nearly a hundred theaters in selected cities starting this weekend on May 24th in New York and Los Angeles. We have opening dates and theaters right here. IDA and FARM are co-sponsoring related ads in environmental publications to coincide with the film's release. Please help the animals and the environment by participating with your friends in this simple and fun form of outreach.

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5/24/06 Special JVNA Newsletter

Shalom everyone,

This special Jewish Vegetarians of North America (JVNA) Online Newsletter is devoted to a consideration of need to establish a “vegetarian-conscious world by 2010.”

This newsletter contains the following items:

1. Introduction and Synopsis

2. Why the Need for a Vegetarian-Conscious World?

3. Strategies Toward a Vegetarian-Conscious World

5. Sample Letters (and short articles)

Opinions expressed do not necessarily represent the views of the JVNA, unless otherwise indicated, but may be presented to increase awareness and/or to encourage respectful dialogue.

As always, your comments and suggestions are very welcome.

Thanks,
Richard

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1. Introduction

TOWARD A VEGETARAN-CONSCIOUS WORLD BY 2010
Richard H. Schwartz, Ph.D.

Synopsis: The world is imperiled today as perhaps never before by many threats, including global warming, rapid species extinction, widening water shortages, deforestation, and desertification. Many scientists are stating that we may reach a “point of no return” with regard to global warming within a decade. Hence, major changes are needed and they are needed very soon. Yet, most people are unaware of the many negative effects of animal-based diets and agriculture on the environment, resource usage and human health. Hence the need for a campaign to reach a “vegetarian-conscious world by 2010.”

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TOWARD A VEGETARAN-CONSCIOUS WORLD BY 2010

In spite of the increasing need for a shift toward vegetarianism to counteract the present epidemic of diseases and the many environmental threats caused by the production and consumption of animal products, progress has been relatively slow. It is time for a consideration of new strategies to promote vegetarianism more effectively. I believe that it is time to consider these strategies as part of an overall strategy of seeking a vegetarian-conscious world by 2010.

[Please note: I believe that our objective should actually be the creation of a “vegan-conscious world by 2010.” But, for strategic reasons, it might be better to start with vegetarianism and then increasingly bring up the benefits of veganism once the project has got off the ground.]

Why is the expression “vegetarian-conscious world” being used? The reason is that, as much as we would like everyone to be vegan, or at least vegetarian, as soon as possible, people’s dietary decisions are beyond our control. However, we can work to see that everyone, or at least as many people as possible, is aware of the realities of how animals are cruelly treated on factory farms and of the many negative effects of animal-based diets and agriculture on their health and that of our imperiled planet. Once people have this awareness, and recognize the seriousness of the issues, it is hoped that many will switch toward vegetarianism.

This is just a very preliminary draft aimed to get people to start thinking about the issues and how we can get this important project to be “a central organizing principle” for future vegetarianan/vegan and animal rights and environmental activism. So suggestions for improving this statement and for getting this project off the ground are very welcome.
Thanks.

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2. Why the Need for a Vegetarian-Conscious World?

It is very easy to be discouraged by the failure of most people to respond to our powerful vegetarian/vegetarian arguments. But, as the evidence of the very negative effects of animal-based diets and agriculture become increasingly apparent, it is essential that we continue and increase our efforts. The following are reasons why a rapid shift toward vegetarianism is essential:

a. The world is threatened today as perhaps never before. Many scientists are arguing that we may be at a “point of no return” or “tipping point” with regard to global warming within a decade, and that there will be catastrophic results unless major changes are soon made. Hence the need for a major campaign to obtain a “vegetarian-conscious world by 2010.”

b. There have been many recent news reports re:
1) the melting of glaciers and the polar ice caps ;
2) projections of increased numbers and severity of hurricanes, this year and possibly for at least the next 10 to 20 years;
3) widening water shortages, with projections of at least 50% of the world’s people living in areas chronically short of water by the middle of this century;
4) a sharp increase in obesity and many diseases related to it;

All of these and many more current threats have strong links to animal-based diets and agriculture, and it is important that we help make people more aware of the connections.

c. Vegetarianism is not only an important individual choice today - it is a societal imperative because of the enormous economic and environmental costs of animal-based diets and agriculture.

d. A shift to vegetarianism is arguably the most effective way to:
1) reduce disease rates sharply;
2) halt soaring medical costs;
3) reduce the mistreatment of animals;
4) protect the environment;
5) conserve resources;
6) help hungry people;
7) reduce violence.

e. It is essential to make people aware of the insanity of a diet that is inflicting an epidemic of disease on millions of people and contributing substantially to serious environmental crises, global warming, scarcity of water and other resources, and widespread hunger, while mistreating billions of farm animals.

f. While there are 6.5 billion people in the world today, there are over 50 billion farmed animals and raising them contributes significantly to soil erosion and depletion, water pollution, destruction of tropical rain forests and other habitats, scarcities of water and other resources, global climate change, and other environmental threats. To make matters worse, livestock agribusiness, along with the World Bank and other international groups are planning to greatly increase the number of farmed animals worldwide, especially in countries like China, India, and Japan.

g. A switch toward vegetarianism is a spiritual imperative today because of the many inconsistencies between basic religious values and the realities of animal-based agriculture and diets. A key question we should address to meat eaters is: In view of strong religious mandates to take care of our health, treat animals compassionately, preserve the environment, conserve resources, help hungry people, and pursue peace and non-violence, and the very negative effects that animal-based diets and agriculture have in each of these areas, shouldn’t you eliminate or sharply reduce their consumption of animal products?

h. It is urgent that vegetarianism be put squarely on religious agendas, and on other agendas, because the revitalization of religions and the sustainability of the global environment depend on a shift to plant-based diets.

i. At a time when there are daily news reports related to such issues as mad cow disease, foot and mouth disease, a variety of degenerative diseases, soaring health care costs, a multitude of environmental threats, increasingly severe effects of global climate change, and widening scarcities of water, and energy, it is essential that vegetarianism be on society’s agenda.

j. There are many indications, including the fact that Time magazine dad a cover story on the issue, that global warming is now a mainstream issue and people are increasingly recognizing how great a threat it is. However, very few people are aware of the major contributions that modern, intensive “livestock” agriculture has on global warming.

k. As indicated in Michael Klare’s extremely important article below, prospects for “resource wars” are increasing. Here also, few people recognize how significantly animal-based diets and agriculture contribute to shortages of water, energy, land, and other resources., so it is essential that we increase awareness of the connections.

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3. Strategies Toward a Vegetarian-Conscious World

a. Set a Goal and a Time Table

This, of course is the aim of this project. We should not be satisfied with the relatively slow progress currently being made toward vegetarianism, especially in the face of all the recent disturbing reports of environmental catastrophes ahead. Declaring a goal, such as “A Vegetarian-conscious World by 2010” can inspire our efforts by providing something to work toward. With such a goal, we can work, with a heightened sense of urgency, to see that everyone is at least aware of the many reasons for becoming a vegetarian, or at least a vegetarian, with the hope that many will act based on that knowledge.

b. Make People Aware That a Shift Toward Vegetarianism is Beneficial for People as Well as Animals

Many people resist vegetarian and vegetarian arguments, asserting that they can’t be concerned about animals when people face so many problems. While continuing to work to reduce the horrible abuses of animals on factory farms, we should also stress that a shift to vegetarianism would be very beneficial to people as well as animals. Among the arguments we should use are:
1) Animal-based diets increase risk factors for many life-threatening diseases, including heart disease, several types of cancer, and stroke.
2) Animal-based agriculture contributes significantly to many environmental threats to humanity.
3) The feeding of 70 percent of the grain produced in the United States (and almost 40 percent of the grain produced worldwide) to farmed animals contributes to an estimated 20 million of the world’s people dying annually from hunger and its effects.

c. Make People Aware That a Shift Toward Vegetarianism is a Societal Imperative Today

Humanity is arguably threatened as perhaps never before from global warming, widening water shortages, rapid species extinction, destruction of tropical rain forests and other valuable habitats, and many other problems. We should make people aware that all of these threats and many more are significantly worsened by the following: we are raising 50 billion farmed animals for slaughter annually worldwide; almost 40 percent of the world’s grain is used to fatten farmed animals; it takes 14 times as much water, ten times as much energy, and over 20 times as much land for an animal-based diet than it does for a vegetarian diet; animal-based agriculture contributes significantly to emissions of carbon dioxide, methane, and other greenhouse gases; and much more. We should also stress that diseases caused by the consumption of animal product results in soaring medical expenditures which are contributing to record budget deficits and the perceived need to cut basic social services.

d. Inform People That a Shift Toward Vegetarianism is a Religious Imperative Today

Most people profess to be religious today and many claim to base their lives on moral values related to their religions. We should respectfully discuss with such people how animal-based diets and agriculture contradict basic religious mandates to preserve our health, treat animals compassionately, preserve the environment, conserve natural resources, help hungry people, and seek and pursue peace. We should stress such biblical teachings as “God’s mercies are over all of His creatures” (Psalms 145:9), “the righteous person considers the lives of his or her animals” (Proverbs 12:10), that animals as well as people are to be permitted to rest on the Sabbath day (part of the Ten Commandments), and similar teachings from other holy books and teachers.

e. Relate Vegetarianism to Current News Items

Vegetarianism touches on almost all phases of life – health, nutrition, animals, the environment, energy, water and other resources, economics, politics, family life, and many more – and we should make people aware of connections. When there are news reports re global warming and its effects, we should point out that animal-based diets contribute significantly to emissions of carbon dioxide, methane, and other greenhouse gases. When there are articles re taxes, budget deficits, and other economic issues, we should indicate that health costs are soaring in efforts to cure the many diseases that have been conclusively connected to animal-centered diets. When there are articles about water shortages and droughts, we should help make people aware that animal-based agriculture requires far more water and other resources than plant-based agriculture. Many additional examples can be given.

f. Start a Letter Writing Campaign

As a follow-up to the discussion in item #5, there should be a major campaign to get letters to editors on connections between various issues and vegetarianism. If only a small percentage of the people concerned about vegetarianism and related issues wrote a letter just once a month, it could have a major impact. A web site should be set up that provides sample letters and gives talking points daily for letters based on current issues.

As a related approach, since many people listen daily to talk radio shows, there should also be a concerted effort to get people to call such shows with vegetarian messages. While radio talk show hosts are generally very well informed on a wide variety of issues, I have found that many have major misconceptions re health, nutrition, and other vegetarian-related issues.

g. Make a Shift to Vegetarianism a Priority for the Animal Rights Movement

The vast majority of cases of animal abuses occur on factory farms. Yet, many, perhaps most, animal rights activists are working on other issues, such as circuses, rodeos, fur, pets, and animal experimentation. These are all important issues and it is essential that we continue to work to end, or at least reduce, all cases of animal abuse. But, animal-based diets and agriculture threaten most individuals’ personal health and the well being of humanity. If most animal rights advocates worked on promoting vegetarianism and veganism, even for a limited time, in addition to their other animal rights efforts, it could have a very powerful impact.

h. Challenge the Medical Establishment

Every person is concerned about his or her health and the health of loved ones. There is very strong evidence that incidents of heart disease, various types of cancer, strokes, and other chronic degenerative diseases can be sharply reduced by a shift to vegetarian and vegetarian diets, along with other positive lifestyle changes. Yet, the medical establishment, including most nutritionists, are ignoring this information, and are not making patients and the general public aware that many diseases can be prevented, and sometimes reversed, through dietary changes. It might even be considered “medical malpractice.” I recently visited a cousin in a rehabilitation center, and was astounded at reading the daily menus, which had animal products at every meal. It is essential that we respectfully challenge medical practitioners and urge them to help educate people about healthy diets.

As indicated below, others, such as educators, politicians, religious leaders, and reporters, should also be challenged to increase awareness of the health and many other benefits of vegetarian and vegan diets.

i. Form Alliances With Other Groups

Since vegetarianism has connections with many societal issues, we should try to build strong alliances with many other groups that are working for positive changes. For example, we should seek alliances with environmental groups, and inform them that the raising of 50 billion animals for slaughter annually, primarily on “factory farms,” contributes to many environmental threats; we should seek alliances with groups concerned about hunger, poverty, water and energy shortages, global warming, and related issues, and inform them about how the production of animal products contributes to many environmental threats and is extremely wasteful of resources.

j. Challenge the Media, Politicians, Educators, and Other Members of the Establishment

Since, as indicated above humanity is threatened as perhaps never before, and a switch toward vegetarianism is a societal imperative, and there are vegetarian connections to many current issues, we should try to meet with influential members of society and urge them to take a stand re vegetarianism, or at least to put the issues on their agendas. We should urge educators to see that children learn about proper nutrition and are provided with tasty, nutritious options at every meal. We should exhort reporters and editors to make people aware of the many negative effects of animal-based diets and the many benefits of vegetarian and vegan diets.

k. We should call for the formation of a commission of health experts. nutritionists, environmentalists, agricultural experts, leading clergy members and other objective experts to investigate the realities of the production and consumption of animal products and how they effect the future of our endangered planet.

l. If we can get funding for this project, it would be wonderful to put ads in many publications, produce videos, etc. But, even without funding, much can be accomplished if even a fraction of the many members of vegetarian, animal rights and related groups got involved with letter writing, visits to educators. media people, clergy members and other influential people, took part in demonstrations, etc.
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This is just an outline of some steps that I think would be helpful in moving toward a vegetarian world by 2010. I am sure that the many dedicated people in the vegan, vegetarian, animal rights and related movements can add to the above points and come up with additional suggestions. The important thing is that we become increasingly involved, for our sakes, for the animals, and for our precious, but imperiled, planet.

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5. Sample Letters (and short articles)

a. PROMOTING VEGETARIANISM
by Richard H. Schwartz, Ph. D.

October 1 has been designated as World Vegetarian Day. It is an excellent time to review the many important reasons for switching to a vegetarian diet:

1) Concerned about health? Flesh-based diets have been strongly linked to many degenerative diseases, including heart problems, strokes, and various types of cancer.

2) Concerned about tremendous annual national budget deficits and high taxes? Medical expenditures have soared from $80 billion in 1970 (6% of U. S. GNP) to an estimated $1.06 trillion in 1994 (14% of GNP) and is projected to be $1.7 trillion by the end of the century (18% of GNP).

3) Concerned about animals? Over 9 billion farm animals are killed for their flesh annually in the United States after suffering horribly in confined spaces where they are denied fresh air, exercise, or any emotional stimulation.

4) Concerned about the environment? The production of animal products is a major contributor to soil depletion and erosion, extensive pesticide use, air and water pollution, and the rapid destruction of tropical rain forests and other ecosystems.

5) Concerned about world hunger? Over 70% of the grain grown in the United States is fed to animals destined for slaughter, while 20 million people die annually due to hunger and its effects. The U. S. is also the world`s largest importer of beef and fish, and these imports are generally from countries where people are starving.

6) Concerned about resource scarcities? A meat-based diet requires up to 20 times more land and 14 times more water and energy than a vegetarian diet. Non-vegetarian diets also require vast amounts of pesticides, chemical fertilizer, and other resources.

7) Concerned about peace? Flesh-centered diets, by wasting land and other valuable resources, help to perpetuate the widespread hunger and poverty that frequently lead to instability and war.

8) Concerned about religious values? Vegetarian diets are most consistent with religious mandates to act with compassion toward animals, preserve human health, help hungry people, protect the environment, conserve resources, and pursue peace.

9) Concerned about convenient, tasty meals? There are many delicious vegetarian dishes that don’t involve extensive preparation or the fat, cholesterol, hormones, and antibiotics associated with meat.
So, for our health, for defenseless animals, for millions of starving people, for our earth and its resources, and for a more peaceful, just, and harmonious world, let’s go vegetarian! And a great time to start is October 1, 1996, during the "World Vegetarian Day"
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b. Sample Letter to the editor of a pro-vegetarian group:

Dear Editor:

I want to commend you for your important efforts to educate people on the need to shift toward plant-based diets. However, in spite of the increasing need for a shift toward vegetarianism to counteract the present epidemic of diseases and the many environmental threats caused by the production and consumption of animal products, progress has been relatively slow. I believe that it is time for a consideration of strategies to promote vegetarianism more effectively. Here are ten suggestions designed to start a dialogue that will lead to positive changes:

1) Set a goal such as “A Vegetarian-conscious World by 2010.”

2) Make people aware that a shift toward vegetarianism is beneficial for people as well as animals.

3) Argue that a shift toward vegetarianism is a societal imperative today because of the many negative health and environmental effects of animal-based diets.

4) Argue that a shift toward vegetarianism is a religious imperative today because animal-centered diets violate many religious mandates.

5) Relate vegetarianism to current news items.

6) Start a letter writing campaign and a campaign of responses to radio talk shows.

7) Make a Shift to Vegetarianism a Priority for the Animal Rights Movement.

8) Challenge the medical establishment to inform people that many diseases can be prevented and sometimes reversed through a shift to vegetarian diets and other positive lifestyle changes.

9) Form alliances with environmental, health, animal rights, social justice, and other groups.

10) Urge the media, politicians, educators, and others to help make people aware of the many benefits of vegetarian diets.

This is just an outline of some steps that I think would be helpful in moving toward a vegetarian world. I am sure that the many dedicated people in the vegetarian and related movements can come up with additional suggestions. The important thing is that we become increasingly involved, for our sakes, for the animals, and for our precious, but imperiled, planet.

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** Fair Use Notice **
This document may contain copyrighted material, use of which has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owners. I believe that this not-for-profit, educational use on the Web constitutes a fair use of the copyrighted material (as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law). If you wish to use this copyrighted material for purposes of your own that go beyond fair use, you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.

5/21/06 JVNA Online Newsletter

Shalom everyone,

This update/Jewish Vegetarians of North America (JVNA) Online Newsletter has the following items:

[*** Please note item #7 below and let me know if you have suggestions re groups and/or key individuals that might want to endorse this important Open Letter. Thanks.]

1. Very Positive Article on JVNA Activities

2. Shavuot and Vegetarianism

3. Another National Group Promoting the Al Gore Movie "An Inconvenient Truth"

4. Update on Building on the Al Gore Global Warming Movie to Help Promote Vegetarianism

5. Toward a Vegetarian-Conscious World by 2010

6. Very Important Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Statement on Diet and Health

7. European Vegetarian Union (EVU) Open Letter to UN Secretary General Kofi Annan in Response to the FAO Press Release Above/Endorsements Sought

8. Report on JVNA’s Past Year and Future Prospects

9. Poem on Veganism and Justice

10. Is a Vegetarian Diet Effective in Weight Control?

11. Nominations for Second Annual Sustainability Awards Sought

12. Nutritional Expert Initiates Two weekly Radio Programs

15. Christain Group Schedules Vegetarian Conference

Some material has been deferred to a later update/newsletter to keep this one from being even longer.

[Materials in brackets like this [ ] within an article or forwarded message are my editorial notes/comments.]

Opinions expressed do not necessarily represent the views of the JVNA, unless otherwise indicated, but may be presented to increase awareness and/or to encourage respectful dialogue. Also, material re conferences, retreats, forums, trips, and other events does not necessarily imply endorsement by JVNA or endorsement of kashrut, Shabbat observances, or any other Jewish observance, but may be presented for informational purposes. Please use e-mail addresses, telephone numbers, and web sites to get further information about any event that you are interested in.

As always, your comments and suggestions are very welcome.

Thanks,
Richard

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1. Very Positive Article on JVNA Activities

The following article appeared in the May 2006 issue of "The Blueprint." This publication is distributed without charge in Manhattan and other parts of the New York metropolitan area. Seeing the article was a very pleasant surprise and an indication that many more people may be aware of our activities than we suspect.

Jewish Vegetarians Unite
by Reuven Fenton

These days, advocates of vegetarianism suffer a lot of ridicule. They are typically caricatured as carrot-chewing misfits holding signs that read, "Equal Rights for Animals" or as socialites who are running with a fashionable chicken-friendly trend. Unfortunately, many meat defenders swear by these stereotypes, claiming that the herbivores of today wear their vegetarianism like it’s another red kabbalistic string bracelet. The vegetarian community desperately needs better spokesmen. Enter Dr. Richard Schwartz, a retired mathematician and professor, author of "Judaism and Vegetarianism," and contributor of over 100 articles about the benefits of not eating meat. As a young man, Schwartz had turkey on Thanksgiving like everyone else; then, while preparing to teach a course called, "Mathematics and the Environment" at The College of Staten Island, he began to realize some of the environmental and economic consequences of living an omnivorous lifestyle. After several semesters of teaching the class, Schwartz decided that "I didn’t want to be someone who preaches something he doesn’t practice," he says. And so began his path toward strict vegetarianism, which over time blossomed into his role today as the head of Jewish Vegetarians of North America (JVNA).

Schwartz believes that the necessity for vegetarianism is now stronger than ever. After the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment was released in January 2006, projecting severe threats to humanity in the next 50 years unless major changes occur, Schwartz urged Jewish leaders to "apply Jewish values in leading a movement toward plant-based diets in order to help shift our imperiled planet to a sustainable path," he says. A few of his supporting arguments include: 70% of the grain produced in the U.S. feeds animals destined for slaughter, which causes soil erosion and wastes grain that could otherwise be used for starving people; humans consume 14 times more water on meat-based diets than on plant diets, thereby substantially reducing the earth’s fresh water supply; and many meat products have been conclusively linked to heart disease, several forms of cancer and other chronic degenerative diseases.

As head of the JVNA, Schwartz feels strongly that the production and consumption of animal products violates basic Jewish teachings. In one of his articles, he writes, “While God was able to say, ‘It is very good’ when the world was created, today the world faces many environmental threats. Thus, could God favor meat-centered diets which involve extensive soil depletion and erosion, air and water pollution related to the widespread production and use of pesticides, fertilizer, and other chemicals, and the destruction of tropical rain forests and other habitats?” Therefore, “the Jewish community should fulfill our mandated role to be a ‘light unto the nations’ by leading efforts to make people aware of the importance of responding to environmental threats, by shifting toward plant-centered diets and making other positive lifestyle changes.”

Point well taken, Professor.

For more information, visit www.JewishVeg.com/Schwartz

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2. Shavuot and Vegetarianism

Shavuot, the important Jewish holiday that commemorates the Israelites receiving the Torah on Mount Sinai, begins on the evening of Thursday June 1 this year. You can read my article "Shavuot and Vegetarianism". Below is my letter on the issues that I sent to my email distribution list of Jewish publications, a list badly in need of updating (hint, hint). Please consider sending your own letter to local Jewish weeklies. Thanks.

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May 18, 2006

Dear Editor,

Since Shavuot, which begins on Thursday evening June 1 this year, commemorates the Jewish people receiving the Torah, many religious Jews stay up that entire night engaged in Torah study. As president of the Jewish Vegetarians of North America, I believe that this holiday provides a good opportunity to consider if we are properly applying Torah values with regard to dietary issues:

* Since the Torah mandates the avoidance of tsa’ar ba’alei chaim (causing unnecessary pain to animals), shouldn't there be far greater concern in the Jewish community about the horrible treatment of animals (10 billion annually in the US alone) on factory farms?

* Since the Torah stresses that we should very diligently guard our health, shouldn't Jewish leaders speak out about the many negative health effects of animal-based diets?

* Since the Torah teaches that we are to be shomrei adamah (guardians of the earth – Genesis 2:15), why are the many current severe environmental threats (all of which are significantly worsened by animal-based agriculture) not being adequately addressed by the Jewish community?

* Since the Torah mandates that we are not to waste resources (bal tashchit – Deuteronomy 20: 19, 20), shouldn't the Jewish community address the fact that animal-based agriculture requires far more land, water, energy, and other agricultural resources than plant-based agriculture?

* Since the Torah mandates that we are to share with hungry people, shouldn't the Jewish community address the fact that 70% of the grain produced in the United States is being fed to animals destined for slaughter while an estimated 20 million people die from malnutrition and its effects annually?

Let us make this Shavuot a time to begin truly applying Torah values in order to produce a more humane, healthy, environmentally sustainable, just and compassionate world.

Very truly yours,
Richard H. Schwartz, Ph.D.

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3. Another National Group Promoting the Al Gore Movie "An Inconvenient Truth"

Forwarded message from Moveon (MoveOn.org):

Next week you'll have a unique opportunity to help make one of the most important movies of the year a huge success. "An Inconvenient Truth" is a true story about the hard science and real threats of global warming. It's told by one of the issue's most passionate advocates--Al Gore.

The movie opens in New York [and Los Angeles] next Wednesday, May 24th, and how it does on opening night and weekend will determine how the movie is received in the press and possibly how many other cities get to see it. That's why we're asking folks to pledge in advance to see the film. It's important to show the media and the skeptics that hundreds of thousands of Americans care about this issue.

Can you help out by pledging to see this film next Wednesday, May 24? [actually, as indicated above, the movie will be shown on that day only in some theaters in New York City and Los Angeles.] You can also get tickets to the film here.

You'll also be invited to join a special conference call with Al Gore in early June where you can learn more about the issue and ask him questions.

Plus, Paramount Classics just announced that it will donate 5% of ticket sales to the Alliance for Climate Protection--so just by going to see the film, you'll be donating to help fight global warming. [I understand that Al Gore will also use his profits from the movie to help work to reduce global warming.]

The oil industry is already organizing against it--Exxon is behind a major ad campaign designed to discredit the film and the science behind it.1 Why? Because "An Inconvenient Truth" has the power to fundamentally change the way we act on global warming.

The movie is technically a documentary, but it's also been described as a thriller and some folks have even called it scary. It's scary because it's a serious look at the grave path we're heading down if we don't take real steps to stop global warming today and makes clear that we have about ten years to avert major environmental disaster. It's not just a documentary, it's entertaining and it's moving and it can't afford to be missed.

I've seen it, and it's a powerful film--compelling and thoughtful. Even though I pay pretty close attention to these issues, it made me think about the crisis we face in a whole new way.

"An Inconvenient Truth" is already getting rave reviews around the country. Here's what some folks are saying:

"Log on to Fandango. Reserve some seats. Bring the family. It shouldn't be missed. No kidding... ...There is no substitute for Presidential power, but Gore is now playing a unique role in public life. He is a symbol of what might have been, who insists that we focus on what likely will be an uninhabitable planet if we fail to pay attention to the folly we are committing, and take the steps necessary to end it."
--The New Yorker

"This is activist cinema at its very best, for it serves to popularize and demythologize a problem long obscured by those most threatened by the olution. With humor and searing intelligence, Gore outlines crucial steps we must take to avert impending disaster and proves that inaction is no longer an option--in fact, it's immoral"
--Sundance

"Audiences may well walk out of theaters not only compelled to do something about the environment but impressed by a Gore they've rarely seen. Onstage, and in the documentary, he displays a side of himself that never came across during his presidential race: affable, funny, passionate and--at times--vulnerable."
--LA Times

You can check out the trailer here. Then, please sign the pledge and get tickets to see it by clicking here.

See you at the theater,

Eli, Nita, Tom, Rosalyn and the MoveOn.org Political Action Team
Thursday, May 18th, 2006

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4. Update on Building on the Al Gore Global Warming Movie to Help Promote Vegetarianism

Some very good news:

Largely through JVNA initiatives, both the Farm Animal Reform Movement (FARM) and People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), two major vegetarian/AR groups, have agreed to cooperate on efforts to have their workers and affiliates and volunteers hand out material to people leaving the Al Gore global warming movie “An Inconvenient Truth.”

Please note that the movie will be opening on a staggered schedule as indicated at the following web site:

http://www.climatecrisis.net/findatheater/

The movie will be opening only in New York City and Los Angeles on May 24.

This might be positive, as it will enable us to learn from initial experiences to improve our later effectiveness.

Here is a message from Alex Hershaft and Dawn Moncrief of FARM re their plans:

Dear Friend,

The forthcoming opening of Vice President Al Gore's global warming film "An Inconvenient Truth" provides us with a great opportunity to document the link between animal agriculture and global warming.

FARM has prepared a special color postcard titled "Stop global warming... one bite at a time!" for distribution at theaters showing the film. The cards explain the connection between global warming and animal agriculture and offer a free Veg Kit. They are available free of charge or by calling William at 800-MEATOUT.

The film is opening on a graduated schedule in nearly a hundred theaters in selected cities, starting with May 24 in New York and Los Angeles. For opening dates and theaters, visit www.climatecrisis.net/findatheater/.

The global warming crisis has finally penetrated the public consciousness, providing us with an unprecedented opportunity to promote a vegan diet. Please help the animals and the environment with this simple and fun activism. Order your cards today!

Thanks for caring enough,
Dawn Moncrief
Executive Director, FARM
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The text of the FARM postcard is below. They had to keep it short due to space limitations.

Stop global warming ...one bite at a time!

* Global warming threatens planetary survival through destruction of wildlife habitats, flooding of coastal communities, and extreme weather conditions.

* It is brought on by emissions of carbon dioxide and the more potent methane and nitrous oxide from animal agriculture, which create a "greenhouse effect."

* Going veg reduces personal annual greenhouse gas emissions by 1.5 tons.

* Going veg reduces conversion of forests and wetlands to pasture and feed cropland.

* Going veg reduces pollution of waterways by animal waste and feedcrop runoff.

* Going veg conserves water supplies, topsoil, fertilizer, and fossil fuel.

* Going veg saves innocent, sentient animals from cruel abuse and deaths.

* Going veg reduces our risk of chronic ills that kill 1.3 million Americans annually.

For a free Veg Kit, contact: www.farmusa.org or 800-MEATOUT
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PETA is offering a choice of one of two flyers.

1) A very colorful environmental flyer that indicates the many negative environmental effects of animal-based agriculture. This flyer can be downloaded.

Or, you can order copies by contacting Lindsey T at LindseyT@peta.org. Please include a complete non-PO Box address, a daytime phone, the date you plan to leaflet on, and how many leaflets you can use.

2) A "progressive" black and white flyer that gives many reasons for shifting to a vegan diet, including environmental considerations. Here's the link for the progressive flyer.


There will be no charge for flyers unless you need a special delivery in a short time.
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Once again, please help make the forthcoming Al Gore movie as successful as possible. Also, please send suggestions re how we can build on the movie to promote vegetarianism.

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5. Toward a Vegetarian-Conscious World by 2010

I receive articles almost daily that show the importance of a shift toward vegetarianism. And I have been very fortunate recently to be able to work with wonderful individuals and groups throughout the US and worldwide in promoting vegetarianism. Hence, I think it is a time for a major global effort in support of seeking “A Vegetarian-Conscious World by 2010. Please see the next two items as an indication of a start toward this campaign.

I plan to send out a special JVNA Newsletter on this project very soon, hopefully within a week. Please be on the lookout for it. Thanks.

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6. Very Important Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Statement on Diet and Health

Thursday, May 18, 2006 10:52 AM
FAO newsroom -

Right agriculture policies can promote healthy diets
Fruit and vegetables key to proper eating

Rome, 18 May 2006 - Agriculture and the right farm policies can promote healthy diets but Europeans are in some ways eating worse now than 45 years ago, an international meeting was told here.

FAO economist Josef Schmidhuber told the two-day meeting, grouping representatives from member countries of the Regional Offices for Europe of the World Health Organization and of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization: "The EU diet has gradually deteriorated and has become too rich in fats, particularly saturated fats, sugar and cholesterol."

One positive sign, however, was that in 2002 people in the EU were eating more fruit and vegetables, Schmidhuber said. People in Mediterranean countries generally ate healthier diets than elsewhere in Europe but there were clear signs of deterioration in the Mediterranean diet too, he added.

The WHO/FAO meeting, supported by the Italian Government, is taking place at FAO Headquarters in Rome. Its aim is to facilitate dialogue between the agriculture and public health sectors and to identify policy options such as supporting primary production, fiscal policies and marketing guidelines in order to help improve people's diets and combat obesity and related diseases.

"It is a sad fact that overweight and obesity affect the poorest parts of society most, and also have long-term consequences for one of its most vulnerable groups - children", said Dr Marc Danzon, WHO Regional Director for Europe. "Everyone must have access to healthy food, and government policies must support both availability and access in Europe."

Obesity is one of the greatest public health challenges of the 21st century. Its prevalence has risen threefold in many European countries since the 1980s, and the numbers of those affected, particularly children, are continuing to increase at an alarming rate. Obesity is already responsible for 2-8% of health care costs and 10-13% of deaths in different parts of the European Region - more than any other region.

Double burden

FAO nutritionist Guy Nantel told the delegates that obesity was not limited to rich, developed countries but was rapidly becoming a problem in developing countries too. This placed them under a "double burden" of undernourishment co-existing with overnutrition and obesity.

Adoption of Western diets and increasingly sedentary lives were sending obesity rates climbing fast in developing countries, with women most affected, Nantel said.

FAO estimates that there were 852 million undernourished people worldwide in 2000-2002 while at the same time WHO said there were 300 million obese adults and 115 million suffering from obesity-related conditions in the developing world.

Nantel cited the example of China where 23% of the adult population were now overweight or obese, and diet-related chronic diseases had become the leading cause of death.

Part of a solution to the problem would be for people to eat more fruit and vegetables, Eric Kueneman, Chief of the FAO service dealing with crop production told the meeting.

"FAO is actively promoting fruit and vegetable production for both health and for income-generation for producers," he noted. An ongoing joint WHO/FAO initiative on fruit and vegetables represented "an exciting avenue for expanded cooperation in the health, education and agriculture sectors," he added.

Contact:
Christopher Matthews
Information Officer, FAO
christopher.matthews@fao.org
(+39) 06 570 53762
Online news from FAO.

Radio: Liliane Kambirigi, Radio Information Officer, (+39) 06 570 53223
Television: Bou Downes, TV Information Officer, (+39) 06 570 55980 / 53963
Photos: FAO's photo library offers hi-quality images free of charge. Visit http://www.fao.org/newsroom/en/photo/

This press release was issued by the Media Office at the Food and
Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). To unsubscribe from this news service, send an email to mailto:mailserv@mailserv.fao.org with
"unsubscribe Media-G-Eng-L" as the only text in the message body.

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7. European Vegetarian Union (EVU) Open Letter to UN Secretary General Kofi Annan in Response to the FAO Press Release Above/Endorsements Sought

[The JVNA Advisory Committee is considering endorsing this open Letter and I am seeking endorsements from other groups and from key individuals. Suggestions very welcome. Thanks.]

(1) Open Letter to SecGen Kofi Annan

Dear Mr. Secretary General,

On the occasion of a WHO/FAO meeting in Rome, the FAO distributed a press release, dated 18 May 2006, stating that "the EU diet has gradually deteriorated and has become too rich in fats, particularly saturated fats, sugar and cholesterol," thus leading to the dramatic situation that 400,000 more children become overweight every year.

Rampant obesity threatens Europeans with heart disease, hypertension, stroke, diabetes, respiratory disease, arthritis and certain types of cancer.

Also in the USA, public health is dangerously undermined by the number of overweight people having doubled in the last decade.

During a conference in Brussels on 11-12 May 2006, EU and US have joined forces and developed a common strategy against obesity, which is described by Markos Kyprianou, the European Commissioner for Health and Consumer Protection, as the "biggest health threat of the twenty first century". 1)

Sedentary lifestyles certainly play a role in this dramatic situation but, also according the FAO's explanations, diet is a main culprit.

If they are so dangerous, why do people buy an excessive amount of fatty animal products?

The EU-agriculture policy which heavily subsidizes all but vegetable products may be one of the reasons why consumers prefer cholesterol-laden food stuffs over healthier but more expensive fruit and vegetables.

The situation in the US is similar. Mark Muller, Director of Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy's Environment and Agriculture program 2), comments: "If we want to seriously deal with obesity, let's create markets that promote healthy food production and consumption. Right now, farm policy is doing just the opposite."

It is becoming clearer by the day that the research and promotion of alternatives to the traditional meat-based nutrition is long overdue and therefore the undersigned vegetarian organizations appreciate UN's fight against weight. However, we would like to invite FAO/WHO experts to take also the next step, namely examining the benefits of a healthy vegetarian diet 3) which, among many other advantages,
- removes saturated fats and replaces them with antioxidants and fiber
- reduces cholesterol which is only found in animal products
- considerably reduces or even eliminates a great variety of health threats
- may result in weight loss (vegetarians have been shown to be leaner on average than the general population).

Mr. Secretary General, we stand ready to support any of the United Nation's initiatives leading to a promotion of the beneficial and compassionate vegetarian lifestyle which will bring better health to humans and play a crucial part in building a more wholesome world for all.

Yours sincerely

Name
Organisation
Town and Country
Website

1)

2)

3) It is the position of the American Dietetic Association and Dietitians of Canada that appropriately planned vegetarian diets are healthful, nutritionally adequate, and provide health benefits in the prevention and treatment of certain diseases.

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8. Report on JVNA’s Past Year and Future Prospects

JVNA is a member of the International Vegetarian Union (IVU). IVU is currently compiling an annual report which will be sent by post to all its Members and Supporters. This replaces their old magazine which hasn't been around for a while.

The IVU Report will include brief reports from Member Societies, so we have been asked to provide an update on our activities over the last 12 months, and plans for the next 12.

My summary is below. There is probably still time for changes, so please let me know if you have suggestions for improving the statement. Thanks.

JVNA Activities in the Past Year:

* We have continued to send out JVNA Online Newsletters to 600 - 700 people on an average of once a week throughout most of the year. In addition, special JVNA newsletters were sent out from time to time as special issues came up. These newsletters are forwarded by at least one group to its members.

* We continue to expand our web site (JewishVeg.com) and the over 130 vegetarian-related items by Richard Schwartz at JewishVeg.com/schwartz.

* We continue to send articles relating vegetarianism to Jewish holidays to the Jewish media a few weeks before each of the holidays. Sometimes these articles are also sent to email lists of rabbis.

* Through articles, letter to the editor campaigns, and working with other vegetarian groups, we continue to help promote vegetarianism in the Jewish community and beyond by utilizing news reports of current events, such as global warming effects, the avian bird flu, a recent video about the mistreatment of animal at a glatt kosher slaughterhouse in Iowa, and a forthcoming movie on global warming.

* JVNA is producing a documentary video tentatively titled “So It Is Written: Applying Jewish Values to Help Save an imperiled World.” Multi-award winning filmmaker Lionel Friedberg is producing the video which will stress that a shift toward vegetarianism and greater involvement in environmental issues is essential to move the world to a sustainable path.

* JVNA president Richard H. Schwartz was inducted into the Hall of Fame of the North American Vegetarian Society (NAVS) at the NAVS Summerfest in the summer of 2005.

JVNA’s Plans for the Coming Year

* We plan to continue all of the above activities.

* We also plan to expand efforts to reach out to the Jewish community and other groups in arguing that a shift toward vegetarianism is a Jewish imperative because the production and consumption of animal products violate Jewish mandates to protect our health, treat animals with compassion, preserve the environment, conserve natural resources, help hungry people, and seek and pursue peace, and a shift toward vegetarianism is also a societal imperative because of the many negative health and environmental effects of animal-based diets and agriculture.

* we plan to give complimentary copies of the video mentioned above to rabbis and other Jewish leaders, Jewish educators, synagogues, Jewish schools, and others as part of a campaign to get vegetarianism and related issues onto the Jewish agenda.

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9. Poem on Veganism and Justice

The following poem was submitted by JVNA newsletter reader Jeffrey Tucker:

‘VEGAN JUSTICE POEM’
(with translated Code Words)
Copyright 2006
Jeffrey M. Tucker

We Can't have a meating of the minds
Unless peas and okra justice prevail-
Making people carrot for our environment,
a berry robust democracy
and spirit dill freedoms.

Talk softly as if to a coconut,
honestly don't spin the salad,
Carry a big sugar cane into the acid reign.

You can't go GMO or nuke a cuke without rebuke.
You can get out and sprout.
To heck with olive seeds that ain’t organic,
or just plain patently dulse.
If we heed what we heard
from thee "I" in the sky,
in a heartbeat our world
could sustain its pulse.

(Code Words: Meating=Meeting Peas=Peace Okra=Social Carrot=Care A lot Berry=Very Spirit Dill=Spiritual Olive Seeds=Policies Dulse=False.) End

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10. Is a Vegetarian Diet Effective in Weight Control?

[from Voice of America]

It seems too good to be true. Eat as much as you want and still lose weight? That's the conclusion of a group of health experts who say a vegetarian diet is just the ticket for losing those unwanted pounds or kilos. But others say a side order of common sense goes along with it.

Hamburgers and french fries ... staples of what's called the "Western diet". Quick ... easy ... often cheap ... and very fattening. This calorie-rich diet has become one of America's most successful exports.

McDonald's and other fast food restaurants are popping up in China and elsewhere, and health experts lay much of the blame for a worldwide problem of obesity at their doorsteps.

Obesity is a serious health problem in the United States. Fad diets that guarantee weight loss often make headlines. But one of the latest studies to grab attention supports the old-fashioned notion that if you eat your fruits and vegetables, you can lose weight.

Washington dietitian Susan Levin is with the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, which conducted the research. She says the diet is simple: just whole grains, fruits, vegetables and legumes. "Those are the four food groups that a plant-based diet should be built around and those food groups are so high in fiber and typically low in calories and low in fat that you don't have to think about quantity."

SNIP

full story

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11. Nominations for Second Annual Sustainability Awards Sought

Forwarded message:

Dear Friends and Colleagues,

I hope all is well and that you’re having a good Spring. I wanted to let you know about the Second Annual Sustainability Awards and the opportunity to nominate some great people, organizations and communities you know.

The Awards are hosted by the Alliance for Sustainability at a Gala Celebration at the Historic Fitzgerald Theatre in St. Paul, home of Garrison Keillor’s Prairie Home Companion, on Monday evening, September 25, 2006. They are followed by a Sustainability Symposium with the recipients the next morning September 26.

The Awards recognize individuals, businesses, organizations and communities that have been exemplary leaders and made significant contributions to sustainability -- creating a world that is ecologically sound, economically viable, socially just and humane.

I hope you’ll consider nominating anyone who meets the criteria, including groups or communities that you’re involved in. Nominations may be submitted by Friday, May 19 at http://www.allianceforsustainability.net/.

I have enclosed the announcement and would appreciate any help you can provide in sharing it with your colleagues, email lists, listserves and any media, as well as posting the announcement in your office and on your website.

The Awards and Sustainability Symposium are being sponsored by a number of great businesses and organizations, including the Utne Magazine, Aveda, Seventh Generation, Piper Jaffray, CSRwire, E – The Environmental Magazine, Mal Warwick Associates, Portfolio 21, Indigenous Designs, Progressive Asset Management, Gift Works by Mission Research, Ayurceutics, Baltix Furniture, Rancho La Puerta Spa, Dolphin Blue, and Sustainability Associates. Please let me know if you or your organization would like to join this illustrious group as a sponsor.

Finally, I hope you’ll mark your calendar and join us for what promises to be a fun, inspiring and informative experience.

I appreciate your assistance with this. Please let me know if you have any questions.

Sustainably,

Terry Gips, President & Event Co-Chair
612-374-4765 mailto:Terry@allianceforsustainability.net

Alliance for Sustainability
In the Hillel Center at the University of Minnesota
1521 University Ave. SE, Minneapolis, MN 55405
612-331-1099 info@afors.org http://www.afors.org/

Request for Nominations

Second Annual Sustainability Awards and Symposium

From the Alliance for Sustainability
to be given at a Gala Celebration at the Historic Fitzgerald Theatre
(Home of Garrison Keillor’s Prairie Home Companion)
St. Paul, Minnesota on Monday Evening, September 25, 2006

The Second Annual Sustainability Awards and Symposium will recognize individuals, organizations and communities that have been exemplary leaders and made significant contributions to sustainability – which the Alliance defines as being ecologically sound, economically viable, socially just and humane, embodying our highest values in terms of how we treat animals, people and the Earth.

Previous Recipients include author Frances Moore Lappé, artist Peter Max, Aveda Corporation Founder Horst Rechelbacher, Native-American activist Winona LaDuke, Seventh Generation Corporation, musician Larry Long, Minnesota Sustainable Community Network, University of Texas Medical Branch Galveston, the Green Institute and The Intervale.

Sponsors of the Awards and Sustainability Symposium the next day include Utne Magazine, Aveda, Seventh Generation, Piper Jaffray, CSRwire, E – The Environmental Magazine, Gift Works by Mission Research, Mal Warwick Associates, Ayurceutics, Eureka Recycling, Portfolio 21, Indigenous Designs, Baltix Furniture, Rancho La Puerta Spa, Dolphin Blue, Progressive Asset Management, Jedlicka Design, Gegax Family Foundation, University Bank, and Sustainability Associates. Additional sponsors are welcome.

Nominations may be submitted by Friday, May 19 by any individual, organization or community (including self-nominations) at http://www.afors.org/. Nominees can address any aspect(s) of sustainability, including Food, Agriculture, Business, Labor, Government, Nonprofit, Community, Media, Arts, Culture, Philanthropy, Education, Academia, Faith/Spirituality, Health, Design, Planning, Architecture, Environmental Justice and Law.

Recipients will be expected to attend the award ceremonies and the half-day Sustainability Symposium held the next morning. All costs for travel, food and lodging will be covered. A Distinguished Advisory Board will review the nominations and make recommendations to the Alliance Board which will announce the recipients on World Environment Day, June 5.

The Alliance for Sustainability was founded in 1983 and has been one of the original proponents of sustainability, developing a widely used four-partdefinition: ecologically sound, economically viable, socially just and humane. Its mission is to bring about personal, organizational and planetary sustainability.

For More Information or a free membership, contact the Alliance for Sustainability, In the Hillel Center at the University of Minnesota, 1521 University Ave. SE, Minneapolis, MN 55414; 612-331-1099, mailto:info@afors.org, www.afors.org

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12. Nutritional Expert Initiates Two weekly Radio Programs

Forwarded message:

Tree of Life Rejuvenation Center
Presents
Two Weekly Radio Shows
with Gabriel Cousens, M.D., M.D.(H)

The titles of Gabriel Cousens' new radio shows speak for themselves:

"Physician of the Soul"
LISTEN LIVE: www.WorldTalkRadio.com

"Creating Peace by Being Peace"!
LISTEN LIVE: www.7thWaveNetwork.com

We've valued Gabriel's ability to bridge the relationships between spirituality, healing, nutrition, and peace, perhaps like no one else living today. NOW, we have the ability to tune into this teacher each Friday as he hosts his very own radio shows. The shows are dedicated to inspire and helping us to connect the dots about living as a whole person, and stimulating the conscious evolution of each individual and the planet.

Gabriel Cousens, M.D., M.D.(H),
Premieres - two radio shows - streaming on the Internet every week:

"PHYSICIAN of the SOUL"
Understanding your life, in every moment...
as the unfoldment of your soul’s expression in the world.

Pose questions about physical health, relationships and emotional balance, the psyche, and spiritual guidance with M.D., Psychiatrist, Family Counselor, and Spiritual Teacher, Gabriel Cousens.

Fridays at 10am to 11am, Pacific, Starting May 19!
LISTEN LIVE: www.WorldTalkRadio.com

"CREATING PEACE by BEING PEACE"
Being peace is the experience of peace, independent of all causes.

Creating peace by being peace is expressing this peace as our thoughts, words, and acts, in the spheres of personal, cultural, social, and ecological life. On each episode, hear positive peace news!... Learn about the Peace Every Day Initiative!... Understand the Sevenfold Peace!... Connect with guests like you, serving as world peaceworkers!

Fridays at 12pm Pacific, Premeiring May 19!
LISTEN LIVE: www.7thWaveNetwork.com

Thank you for being here now.
These shows exist on the network because humanity is ready!

Listening to all the shows is free!... Are you?
http://www.treeoflife.nu/radiogabriel.html

Many Blessing of Love & Gratitude

Michael Bedar
Promotions and Outreach Specialist
Tree of Life Rejuvenation Center
Patagonia, Arizona, U.S.A.

tel: 866-394-2520, x.209
fax: 415-598-2409
michael@treeoflife.nu
http://www.treeoflife.nu

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15. Christain Group Schedules Vegetarian Conference

[While the conference discussed below is on a Shabbat (and Shavuot), it is included in this newsletter as an example of what a religious group is doing to promote vegetarianism through its religious teachings.]

Forwarded message:

Hope you can attend. Please spread the word!

"CHRISTIAN CONCERN FOR ALL GOD'S CREATURES" CONFERENCE!

"Let everything that has breath praise the Lord." Psalm 150:6

Saturday, June 3rd, 10:00 am - 5:00 pm (Registration 9:00 am)
Caldwell College, 9 Ryerson Ave., Caldwell, NJ

Speakers include:

*Rev. Frank and Mary Hoffman; Founders of The Mary T. and Frank L. Hoffman Family Foundation host many Christian websites for animals (www.all-creatures.org).
*Stephen Kaufman, M.D.; Chair of the Christian Vegetarian Association and Co-chair of the Medical Research Modernization Committee.
CVA's video "Honoring God's Creation" will be shown.
*Judy Carman; Former therapist and Program Director for mental health clinics, is a dedicated activist for animal rights, environmental protection, justice, and peace. She is the author of Born to Be Blessed: Seven Keys to Joyful Living and Peace to All Beings.
*Deborah Jones, M.A.; General Secretary of Catholic Concern for Animals and Editor of The Ark. She will be video-conferenced from England. Her new video Animals and the Catholic Church will also be premiered.
*Rev. J. R. Hyland - tentative. Author of God's Covenant with Animals and many other writings. Founder of Humane Religion.
*Jan Fredericks, M.A., L.P.C.; Founder of God's Creatures Ministry; Chair of Catholic Concern for Animals-USA; Christian Educator and licensed counselor.

Many animal organizations will be represented.

Sponsored by God's Creatures Ministry- www.Godscreaturesministry.org and Coalition For Animals.
Place: Caldwell College; www.caldwell.edu
$35.00 (includes a great veggie lunch and refreshments) (People can come for free if they register by 5/30.)

$25.00/person/night for a dorm room.
Please send checks to: God's Creatures Ministry, P.O. Box 322, Wayne, NJ 07474
Deadline to register: May 30
GCM is a non-profit organization. In cases of financial hardship, adjustments can be made.
Godscre@msn.com or 973-694-5155

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16. Vegan Roommate(s) Sought in Sacramento

Forwarded message from Reyna warmheart@matzohballsoup.com

Subject: Nice Jewish Roommate Needed

Shalom Jewish Vegetarians of North America,

I am looking for a nice Jewish roommate or couple roommate to share my
house with lots of trees and lawn in Sacramento.

Thanks! Todah rabah!

SHALOM,
Reyna
warmheart@matzohballsoup.com

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