Shalom everyone,
This update/Jewish Vegetarians of North America (JVNA) Online Newsletter has the following items:
1. Happy Passover
1a. Dvar Torah: Can a Vegetarian Observe All the Passover Requirements?
2. Livestock Sector Now the MAJOR Cause of Greenhouse Gas Emissions
3. New Haredi Animal Rights Group Formed in Israel
4. European Jews seek help opposing anti-shechita [Kosher Slaughter] Law
5. My letter to the Editor of the Jerusalem Post Re the Above Two items
6. Hot Spots in the Global Food Crisis
7. You can hear 130 Hour Long Interviews With Leading Vegetarians and Other Activists
8. Another Great Reason Not To Eat Fish
9. Have a Question About Any Aspect of Judaism and Vegetarianism?
10. Compiling a List of Vegetarian Rabbis
11. Challenging Vegetarian Lecture Translated Into Hebrew
12. Food Day Coming
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 the kashrut, Shabbat observances, or any other Jewish observances, 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. Also, JVNA does not necessarily agree with all positions of groups whose views are included or whose events are announced in this newsletter.
As always, your comments and suggestions are very welcome.
Thanks,
Richard
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1. Happy Passover
Best wishes to everyone for a sweet, happy, kosher, meaningful Passover (Pesach).
To help spread the vegetarian message, please see my article “Passover and Vegetarianism” at the holidays section at JewishVeg.com/Schwartz, and please feel free to use the ideas for letters to editors, calls to talk shows, talking points, etc. Thanks.
Chag Pesach kasher v’sameach!
My letter to the editor (longer and shorter versions) sent to many Jewish weeklies is below: (Please also check: http://www.evana.org/index.php?id=64427)
Dear Editor:
As President of the Jewish Vegetarians of North America and author of Judaism and Vegetarianism, I suggest that we commemorate the redemption of our ancestors from slavery this Passover by ending the current slavery to harmful eating habits through the adoption of vegetarian diets.
An increasing number of Jews are turning to vegetarianism and they are finding ways to celebrate vegetarian Passovers consistent with Jewish teachings. Contrary to a common perception, Jews are not required to eat meat at the Passover seder or any other time. According to the Talmud (Pesachim 109a) and other sources, since the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem, Jews need not eat meat to celebrate Jewish festivals.
Jewish vegetarians see vegetarian values reinforced by several Passover themes:
At the seder, Jews say, "Let all who are hungry come and eat". This seems inconsistent with the consumption of animal-centered diets which involves the feeding of 70% of the grain grown in the United States to animals destined for slaughter, while 20 million of the world's people die of hunger and its effects annually. Vegetarian diets require far less land, water, gasoline, pesticides, fertilizer, and other resources, and thus enable the better sharing of God's abundant resources, which can help reduce global hunger and poverty.
2. Passover is the holiday of springtime, a time of nature's renewal. It also commemorates God's supremacy over the forces of nature. In contrast, modern intensive livestock agriculture and animal-centered diets have many negative effects on the environment, including air and water pollution, soil erosion and depletion, the destruction of tropical rain forests and other habitats, and contributions to global warming.
3. The main Passover theme is freedom. While relating the story of our ancestors' slavery in Egypt and their redemption through God's power and beneficence, many Jewish vegetarians also consider the "slavery" of animals on modern "factory farms". Contrary to Jewish teachings of compassion, animals are raised for food today under very cruel conditions.
Very truly yours,
Richard H. Schwartz, Ph.D.
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Shorter version
As President of the Jewish Vegetarians of North America and author of “Judaism and Vegetarianism,” I suggest that we commemorate the redemption of our ancestors from slavery this Passover by ending the current slavery to harmful eating habits.
An increasing number of Jews are finding ways to celebrate vegetarian Passovers consistent with Jewish teachings. Contrary to a common perception, Jews are not required to eat meat at the Passover seder or any other time.
Several Passover themes have vegetarian connections:
At the seder, Jews say, "Let all who are hungry come and eat." Vegetarian diets require far less land, water, fuel, pesticides, fertilizer, and other resources, and thus enable the better sharing of God's abundant resources, which can help reduce global hunger and poverty.
Passover is the holiday of springtime, a time of nature's renewal. It also commemorates God's supremacy over the forces of nature. In contrast, the production of meat has many negative environmental effects.
The main Passover theme is freedom. While relating the story of our ancestors' slavery in Egypt and their redemption, many Jewish vegetarians also consider the "slavery" of animals on modern “factory farms".
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1a. Dvar Torah: Can a Vegetarian Observe All the Passover Requirements?
Dvar Torah for Pesach 2011 (by Rabbi Burton Schwartz)
Can a Vegetarian observe all the rituals and requirements for Pesach?
The short answer to my question is an emphatic yes!
How you may ask?........well let’s look at the what the Rabbi’s have said and done about the slaughtering of animals for atonement of sins throughout the ages.
According to the late first century Rabbis, ‘The G-d of Israel does not need to be fed, but the Torah instead maintains that what G-d desires is “the sweet smell” of the sacrifices ....not their meat!’
Rabbi Yohanan ben Zakkai once was walking with his student, Rabbi Joshua, near Jerusalem after the destruction of the Temple. Rabbi Joshua looked @ the Temple ruins and said “ Alas for us! The place that atoned for the sins of the people Israel thru the ritual of animal sacrifices lies in ruins!” Then Rabbi Yohanan spoke to him in these words of comfort: “Be not grieved, my son,. There is another equally meritorious way of gaining atonement even though the Temple is destroyed. We can still gain atonement through deeds of loving kindness....as it is written, ‘Loving kindness I desire.... not sacrifice’ ( Hosea 6:6)”
Rabbi Elazar said: Doing righteous deeds of charity is greater than offering all the sacrifices, as it is written, “Doing charity and justice is more desirable to G-d than sacrifice “(Proverbs 21:3).
Maimonides goes even further in the Guide for the Perplexed, Part III, Chapter 32 when he states that G-d really never wanted Jews to sacrifice animals to worship Him, but only allowed them to do so because people in the ancient world were accustomed to worshipping their gods in that way, and G-d, being a good leader and teacher, knew the Israelites simply could not worship Him in any other way. Using this divine ruse of worshipping only one G-d was a way to deface idolatry and establish the true foundation of our belief.....namely the existence and oneness of G-d.
Maimonides points out that G-d could have created our ancestors in such a way as to be able to worship w/o animal sacrifices, but the fact our ancestors were used to them indicates that G-d wanted us to be that way ....then He weaned us from these sacrifices by restricting them to the Temple in Jerusalem and then requiring that they be offered only by the priestly class....demonstrating that they were not how He ultimately wants us to worship Him.
Maimonides further points out how the Israelites used animal sacrifices to worship Baal and other Canaanite gods thus exposing the ease with which that mode of worship can be used to undermine the very purpose of worship.....which is to know G-d and follow His commandments.
Today there is no need to cook or eat meat on Pesach. The eating of the Pascal lamb is no longer required now that the Temple is not standing. Therefore one is required to commemorate the act...not participate in it.
In these times there is no obligation to eat meat, as we see in the Shulchan Arukh, based on the Gemara in Pesachim 109a. The essence of the Pesach seder is to recall the miracles associated with the redemption from Egypt. As for the Pascal Lamb..... when the Mashiach comes we’ll find out what is expected of us. However, according to Rav Kook, based on kabbalistic sources, the tikkun accomplished by consumption of animals will then be complete and vegetation alone will be offered in the Third Beth HaMikdash.
The Seder plate is meant to demonstrate the various symbols of the story of our journey to Freedom from the enslavement we suffered under the Egyptians. Therefore it is no sin to improvise. There were and are many vegetarian Rabbi’s such as the late Chief Rabbi of Israel, Rav Shlomo Goren, the late Rav Dovid Cohen of Jerusalem and his son Rav Shear-Yashuv Cohen of Haifa, The chief Rabbi of England, Rav Jonathan Sachs and many others. Using substitutes for the shank bone goes back even to a century ago when the Kamenetzer Maggid, Rav Chaim Maccoby used two roasted eggs on the seder plate instead of the bone. In our home we use a beet.
It should been noted that the slaughtering of the Pascal lamb represented the submission of the animal the Egyptian’s deemed sacred to the service of G-d. Thus it is meant to represent the nullification of idolatry....but on a deeper level the position of the Pascal lamb ‘with its head on its knees’ brings to mind the prophetic position for meditation and prayer mentioned in the Gemara.....”head on (or between) one’s knees.
The Chassidic master Rabbi Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev interpreted this position as a unification of the sefirot associated with the knees and the mind as channels for prophecy to which Pesach alludes.
The proper celebration of Pesach requires the absence of leaven and the use of unleavened bread, which we are commanded to eat “throughout your generations”. There are many vegetarian substitutes that are appropriate for Seders and my wife has become an expert at preparing things like vegetarian stuffed cabbage and vegetable/nut filled squash to name just two possible recipes.
Because Pesach is the celebration of our redemption from slavery, we should also consider freeing ourselves from the slavery of harmful eating habits....and as our homes are freed from leaven, perhaps we should also consider freeing our bodies from harmful foods.
Since Pesach is a time of regeneration both physical and spiritual, we should consider the maximum use of raw fruits and vegetables which have been shown to have a cleansing effect on our bodies.
In conclusion may I wish all of us a sweet and kosher Pesach and may we all succeed in making our prayers and acts of loving kindness a fitting substitute for the animal sacrifices in days of yore.
Hag Sameach!
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2. Livestock Sector Now the MAJOR Cause of Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Below is a link to an interview of Robert Goodland, co-author of “Livestock and Climate Change,” which argues (with much logic) that the livestock sector is now responsible for at least 51% of all human-induced greenhouse gas emissions. It is translated from Chinese. (The interview took place in China, where Dr. Goodland spoke. His talk is in the previous JVNA Newsletter.)
http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=zh-CN&u=http://finance.sina.com.cn/roll/20110411/23219670311.shtml&ei=M0ijTanqD4HagQfJ3bXaBQ&sa=X&oi=translate&ct=result&resnum=8&ved=0CFwQ7gEwBw&prev=/search%3Fq%3D%2522robert%2Bgoodland%2522%26hl%3Den%26tbo%3D1%26tbs%3Dqdr:d%26prmd%3Divnslo
Please help spread the word about this very important message. Thanks.
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3. New Haredi Animal Rights Group Formed in Israel
New org to educate Haredi [very Orthodox] community on animal rights
Jerusalem Post article April 5, 2011
http://www.jpost.com/JewishWorld/JewishNews/Article.aspx?id=215197
Thanks to Rabbi Adam Frank for sending this link to us.
Here is my submitted post at the end of the article:
As president of Jewish Vegetarians of North America (JVNA), I am very happy to learn about this group and I wish them much hatzlacha [success]. Judaism has very powerful teachings on compassion to animals and it is important that they be put into practice. I hope that the group will address dietary issues because plant-based diets are most consistent with Jewish mandates to take care of our health, treat animals with compassion, protect the environment, conserve natural resources, hep hungry people, and seek a more peaceful world.
For more information, please visit JewishVeg.com/schwartz, where I have 140 articles, 25 podcasts of my talks and interviews, and the complete text of my book "Judaism and Vegetarianism."
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4. European Jews seek help opposing anti-shechita [Kosher Slaughter] Law
http://www.jpost.com/JewishWorld/JewishNews/Article.aspx?ID=215117&R=R1
My post at the end of the article:
As president of Jewish Vegetarians of North America (JVNA) I want to point out that, while we would prefer that no animals be slaughtered for meat, we also oppose efforts to single out shechitah for criticism. Anyone who thinks that stunning animals before slaughter minimizes pain should read the book "Slaughterhouse" by Gail Eisnitz and learn about the many problems at non-kosher slaughterhouses. JVNA argues that even if shechitah is carried out perfectly and there is relatively little pain, we should not ignore the horrible mistreatment of animals on factory farms.
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5. My letter to the Editor of the Jerusalem Post Re the Above Two items
April 5, 2011
Editor, Jerusalem Post
Letters@JPost.com
Dear Editor:
As president of Jewish Vegetarians of North America (JVNA), I would like to briefly comment on two articles in your April 5 issue. Re "European Jews seek help in anti-shechita law," while JVNA prefers that no animals be slaughtered for meat, we also oppose efforts to single out shechitah for criticism. Anyone who thinks that stunning animals before slaughter minimizes pain should read the book "Slaughterhouse" by Gail Eisnitz and learn about the many problems at non-kosher slaughterhouses. JVNA believes that shechitah is the most humane means of slaughter, but argues that even if shechitah is carried out perfectly and there is relatively little pain, we should not ignore the horrible mistreatment of animals on factory farms that often are violations of tsa’ar ba’alei chaim, the Torah-mandate to avoid causing unnecessary pain to animals.
Re “New org to educate haredi community on animal rights,” we are very happy to learn about this group and wish them much hatzlacha in educating Jews about Judaism’s beautiful teachings on the proper treatment of animals.
Re both articles, I hope that the Jewish community will address the many ethical and halachic issues related to our diets. There is increasing evidence that plant-based diets are most consistent with Jewish mandates to take care of our health, treat animals with compassion, protect the environment, conserve natural resources, help hungry people, and seek a more peaceful world.
For more information, please visit JewishVeg.com/schwartz, where I have 140 articles, 25 podcasts of my talks and interviews, and the complete text of my book "Judaism and Vegetarianism." And please visit aSacredDuty.com to see our acclaimed documentary “A Sacred Duty: Applying Jewish Values to Help Heal the World.”
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6. Hot Spots in the Global Food Crisis
http://www.ewg.org/hot-spots-emerging-global-food-crisis?utm_source=2011q1update&utm_medium=email&utm_content=fifth-link&utm_campaign=fund
Thanks to JVNA advisor Ron Landskroner for forwarding this website link to us. There are many indications that providing sufficient food for the world’s growing population is going to be a great challenge to humanity.
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7. You can hear 130 Hour Long Interviews With Leading Vegetarians and Other Activists
Forwarded message from Will Tuttle, author of the World Peace Diet, a book I very highly recommend.
Hello Richard
Greetings! Hope you're doing well!
In these challenging times of mass media misinformation, it's vital to have sources of information that lead to health, kindness, and peace. In light of this, I wanted to let you know about an excellent opportunity to get a LOT of terrific information ---
I'm delighted that Steve Prussack is making his "Interview with the Masters" program available to everyone starting today, April 7th. It includes 130 hour-long interviews with some of the leading names in health, nutrition, consciousness, and relationships, like Kris Carr, Gabriel Cousens, John Robbins, Rory Freedman, T. Colin Campbell, Mike Adams, Louise Hay, Gary Null, Don Miguel Ruiz, Cherie Soria, Angela Stokes Monarch, David Wolfe, Harville Hendrix, Jameth Sheridan, Dan Millman, Brendan Brazier, Brian Clement, yours truly, and many more. You'll have access to some of the most respected and cutting edge voices in this series--people who understand the big picture of health and how we can positively transform our lives. Most highly recommended - here's the link if you'd like to find out more.
Tour update - Madeleine and I just left Florida, and we're putting on events here in Georgia for a couple of weeks, then Alabama, Tennessee, Texas, Arizona, and by early June, we'll be in southern California. Here are the details.
Finally, I've just recently written an article entitled: Spiritual People Moving Toward Veganism?
Please check it out and let me know what you think!
Thanks to you, and to everyone who has made our past few months presenting events here in Florida so absolutely terrific!! The best part of this job is the beautiful people we meet and work together with to spread the message of compassion and health. Keep up the great work!!
That's it for now, and love from Madeleine, too,
Will
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8. Another Great Reason Not To Eat Fish
If you know anyone who eats fish, please ask them to watch this video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p0F8x4i5GYE&feature=related
It might get them to change their minds.
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9. Have a Question About Any Aspect of Judaism and Vegetarianism?
Please feel free to let us know what vegetarian-related questions you have. We have some very knowledgeable people and will try to provide you with answers.
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10. Compiling a List of Vegetarian Rabbis
We are trying to update our list of vegetarian rabbis. If you know of any, please let us know, along with contact information if possible. Thanks.
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11. Challenging Vegetarian Lecture Translated Into Hebrew
Forwarded message:
Hello Richard,
I'm sure you already heard about Gary Yourofsky's incredible lecture. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=es6U00LMmC4
Now the Israeli TV for Animal-Rights, Yoman Hayati ("יומן חייתי") has translated the lecture to Hebrew!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=omweihtaYwI
I think it will be wonderful if you can share this information in your next newsletter.
Many thanks and keep doing your wonderful work.
Happy Passover!
:)
Daniel Erlich,
daniel@animal-tv.org
http://www.animal-tv.org
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12. Food Day Coming
Forwarded message from Michael Jacobson, co-founder and director of Center for Science in the Public Interest:
[If anyone would like to consider vegetarian connections to this important event, please let me know. Thanks.]
Dear Friend,
I’m excited to tell you about a major new campaign that we are launching later today with some of the most prominent voices for change in the food policy world. That venture is Food Day!
We’re launching what we hope will become an annual event that is both a celebration of real, healthy food—and a powerful, grassroots movement for change.
We’ve modeled Food Day on Earth Day. It is led by honorary co-chairs Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) and Rep. Rosa Delauro (D-CT), and is backed by an impressive advisory board including author Michael Pollan, physicians David Satcher and Michael Roizen, professors Walter Willett, Kelly Brownell, and Marion Nestle, and prominent chefs such as Alice Waters, Dan Barber, and Nora Pouillon.
Food Day also has the support of a wide range of national and local organizations focused on hunger, sustainable agriculture, animal welfare, and public health.
But the most important ingredient in Food Day is you! We envision thousands of events on October 24, 2011, from coast to coast, ranging from small events in homes and classrooms, to large rallies in public parks, and hearings in city councils and state legislatures. A Food Day event could be as simple as a vegetable-recognition contest in a
kindergarten, a potluck dinner with friends featuring locally sourced ingredients, a spirited debate on a college campus, or celebrating the harvest from an urban garden you start this spring.
Food Day is all about solving local communities’ food problems. Nationally, we’ve identified five key priorities:
• Reducing diet-related disease by promoting healthy foods
• Supporting sustainable farms and cutting subsidies to agribusiness
• Expanding access to food and alleviating hunger
• Reforming factory farms to protect animals and the environment
• Curbing junk-food marketing to kids
Can we count on you to participate in a Food Day event near you, or better yet, will you organize a Food Day event in your community? If none of the topics above appeals to you, is there another food issue confronting your community that needs attention? A growing network of partner organizations, advisors, and Food Day organizing staff is standing by to help you put a Food Day event on the calendar. (In weeks we’ll have a web-based map that lets you schedule or RSVP to Food Day events with just a few clicks of a mouse!)
Please email me at foodday@cspinet.org, or call us at 202-777-8392. Food Day is just a little more than six months out. That’s more than enough time to plan, but let’s get started together, today!
Sincerely,
Michael F. Jacobson
Executive Director, CSPI and Founder, Food Day
P.S. You can keep up with Food Day and other exciting things by ‘liking’ Food Day on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/fooddayeatreal, or following us at our new Twitter handle http://www.twitter.com/cspi.
And please share this message with your friends and family.
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The material on this site is provided for educational and informational purposes. It may contain copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. It is being made available in an effort to advance the understanding of vegetarian, environmental, nutritional, health, economic, social justice and human rights issues etc. It is believed that this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have an interest in using the included information for educational or research purposes. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use', you must obtain permission from the copyright owner. The information on this site does not constitute legal, technical or medical advice.
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DISCLAIMER
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 the kashrut, Shabbat observances, or any other Jewish observances, 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. Also, JVNA does not necessarily agree with all positions of groups whose views are included or whose events are announced in this newsletter.
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 the kashrut, Shabbat observances, or any other Jewish observances, 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. Also, JVNA does not necessarily agree with all positions of groups whose views are included or whose events are announced in this newsletter.
FAIR USE NOTICE
The material on this site is provided for educational and informational purposes. It may contain copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. It is being made available in an effort to advance the understanding of vegetarian, environmental, nutritional, health, economic, social justice and human rights issues etc. It is believed that this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have an interest in using the included information for educational or research purposes. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use', you must obtain permission from the copyright owner. The information on this site does not constitute legal, technical or medical advice.
The material on this site is provided for educational and informational purposes. It may contain copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. It is being made available in an effort to advance the understanding of vegetarian, environmental, nutritional, health, economic, social justice and human rights issues etc. It is believed that this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have an interest in using the included information for educational or research purposes. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use', you must obtain permission from the copyright owner. The information on this site does not constitute legal, technical or medical advice.