Jewish Vegetarians of North America Newsletter

12/22/2011 JVNA Online Newsletter - Chanukah

2011-12-22T14:32:00.005-05:00

Chanukah 2011

1. Another Miracle of Chanukah
2. Maccabeats to Matisyahu Chanukah Song
3. Chanukah Recipes Galore!
4. Cute Chanukah Animals
5. Veg Chanukah Ideas from GirlieGirl Army
6. Green Your Chanukah

1. Another Miracle of Chanukah

Jewish survival is a miracle of hope. Increasing light at the darkest time of the year to celebrate Chanukah and Jewish survival is also a miracle. This year, we work and hope for another miracle. We certainly don't need more "things" in our homes; instead, we need more meaning, purpose, and spirit in our lives. One significant way is by moving towards vegetarianism. Read More.

2. Maccabeats do Matisyahu Chanukah Song

Famous singers don’t make many Chanukah songs – Adam Sandler’s “Chanukah Song” and Barenaked Ladies' “Hanukkah Blessings” are perhaps two of only three exceptions – but the third is "Miracle", by vegan Jew Matisyahu. The adorable Maccabeats have done a cover of this song, which cameos another vegan Jew, TV star Mayim Bialik. Have a look, I dare you not to enjoy!

3. Chanukah Recipes Galore!

Looking for Chanukah recipes? Check out JVNA’s updated recipe section. We’ve lot loads of plant-based latke recipes of every type, from traditional to very creative, and even some videos.

What’s more, actor, author, and Jewish vegan Alicia Silverstone is posting a new vegetarian Jewish recipe every day during Chanukah. Check it out.

And the Jewish vegan singer Matisyahu has his own latke and jelly doughnut recipes in New York Magazine. When asked why he went veg, Matisyahu gave a very Hanukkah answer: "If a person has clean oil, then their candle will burn bright.

4. Cute Chanukah Animals

Cute animals celebrating Chanukah! For a compassionate Jewish vegetarian, what’s not to like?

Just choose dogs or cats! (Or, if you prefer, zebras.)

5. Veg Chanukah Ideas from GirlieGirl Army

Chanukah 101: From Jelly Donut Twinkies to Maitake Mushroom Latkes! Chanukah is all about miracles, and we could all use a miracle. If you aren’t into the religious aspect of Chanukah, use the 8 days as a time to make wishes, give kisses, and pray for peace. Read more.

6. Green Your Chanukah
Find out how you can light your Hanukkah celebration with eco-friendly festivities like green decorations, organic chocolate gelt, and vegan latkes. Read more.

12/5/11 JVNA Online Newsletter

2011-12-05T16:00:00.005-05:00

December 5, 2011

1. Kosher Slaughter Bans
2. Horse Slaughter Legalized in the US
3. Free Jewish Vegan Cookbook
4. World Meat Production Grows
5. Israel Bans Cat Declawing
6. UN Climate Conference Urged to Address Animal Agriculture
7. Vegetarian Shabbat at London Chabad
8. Free leaflets from JVNA

1. Kosher Slaughter Bans

Dutch efforts to ban the slaughter of unstunned animals -- effectively banning kosher and halal slaughter -- have raised concerns in the Jewish community, but also provide opportunities for us to discuss vegetarianism as applying Jewish values.

Rabbi Schachar Orenstein intrigued audiences when discussing the issue at a forum in Quebec, because he is an Orthodox Jew and a vegetarian, a choice he made for “ethical, health and environmental reasons” years ago. He says, “Judaism does care about animal cruelty, and measures are ongoing to reduce any suffering in slaughter… But I attempted to broaden the discussion, to the treatment of animals, how they are raised and transported.” [Canadian Jewish News]

Uca Octay of Rotterdam’s Islamic University said: “We will have to import halal meat... Becoming vegetarian could be an option as well.” Dutch Chief Rabbi Binyomin Jacobs said: “I would not have bad feelings if... Every home would be vegetarian and then it would be equal.”

(JVNA opposes singling out kosher slaughter. Both kosher and non-kosher slaughter can be done in a cruel manner or more humane manner, and the animals all come from the same abusive factory farms.)

2. Horse Slaughter Legalized in the US

Last week Congress passed into law a bill that ended the federal ban on horse slaughter. (See article.) Please take a minute of your time today to support the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act. And spread the word to as many people as you can. Every voice makes a difference!

In you live in Canada, please act to support the Canadian version of this law.

3. Free Jewish Vegan Cookbook

The NewKosher Cookbook: Your Favorite Jewish Vegan Recipes is now available free online at PunkTorah.org, with everything from kreplach to sufganiyot, including some articles by JVNA President Richard Schwartz.

4. World Meat Production Grows

According to WorldWatch Institute, global meat production increased by 2.6 percent in 2010 to 290.6 million tons, an increase from the 0.8 percent growth rate of 2009. Read More.

The good news is that, in the US, meat consumption has been declining. Let's continue to be leaders in improving the world.

5. Israel Bans Cat Declawing

Good news: Israel has banned the declawing of cats. Judaism forbids mutilating pets without a genuine need. Read More. Unfortunately, on factory farms, surgical mutilations without painkillers -- like debeaking, dehorning, castrating, and tail docking -- remain standard practice.

Israel has already passed bans on foie gras production, cosmetics testing, public school dissections, and wildlife in circuses, all of which remain legal in the US and Canada. Jews should be a light unto the nations when it comes to vegetarianism as well.

6. UN Climate Change Conference COP-17 Urged to Address Animal Agriculture

Durban in South Africa is the stage where the United Nations' climate change conference, also known as COP17, is taking place. Parallel to the negotiations, representatives from NGOs try to make their voices heard amid the cacophony of COP17 talks. One of them is the Humane Society International, which is urging delegates to bring animal agriculture into the forum. Read More.

7. Vegetarian Shabbat at London Chabad

You too can organize an eco-friendly, vegan Shabbat dinner at your synagogue, chabad, or university, like these Jews did in London. Then tell us about it! Read More.

8. Free Leaflets from JVNA

Please get active in spreading the word by leafleting at a local Jewish event and/or organizing a talk or cooking demonstration at a local synagogue, Jewish school, or Jewish Center. Contact us for free leaflets. We can also send you some DVDs of our acclaimed documentary "A Sacred Duty: Applying Jewish Values to Help Heal the World." Please consider arranging a showing

11/23/2011 JVNA Online Newsletter

2011-11-23T11:35:00.006-05:00

November 23, 2011

1. JVNA has its own Google+ page
2. Chanukah and Vegetarianism
3. A Jew Confronts Her First Veg Thanksgiving
4. Rabbi Applies Jewish Values to Thanksgiving Turkey
5. Printed JVNA Newsletters from the 1990s Available
6. New Book: Jews Can Save the Planet
7. Paul McCartney Converts
8. Fur Free Friday and Judaism
9. Noted Climate Skeptic: "Global Warming is Real"
10. Congratulations to Ricki Lake

1. JVNA has its own Google+ page

Google+ now allows organizations to have their own pages. You can add JVNA's Google+ page to your circles. (We're still on Facebook and Twitter; please share our posts with your friends to help spread the word.)

2. Chanukah and Vegetarianism

The 8-day holiday of lights begins December 20. Please see “Chanukah and Vegetarianism” and use the material to help spread the Jewish Vegetarian message through articles, letters to editors, personal conversations and other ways.

3. A Jew Confronts Her First Veg Thanksgiving

"As Jews, meat is not just dinner; it’s our culture. We eat chicken every Shabbat, brisket and turkey on Rosh Hashanah, meat borscht on Passover and my mother’s sweet and sour meatballs appear throughout the year. By abstaining from eating meat, I’m not just passing on a serving of brisket. It’s as if I’m severing a cultural tie." Read More.

4. Rabbi Applies Jewish Values to Thanksgiving Turkey

"On Yom Kippur, I gave a sermon on the holiness of eating that focused on the horrors of factory farmed meat production. For years, I believed that occasional forays into the flesh of chicken or turkey was relatively harmless and certainly nothing like on the same scale as getting bloated on beef." Read More.

5. Printed JVNA Newsletters from the 1990s Available

Israel Mossman, former secretary and treasurer of JVNA and co-editor, along with his wife Eva, of the JVNA newsletter, has several hundred newsletters, 16 pages, all from the 1990s. He is offering 15 newsletters, of mixed dates, for $4.95 -- his first class postage cost. Lots of interesting material in these newsletters. If you are interested in receiving them, please contact Israel at imossman@bluecrab.org.

6. New Book: Jews Can Save the Planet

What is the responsibility of Jews to save our planet? JVNA President Richard Schwartz’s article on why he became a vegetarian appears in Simple Actions for Jews to Help Green the Planet, a new book by Rabbi Dov Peretz Elkins, co-author of Chicken Soup for the Jewish Soul, that draws upon the wisdom of biblical, Talmudic, midrashic and other texts, as well as modern, reliable, scientific research. Read More.

7. Paul McCartney Converts

Paul McCartney, perhaps the world's most famous vegan, is resportedly studying Judaism and has promised to convert. Read More.

8. Fur Free Friday and Judaism

In 1992, the Sephardic Chief Rabbi of Tel Aviv issued a p'sak (rabbinic ruling) against wearing fur. With Fur Free Friday coming up, what does Judaism have to say about fur? Read More.

If you own a business, the IAFC offers anti-fur stickers to post. Read More.

9. Noted Climate Skeptic: "Global Warming is Real"

With animal agriculture among the main drivers of global warming emissions, this news may spread awareness of the importance of taking action, including through vegetarian diets:

A prominent physicist and skeptic of global warming spent two years trying to find out if mainstream climate scientists were wrong. In the end, he determined they were right: Temperatures really are rising rapidly. Read More.

10. Congratulations to Ricki Lake

Congratulations to Jewish vegetarian Ricki Lake who made it to the finals of Dacing with the Stars. Though she didn't win, we wish her luck on her new talk show, and hope that her success will help her compassionate Jewish values to spread.

10/05/2011 JVNA Online Newsletter

2011-10-05T08:01:00.003-04:00

October 5, 2011

1. A Meaningful, Transformative Yom Kippur and a Joyous Sukkot
2. Follow Us Now on Google+
3. Sign Up for our Free Webinar
4. Orthodox Jews against Chickens as Kapparot
5. For Vegan Jews, the High Holidays Pose Some Problems
6. Rosh Hashana and Vegetarian Month Help the Planet
7. Are Humans Herbivores?
8. With Jewish Help, West Hollywood Bans Fur
9. Some Say Cows are Killing the Earth. Do We Need a Meat Ban?
10. Dr. Klaper Video: Healing Ourselves and our Planet
11. Actor James Cromwell Talks Vegetarianism

I Ask Your Forgiveness Before Yom Kippur

Judaism teaches that acts of repentance, prayer, and charity can result in God’s forgiveness for sins between human beings and God, but that one must ask people you offended for forgiveness for acts against them. So, I ask your forgiveness for anything that I may have written or done in the past year that may have offended you. It was certainly not intentional.

I forgive anyone who may have unintentionally offended me during the past year.

In the words of an anonymous source:
“I hereby forgive whoever has hurt me,
Whoever has done ma any wrong,
Whether deliberately or on purpose,
Whether by word or by deed.
May no one be punished on my account.
AS I forgive and pardon fully
Those who have done me wrong,
May those whom I have harmed
Forgive and pardon me
Whether I acted deliberately or by accident,
Whether by word or by deed.
With God’s help, may I not willingly
Repeat the wrongs that I have committed.”

1. A Meaningful, Transformative Yom Kippur and a Joyous Sukkot

Yom Kippur begins at sundown on Friday evening. May all who will be fasting have an easy, meaningful fast and may the holiday be the start of a very positive period for everyone.

Since Sukkot starts just a few days after Yom Kippur, I wish you also a joyous Sukkot.

Please see articles on “Vegetarianism and Yom Kippur” and “Sukkot and Vegetarianism”. Please feel free to share these and my other articles as widely as you wish, and to use them as the basis of letters to editors, calls to talk programs, and talking points in personal conversations.

2. Follow Us Now on Google+

Follow us now on Google+ under JVNA's President Richard Schwartz. Add him to your circles! Of course, we're still on Facebook and Twitter. Be sure to post about us and tell your friends/circles/followers to follow us too.

3. Sign Up for Our Free Webinar

Join JVNA President Richard Schwartz for a special free Webinar, hosted on Food Day by the Union for Reform Judaism!

Jewish Perspectives on Food Justice
October 24, 2011, 3:00pm ET
More Info and Sign Up

4. Orthodox Jews Against Chickens as Kapparot

The Yeshiva World News: With Yom Kippur approaching, the annual debate for and against the minhag of kaporos is underway. This year a newcomer opposing the minhag has appeared on the scene, a chareidi organization. Read More.

The Jewish Week: Some Jews have a medieval custom to sacrifice a chicken before Yom Kippur, “kaporos.” One grabs the chicken’s legs while pinning its wings back and swings it around one’s head. These chickens are packed into crates before this procedure and then usually sent to be slaughtered after. Others are often just left in crates to die. Read More.

The Gothamist: Three demonstrations against protest are planned in New York City. Read More.

5. For Vegan Jews the High Holidays Pose Some Problems

Being a vegan Jew most of the year doesn’t pose to many problems. However, this all changes for the high holidays. Read More.

6. Rosh Hashana and Vegetarian Month Help the Planet

The Miami Herald: Celebrate! You’ve got not one but two opportunities to make everything new and wonderful. Today is Rosh Hashana, the Jewish new year, and Saturday is World Vegetarian Day, the start of Vegetarian Month. Read More.

7. Are Humans Herbivores?

Comparing herbivores and carnivores: The Herbivore Awareness Project

Thanks to author, educator, and JVNA advisor Dan Brook for sending us this information

8. With Jewish Help, West Hollywood Bans Fur

West Hollywood is now the first place to ban fur! Jews helped make it happen. Read more.

A rabbi testified in favor of the ban. In 1992, the Sephardic Chief Rabbi of Tel Aviv issued a psak against fur. For more on Jewish views on fur, see our FAQ.

9. Some say Cows are Killing the Earth. Do We Need a Meat Ban?

Forwarded by Paul Mahoney:

THE QUESTION: When are we going to hear more about the great elephant in the room - animal agriculture? The CSIRO and the University of Sydney have jointly reported that it is responsible for more that 30 per cent of Australia's greenhouse gas emissions. Meaningful action in [reducing emissions] cannot be achieved without a general move towards a plant-based diet. Read more.

10. Dr. Klaper Video: Healing Ourselves and our Planet

One of the outstanding vegan doctors passionately discusses the health and environmental benefits of vegetarianism. Watch video.

11. Actor James Cromwell Talks Vegetarianism

Excellent talk by this famous actor, who starred in the movie Babe, on why he became a vegetarian and why it is urgent that others switch to plant-based diets. Watch video.

Thanks to JVNA advisor Ron Landskroner for this link.

09/21/2011 JVNA Online Newsletter

2011-09-21T20:51:00.003-04:00

September 21, 2011

1. Rosh Hashanah Recipes
2. Relating the High Holy Day and Sukkot to Vegetarianism
3. List of Famous Jewish Vegetarians
4. International Vegetarian Society Appoints First Director
5. NYC Demos Scheduled Against Chickens for Kaporos, and Benefit Dinner
6. Excellent "Why I am Vegan" Video
7. Farmed Animal Prescriptions Urged to Cut Drug Resistance
8. Schnitzel is Bad for the Environment
9. Islam and Animal Rights
10. Article on Vegetarianism in the United Arab Emirates
11. Food Day Oct. 24
12. EVANA Newsletter
13. Update on the World Week for the Abolition of Meat
14. Culinary Tour of Israel

Shana Tova – Happy New Year

On behalf of all the Officers of JVNA, on the occasion of the Jewish New Year Rosh Hashana We wish all of you and your loved ones:

A year of success in all of your endeavors

A year of good health

A year of prosperity

A year of happiness

A year of fulfilling your dreams

A year of optimism and hope

A year when our leaders will lead us to peace

A year of much nachas from your family

A year of environmental sustainability

Shanah Tovah U'metukah, (A good and sweet year)

1. Rosh Hashanah Recipes

VegKitchen provides a lot of great-looking vegetarian recipes for Rosh Hashanah, to start a sweet new year for you and for all creation.

Don't forget that our own website lists lots of Jewish recipes at JewishVeg.com/recipes.

2. Relating the High Holy Days and Sukkot to Vegetarianism

The Jewish Tribune published JVNA President Richard Schwartz's article "Rosh Hashana and Vegetarianism". Please share this and his articles on Yom Kippur and Sukkot, which can be found in the "Jewish Festivals" section at JewishVeg.com/schwartz, with others, including editors of your local Jewish weekly, and feel free to use these articles as a basis of your own articles, letters to editors, calls to talk shows, and talking points with family and friends.

3. JVNA's List of Famous Jewish Vegetarians

From Natalie Portman to Albert Einstein to Spock, we've compiled a list of dozens of famous Jewish vegetarians:

JewishVeg.wikispaces.com/Famous+Jewish+Vegetarians

Also available in Hebrew! Think of any we missed? Let us know!

Thanks to JVNA Vice President Noam Mohr for creating the list.

4. International Vegetarian Society Appoints First Director

Jewish Vegetarian Society Appoints Its First Director
The Society Plans to Increase Membership and Help Make it Easier for People to Become Vegetarian

London – The Jewish Vegetarian Society has appointed a director for the first time in its 47-year history, in order to further promote the benefits of a vegetarian diet. This is a huge step forward for the Society, which now aims to increase its outreach and encourage more people to consider turning away from eating animals.

The Society was founded in the 1960s as a result of a letter from Vivien Pick to the Jewish Chronicle asking if there were other like-minded vegetarians who wanted to meet. Vivien’s father Philip, who became the President of the Society, aimed to spread the word of a kinder society, free of pain and cruelty to other sentient creatures. This fits in well with the tenets of the Torah where we are told “the herbs of the field” have been given to us as food.”

Today many animals spend their whole lives in small enclosures never seeing grass or trees and being denied everything that is natural to them, never even being able to nourish their young. The world also faces a fresh crisis of climate change and many leading environmental organisations report that raising animals for food damages the environment more than anything else we do.

New director, Suzanne Barnard, turned vegetarian at the age of eight. With a passion for vegetarian cooking – from latkas to lasagna and bhajis to borekas - Suzanne has been pro animal causes for many years. She comes to the society fresh from working at the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals Foundation.

"More and more people are choosing a vegetarian diet", says Suzanne, "In addition to being kinder to animals and better for the environment, plant-based food has a positive effect on our health and vegetarians are less likely to develop heart disease or diabetes and are less likely to be obese.”

To join the Jewish Vegetarian Society, and through this help world ecology, or for recipes, information and tips for going veggie, please call 020 8455 0692.

5. NYC Demos Scheduled Against Chickens for Kaporos, and Benefit Dinner

For details on demos Oct. 4-6 click here

For info on the benefit dinner Oct. 3, click here.

6. Excellent "Why I am Vegan" Video

This is really worth watching. Please spread the link to others. Thanks. Watch the video.

7. Farmed Animal Prescriptions Urged to Cut Drug Resistance

Did you know 70% of antibiotics in the US are fed to farmed animals? American farmers would be forced to get prescriptions for livestock antibiotics, under a plan developed in Denmark and promoted by infectious disease doctors as a way to stem a rising tide of drug-resistant infections. Read article

For more info on Jewish views on preserving health, visit here.

8. Schnitzel is bad for the Environment

If you want to protect the environment, you should first of all think about eating less meat. A study done at the Vienna University of Technology (TU Vienna) unveils the remarkable ecological advantages of a well-balanced diet. Switching to organic food is less effective than eating more veg. Read more.

9. Islam and Animal Rights

Islam and Animal Rights, by Maneka Gandhi.

Thanks to Rabbi David Rosen, International Director of Interreligious Affairs, American Jewish Committee, former Chief Rabbi of Ireland, and JVNA advisor for sending us this link.

10. Article on Vegetarians in the United Arab Emirates

Nice coverage in the national newspaper of the UAE:

The Middle East continues to overindulge in a predominantly carnivorous diet - but the UAE is pointing its residents to a new veggie direction. Read more.

11. Food Day Scheduled for October 24th

Forwarded message from Food day leaders:

Get ready for Food Day! On October 24th — and on the days and weeks before and after — thousands of Americans will gather at schools, college campuses, farmers markets, City Halls, and state capitals to talk about what's right and wrong with our diets and whole food system and how to fix them.

Food Day is sponsored by the Center for Science in the Public Interest, the nonprofit watchdog group that has led successful fights for food labeling, better nutrition, and safer food since 1971.

How can you participate? Spread the word about a healthy, compassionate vegan diet in honor of Food Day! Request our postcard-sized handouts offering Meatout Mondays and distribute them to friends, family, or at an event taking place in your area.

Request Meatout Mondays handouts for distribution on Food Day here.

Thanks to JVNA advisor Ron Landskroner for forwarding this information to us.

12. European Vegetarian and Animal News Alliance (EVANA) Newsletter/August 2011

Forwarded message from EVANA:

In this edition you can read about
1. Vegetarianism - the compassionate step into a better future
2. It's time to slaughter slaughter!
3. News from Euroland
4. Spot on Animals
5. Public Consultations – Contests
6. Books, Videos, Films
7. EVANA August Hits
---------------------------------------------

1.Vegetarianism - the compassionate step into a better future -- An August platter of the latest veg* news:
http://www.evana.org/index.php?id=67137

2. It's time to slaughter slaughter!
http://www.evana.org/index.php?id=67135

3. News from Euroland
http://www.evana.org/index.php?id=67130

4. Spot on Animals - Here are some of the latest news about animals
http://www.evana.org/index.php?id=67134

5. Public Consultations - Contests

-Consultation UK: Transposition of European directive 2010/63/EU - protection of animals used for scientific purposes -- Deadline 5 September 2011.
http://www.evana.org/index.php?id=67039

-EFSA launches public consultation on draft guidance for the risk assessment of food and feed derived from GM animals and related animal health and welfare aspects -- All stakeholders and interested parties are invited to provide their comments through an online public consultation that runs until 30 September…
http://www.evana.org/index.php?id=66797

-EFSA Public consultation on the draft guidance on the environmental risk assessment of plant pests -- Deadline: 9 October 2011
http://www.evana.org/index.php?id=67132

-FAO: New online consultation on food security and nutrition launched. – Deadline 15 October 2011
http://www.evana.org/index.php?id=66416

-International Vegetarian Week contest: another opportunity to have a say – and win prizes… Deadline 10 September 2011
http://www.evana.org/index.php?id=66818

6. Books, Films

BOOKS
-Ruby Roth: That's Why We Don't Eat Animals http://www.evana.org/index.php?id=66882
-Jennifer Holland: 'Unlikely Friendships' http://www.evana.org/index.php?id=67052
-Nicklin/Kostyal: "Among Giants: A Life with Whales" http://www.evana.org/index.php?id=66996
-Lisa Kemmerer: In Search of Consistency: Ethics And Animals http://www.evana.org/index.php?id=66768
-Will Potter: Green is the New Red: An Insider's Account of a Social Movement Under Siege
- http://www.evana.org/index.php?id=66569

FILMS
-Rise of the Planet of the Apes
http://www.evana.org/index.php?id=66655
-India/Documentary: 'The Truth about Tigers' http://www.evana.org/index.php?id=66772

7. EVANA August Hits
-Most popular article: Results of a new study in The Netherlands: 'Meat-eaters are selfish ' - 'Eating meat brings out the worst in people'/Study NL http://www.evana.org/index.php?id=66967

-Favoured August Recipe: French Onion Soup http://www.evana.org/index.php?id=67047

And finally: There is now a “Via dei Vegetariani” in Gorizia/Italy. What a lovely example to follow… http://www.evana.org/index.php?id=67126
Please let us know if there is also a ‘Vegetarian Street’ in your area.

Best wishes
Your International EVANA Team
www.evana.org
Also on Facebook

13. Update on the World Week for the Abolition of Meat

As you know, the past World Weeks for the Abolition of Meat were very successful throughout the world. The next WWAM will take place between 23 September and 30 September 2011.

The aim is to promote again and again the idea that the production and consumption of animal flesh must be abolished. 

We will take action as long as the demand remains necessary. Our societies have to pronounce on the unjustifiable character of meat consumption from an ethical viewpoint: it involves sacrificing the basic interests of innumerable sentient beings whereas eating meat is unnecessary.

The refusal to eat meat can be seen as a political boycott and as the expression of one’s support for the demand for abolition similar to the campaign for the abolition of slavery in Britain at the end the 18th century where 300,000 people boycotted the sugar produced from slave plantations. The movement for the abolition of meat is a political act: its aim is to get the public to adhere to the idea that meat should be banned. Its objective is that human societies, one after another, decide to ban the production, sale, and consumption of meat. The idea is to claim loud and clear that it is not only the duty of each individual to stop supporting the murderous exploitation required by the consumption of animal flesh and "by-products", but that it is also, therefore, the duty of societies as a whole to declare themselves for the banning of farming, fishing and hunting.

This form is at your disposal: please publish announcements as soon as possible (even if dates and events are still tentative).

You can find material here.

For widespread visibility, it is also up to us to:
- post this call, circulate it widely and publish it on the indymedia (please let us know about your publications at contact (at)meat-abolition.org); - contact the media about the demand for the abolition of meat and about the events that will be organized around it; - print and distribute leaflets, brochures and/or posters that are available on the "resources" page; If it is not yet published, please send in your logo (maximum 150 pixels for length and width) so that it can be posted on the "groups" page.;  All the best with your events!

Contact: contact(at)meat-abolition.org
WWAM organization: http://meat-abolition.org

14. Culinary Tour of Israel

Forwarded by Tova Saul:

Taste the Sustainable Flavors of Israel

09/08/2011 JVNA Online Newsletter

2011-09-08T14:04:00.015-04:00

September 8, 2011

The JVNA Newsletter is experimenting with a new look. Your feedback is welcome!

1. JVNA Now on Twitter and Facebook

2. Relating Vegetarianism to the High Holy Days

3. JVNA's Geographical List of Veg Rabbis

4. Seeking a Volunteer to Create a Trailer for “A Sacred Duty: Applying Jewish Values to Help Heal the World”

5. Petition (and Ads) to use Money, not Chickens, for Kaporos

6. Orthodox Environmental Group “Canfei Nesharim” Seeking Support

7. CNN Broadcasts Special Program on Making Yourself Heart Attack Proof

8. Al Gore: Eat Less Meat to Fight Warming

9. How Many Animals Per Year Does Bill Clinton Save by Becoming a Vegan?

10. World Vegetarian Week Plans Going Forward

11. “Republicans for Environmental Protection” Director Interviewed/Criticizes Politicians Who are in Denial re Climate Change

12. Processed Meats Declared Too Dangerous for Human Consumption

13. Facts About Vitamin B12 and Vegetarians From Dr. Michael Klaper

14. My Letter on “Judaism and Vegetarianism” in the August 24 Jewish Press

1. JVNA Now on Twitter and Facebook

We have just launched JVNA's presence on Twitter and Facebook. Click "Follow" at twitter.com/JewishVeg or click "Like" at facebook.com/JewishVeg.

And please encourage others to also "like" us! Thanks for your help!

Special thanks to JVNA Vice President Noam Mohr for getting JVNA onto Twitter and Facebook. Using Noam's expertise, we are starting to use the newest technologies to more effectively spread basic Jewish vegetarian messages. Many thanks.

2. Relating Vegetarianism to the High Holy Days

With Rosh Hashanah and the other fall holidays approaching, I am planning to send my articles relating Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, and Sukkot to vegetarianism. Please take a look at these articles in the holiday’s section at JewishVeg.com/holidays.html, and please let me know if you have suggestions for improvements. Also, please consider using these articles to compose your own articles, letters to editors, and talking points.

3. JVNA's Geographical List of Veg Rabbis

JVNA's VP Noam Mohr has added a geographical map to our list of veg (and veg-friendly) rabbis. If you know any other rabbis who would be ok with being listed, please add them to the list or send information about the rabbi to us at mail@JewishVeg.com.

4. Seeking a Volunteer to Create a Trailer for “A Sacred Duty: Applying Jewish Values to Help Heal the World”

Such a trailer would be very helpful in getting more people to see our acclaimed documentary. VegTV has indicated that they would show such a trailer.

If you have the skills and willingness to do this, please let me now.

The producer, Lionel Friedberg, is busy, but he and I would help anyone who volunteers to do this.

5. Petition (and Ads) to Use Money, not Chickens, for Kaporos

Sign the petition Alliance to End Chickens as Kaporos at http://www.change.org/petitions/urge-kaporos-practitioners-to-use-money-instead-of-chickens

You can let others know with these online ads:
http://endchickensaskaporos.com/ecak_animated.gif
http://endchickensaskaporos.com/ecak_animated_728X90.gif

6. Orthodox Environmental Group “Canfei Nesharim” Seeking Support

Forwarded message from Canfei Nesharim Director Evonne Marzouk:

Dear friends,
Today is Rosh Chodesh Elul, the beginning of our time of repentance and return in anticipation of Rosh Hashanah. (Rosh Hashanah begins the evening of September 28.)

In the last months, many of us have experienced financial and environmental turbulence on a larger scale than we've ever seen in our lifetimes. Relatively speaking, we got off easy. We may be tempted to go back to our routines without reflecting on what we've just experienced.

Yet war, destruction and starvation - in many cases related directly to environmental crises - are intensifying worldwide. Scientists warn us that more intense and frequent storms, along with civil unrest related to scarce resources, are likely if we continue down our current path. Our society is living unsustainably. We must change our actions, and also - perhaps more importantly - our way of looking at the world.

I first learned about Rosh Hashanah as a young child in Hebrew School. I remember being so inspired by the opportunity for personal growth presented by the holiday. What lessons from the past year will we take with us into the coming year? What patterns will we end? What sins will we commit to never repeat?

We also can apply this principle of learning from our mistakes and trying to do better to how we interact with the world around us. In this moment of environmental and societal turbulence, what lessons will we learn? What will we do differently?

Many environmental organizations focus on addressing specific environmental issues, but Canfei Nesharim looks deeper. We recognize that environmental change must be cultural and values-based. Our Jewish tradition offers ancient wisdom to help us think differently about the challenges we are facing.

With leadership trainings, social media tools, and Jewish wisdom, Canfei Nesharim is empowering Jewish leaders for long-term, community-based environmental change. We are currently working with more than 300 change agents in ten countries who have used our materials to educate their Jewish communities to protect the environment. This year, we will expand our internet-based tools, leadership trainings, and Torah teachings to reach an even broader audience of leaders.   Canfei Nesharim operates on a budget that is less than a tenth of some Jewish environmental organizations. We get our work done through the dedication of our staff and volunteers, and the generous donations of our supporters. This Rosh Hashanah, we need your help to keep the work going. Can you help with an Elul donation of $100?

As you prepare for Rosh Hashanah, you may be interested in the following resources on Canfei Nesharim's website:
Rosh Hashana, Personal Change, and the Future of the Planet by Rabbi Yonatan Neril
Our Gift for Earth's Birthday by Rachel Teitz
Optimism in a Time of Teshuva by Candace Nachman
Wishing you a happy, healthy, sustainable and sweet new year.

Sincerely,

Evonne Marzouk
Executive Director

Connecting traditional Torah texts with contemporary scientific findings, Canfei Nesharim educates and empowers Jewish individuals, organizations and communities to take an active role in protecting the environment, in order to build a more sustainable world.

Note: All materials published herein are Copyright 2011 by their authors. Reproduction of this material is encouraged so long as the footer and header information remains intact.

7. CNN Broadcasts Special Program on Making Yourself heart Attack Proof

Forwarded message from VegSource:

Dear VegSource readers,

If you haven't yet watched the Sanjay Gupta CNN Special entitled "The Last Heart Attack," you owe it to yourself to watch.
And to share it with everyone you know.
Why?
Because it's so good and so subtle and effective, it's almost subversive.
The show essentially follows two people, both of whom discover they have serious heart disease. The first one, a 53-year-old man, takes the standard route, bypass surgery and drugs. The second one, a 64-year-old woman, refuses all that, and decides to "gamble with her life" by trying Dr. Esselstyn's heart disease-reversing diet instead.

One year later, the man who had bypass surgery is still suffering, feels terrible, can't exercise much, and has to go back for more drugs and medical procedures. On camera he wonders if he'll ever get some semblance of his life back.

The woman who skipped the medical interventions, on the other hand, and decided to go vegan instead: one year later she has lost a couple dozen pounds, feels great, and is out in her backyard jumping rope like Mike Tyson in training (also a vegan), living life with a new zest and energy she had long forgotten.
Gupta asks her: "Do you think this diet will make you live longer then?" She responds, "I hope so, but even if it doesn't, it is allowing me to live a much higher quality of life."
Gupta gives time for the meat, dairy and egg marketers to weigh in on the healthfulness of their products. Epic fail. They look defensive and foolish.

The stars of the show are Bill Clinton and Dr. Esselstyn.
Asked by Gupta whether he now considers himself vegan, Clinton responds, "Well I guess I am because I don't eat any animal products." The man does not shy away from the label. He just broke the vegan sound barrier.
Watch the Special online right now, and send it to your friends and enemies alike!
http://bit.ly/qmYxMQ

Do you follow VegSource on Facebook?
We put up many new items just about every day on the VegSource Facebook page. If you're a Facebooker, consider "Liking" our page -- we will keep you posted daily on things you'll want to know!

Go to:
http://www.facebook.com/vegsource
and hit LIKE!
Peas & Love, 
Jeff & Sabrina

8. Al Gore: Eat Less Meat to Fight Warming

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0811/62160.html

Thanks to author, educator, and JVNA advisor Dan Book

9. How Many Animals Per Year Does Bill Clinton Save by Becoming a Vegan?

Politifact fact-checks the calculation done by JVNA's Vice President Noam Mohr and used by PETA, and says about 200 animals is accurate, provided sea animals are included.
http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/article/2011/aug/31/Clinton-vegan-200-animals/

For the breakdown of animals, see AnimalDeathCount.blogspot.com.

10. World Vegetarian Week Plans

Forward message:

Dear Veg activist,

There are still a few days left to submit contributions for the World Vegetarian week contest.

Submit your works (essays, slogans, videos, whatever) before 10 September and win prizes, while contributing for the Vegetarian Week. See the details and submit in the Vegetarian Week website:
http://www.vegetarianweek.org

There are 4 weeks left for the Vegetarian Week. What are you planning for the event? See what others are doing and inform us of your plans. A non-comprehensive list of known activities is being maintained here:
http://www.vegetarianweek.org/Article-39-Activities%2B2011.html

A new leaflet is now available, and you can freely translate and adapt it to your needs. This leaflet focuses primarily the environmental reasons to shift to a plant-based diet. It is available in the Vegetarian Week Resources:
http://www.vegetarianweek.org/Article-37-Posters%2Band%2Bflyers.html

Meanwhile, Animal Friends Croatia and Happy Cow have joined the ever-growing list of organizations actively promoting the Vegetarian Week worldwide.
See the complete list of organizations here:
http://www.vegetarianweek.org/Page-56-Who.html

11. “Republicans for Environmental Protection” Director Interviewed/Criticizes Politicians Who are in Denial re Climate Change

Here is the link to the Stony Brook radio interview:
http://ia600705.us.archive.org/12/items/RobSisson/RobSisson.mp3

Here is a link to a story containing Jon Huntsman's "tweet heard round the world" re climate change.
http://www.christianpost.com/news/huntsman-crazy-for-pro-evolution-global-warming-tweet-54201/

REP is endorsing Huntsman because he is the only Republican candidate who is taking climate change seriously.

12. Processed Meats Declared Too Dangerous for Human Consumption

http://www.totalhealthbreakthroughs.com/2007/12/processed-meats-declared-too-dangerous-for-human-consumption/

Thanks to author and JVNA advisor Arthur Poletti for sending the link t this article to us.

13. Facts About Vitamin B12 and Vegetarians From Dr. Michael Klaper

For vegans challenged by the B-12 issue:

B-12 is essential for health of the blood and nervous system.

Although it is classically found in animal products, animals DO NOT MAKE B-12! It is made ONLY by microorganisms in the soil and water.
Cows and other organisms have B-12 in their muscles and flesh because they are eating grass all day with B-12 -producing organisms in the soil particles clinging to the plant roots. The MICROBIAL-PRODUCED B-12 is absorbed and deposited in the cows' muscles - but the cow did not make it. It is BACTERIAL B-12 in the cow's flesh.

When humans, vegan or not, were living Earth-connected lives, up until the beginning of the 20th century, there was B-12 flowing through our system from NON-ANIMAL sources:

When we were thirsty, we would lie down next to a stream and drink our fill of water - consuming B-12-producing organisms in the stream water as we drank.
Later, when town wells were dug, there was B-12 in every bucket of well water.
When we pulled a carrot from the ground and ate it without washing it in our present-day, chlorinated drinking water, we would get B-12 off the surface of the root vegetables.

With the above sources, even a vegan would likely meet all their B-12 needs without consuming flesh or milk. Thus, animal flesh was not - and is not - necessary to provide B-12 for human nutritional needs...and it ALL, ultimately, comes from microbes, not animal flesh.

Alas, the traditional sources of vegan B-12 have been obliterated by our modern, sanitized lifestyles:

We no longer drink water from streams or wells - all our water is chlorinated, which kills the B-12 producing organisms. (I am NOT against chlorination of the public water supply. I do not want to treat cases of cholera or typhoid fever, but chlorination has eliminated our traditional water-borne sources of B-12)

Root vegetables are now scrubbed and washed with chlorinated water.

So, the traditional vegan B-12 sources have been eliminated, leaving the modern-day vegan to rely upon microbe-produced B-12 supplements to meet their needs - but it is an artifact of modern sanitation, not proof that humans need to eat animal flesh (which is NOT a true source of B-12, anyway, as stated above.)

I hope this clarifies the issue.

Please write if further clarification is necessary.

All the best,
Michael Klaper, M.D.

14. My Letter on “Judaism and Vegetarianism” in the August 24 Jewish Press

Torah And Vegetarianism
As president of Jewish Vegetarians of North America (JVNA) and author of the book Judaism and Vegetarianism, I read Raphael Grunfeld's two-part article "What the Shochet Must Know" (August 5 and 12) with interest. While JVNA opposes all slaughter of animals for food, we defend shechita when it is singled out for criticism. But while shechita [ideally, I should have written] minimizes pain for animals at the slaughterhouse, can we ignore the very cruel treatment of animals at factory farms, and the other negative effects of animal-based diets?

Here is the basic case for Jews to be vegetarians:

While Judaism mandates that people should be very careful about preserving their health and their lives, numerous scientific studies have linked animal-based diets directly to heart disease, stroke, many forms of cancer, and other chronic degenerative diseases.

While Judaism forbids tsa'ar ba'alei chaim, inflicting unnecessary pain on animals, most animals meant for consumption are raised on "factory farms" where they live in cramped, confined spaces and are often drugged, mutilated, and denied fresh air, sunlight, exercise, and any enjoyment of life before they are slaughtered and eaten.

While Judaism teaches that "the earth is the Lord's" (Psalm 24:1) and that we are to be God's partners and co-workers in preserving the world, modern intensive livestock agriculture contributes substantially to soil erosion and depletion, air and water pollution, overuse of chemical fertilizers and pesticides, the destruction of tropical rain forests and other habitats, global warming, and other environmental damage.

While Judaism mandates that we are not to waste or unnecessarily destroy anything of value, and that we are not to use more than is needed to accomplish a purpose, animal agriculture requires the wasteful use of grain, land, water, energy, and other resources.

While Judaism stresses that we are to assist the poor and share our bread with hungry people, over 70 percent of the grain grown in the United States is fed to animals destined for slaughter, while an estimated 20 million people worldwide die because of hunger and its effects each year.

While Judaism stresses that we must seek and pursue peace and that violence results from unjust conditions, animal-centered diets, by wasting valuable resources, help to perpetuate the widespread hunger and poverty that eventually lead to instability and war.

In view of these important Jewish mandates to preserve human health, attend to the welfare of animals, protect the environment, conserve resources, help feed hungry people, and pursue peace - and since animal-centered diets violate and contradict each of these responsibilities - committed Jews (and others) should sharply reduce or eliminate their consumption of animal products.

Richard H. Schwartz, Ph.D.
Staten Island, NY

08/15/2011 JVNA Online Newsletter

2011-08-30T00:11:00.080-04:00

Shalom everyone,

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

1. Time to Renew “Major Campaign to Change Jews Diets?”

2. Holy Land Declaration on Climate Change Endorsed by Multi-Religious Group

3. Article Relates Religious Values to Climate Change

4. Ten Basic Teachings on Judaism and the Environment

5. Conditions for Kosher Chickens at Empire/JTA Article/Two Responses

6. Many Climate Change-Related Events Scheduled for September 24, 2011

7. JVNA Advisor Aaron Gross Featured in Article About His Vegetarian Activism/My Letter in Response

8. Many Articles and Discussions re Vegetarianism and Related issues from Chabad (Lubavitch Hasidic Jews

9. Analysis of Recent Extreme Weather and Projections

10. World Farm Day Scheduled for October 2, 2011/Pay
Per View Program Announced

11. “Talk to Your Doctor About Eating Meat"/Parody of a Pharmaceutical Ad

12. MIT Study Projects Heavier Rain Due To Warmer World

13. Update From “Responsible Policies for Animals” (RPA)

14. Doctors take Aim at Antibiotic Resistance From Its Use on Factory Farms

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.]

As always, your comments and suggestions are very welcome.

Thanks,

Richard

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1. Time to Renew “Major Campaign to Change Jews Diets?”

Suggestions for renewing the campaign described below are very welcome. Thanks.

http://jewishveg.com/schwartz/campaign-change.html

MAJOR CAMPAIGN TO CHANGE JEWS' DIETS

In 1998, the Jewish Vegetarians of North America launched a major campaign involving sending a special issue of their [printed] newsletter to 3,650 North American Congregational rabbis.

Below is (1) an introduction to the special issue, (2) a press release about the campaign, followed by (3) the letter and its many signers.

We received some good media coverage, but very few responses from rabbis. Hence, the need to seek better approaches.

Comments and suggestions re the material below would be most welcome.

-----------------------------------

RABBIS' SPECIAL EDITION (INTRODUCTION)
Welcome to this special edition of the Jewish Vegetarian Newsletter, which is being sent to 3,500 rabbis throughout the United States! It contains a letter to the rabbis; an article that discusses "What Diet Does God Prefer for Humans?"; and 5 fact sheets that suggest contradictions between basic Jewish values and the realities of the production and consumption of meat in the areas of: health, treatment of animals, ecology, use of resources, and hunger.

Why this special issue at this time? It has been said that nothing is as irresistible as an idea whose time has come.

We believe that the time has come to consider the many moral issues related to our diets. Can we continue to ignore the epidemic of degenerative diseases directly connected to animal-based diets that is afflicting the Jewish community and others? Can we continue to ignore the incredibly cruel ways in which animals are raised on factory farms today? In the face of increasing evidence of environmental threats such as global warming and the destruction of tropical rain forests and other habitats, dangers to resources such as water, air, energy, and soil, and massive global hunger, can we ignore the major impacts that modern intensive livestock agriculture has in each of these areas? Can we turn away from the millions of people who are starving at the same time that increased meat production wastes land and other resources that could be used to feed the hungry?

We know and appreciate how dedicated the rabbis receiving this newsletter are to helping Jews practice our religion. We believe that it has now become an imperative for Jews to be aware of the facts provided in this newsletter, and to use this information in considering the possibility of reducing or eliminating their consumption of meat and other animal products.

To members of the Jewish Vegetarians of North America and others receiving this newsletter, we urge you to help us by contacting your local rabbis and other influential Jewish leaders and urging them to help start a respectful dialog on the connections between Jewish teachings and dietary realities, and by informing your local media contacts about our campaign to put these issues on the Jewish agenda.

Comments and suggestions on material in this newsletter are very welcome. Thank you and a happy and blessed new year to everyone.

The Jewish Vegetarians of North America

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

NEWS RELEASE

CONTACT: Professor Richard Schwartz

------------------------------------------------------------------

BROAD JEWISH COALITION LAUNCHES MAJOR CAMPAIGN TO CHANGE JEWS' DIETS
New York City, September 2 - A wide-ranging coalition of Jewish medical, spiritual, and activist leaders - including rabbis from all branches of Judaism - is urging all congregational rabbis in the United States and Canada to share with their congregants the ways in which the medical, environmental, and moral realities of high meat diets are incompatible with at least five basic Jewish mandates.

The coalition, under the leadership of the Jewish Vegetarians of North America (JVNA; 6938 Reliance Road, Federalsburg, MD 21632), is sending a special issue of the Jewish Vegetarian Newsletter to 3,650 North American rabbis in early September. The Newsletter, which contains a letter to the rabbis seeking their support and involvement, inaugurates a major campaign to put issues related to diet on the Jewish agenda. Among the next steps are: radio and television appearances; articles and letters in Jewish publications; an Internet course on "Judaism and Vegetarianism"; booths at community events and fairs; an annual "Vegetarian Shabbat", scheduled for Parshat B'ha'alot'cha (when the Torah tells of the deaths of many Israelites after consuming quail flesh); and mailings sent to rabbis throughout the year connecting vegetarianism to the Jewish holidays.

SNIP [For the rest of the press release, the letter sent to the rabbis and the complete list of signers, please visit http://jewishveg.com/schwartz/campaign-change.html

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2. Holy Land Declaration on Climate Change Endorsed by Multi-Religious Group

July 5, 2011

Council of Religious Institutions of the Holy Land (CRIHL) endorses Holy Land Declaration on Climate Change

Press Release

JERUSALEM – The Council of Religious Institutions of the Holy Land is pleased to announce its endorsement of the Holy Land Declaration on Climate Change, which was submitted to the CRIHL by the Interfaith Center for Sustainable Development.

To read the Holy Land Declaration on Climate Change, visit:

http://www.crihl.org/content/5-jul-2011-crihl-endorses-holy-land-declaration-climate-change

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3. Article Relates Religious Values to Climate Change

July 13, 2011

Ethical Responsibility And Climate Change: We're All In The Same Boat

By Rabbi Lawrence Troster

Huffington Post

For more than 20 years I've been an educator and an activist in the religious environment movement -- both Jewish and interfaith. In a typical Q&A after a presentation, I'm often asked why I am motivated as a rabbi to speak out on the environment. I've reflected on this question for many years and have been able to trace my path to religious environmentalism to my earliest spiritual encounters in the natural world and through my theological and intellectual development that began while I was in rabbinical school.

For full story, visit:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rabbi-lawrence-troster/climate-change-ethical-responsibility_b_893394.html

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4. Ten Basic Teachings on Judaism and the Environment

10 Teachings on Judaism and the Environment

By Rabbi Lawrence Troster

Huffington Post

1. God created the universe.

2. God's Creation is good.

3. Human beings are created in the image of God.

4. Humanity should view their place in Creation with love and awe.

5. The Sabbath and prayer help us to achieve this state of mind.

6. The Torah prohibits the wasteful consumption of anything.

7. The Torah gives an obligation to save human life.

8. The Torah prohibits the extinction of species and causing undo pain to non-human creatures.

9. Environmental Justice is a Jewish value.

10. Tikkun Olam: The perfection/fixing of the world is in our hands.

For full story, visit:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rabbi-lawrence-troster/10-teachings-on-judaism-a_b_844973.html

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5. Conditions for Kosher Chickens at Empire/JTA Article/Two Responses

Here is the JTA (Jewish Telegraphic Agency)

http://www.jta.org/news/article/2011/08/04/3088849/inside-empires-slaughterhouse-the-life-of-a-kosher-chicken

Inside Empire’s slaughterhouse: The life of a kosher chicken

----------------------

Response from Lionel Friedberg, producer of “A Sacred Duty”:

When we first screened 'A Sacred Duty' to a test audience in Staten Island, several of the people who watched the movie branded it as "Propaganda." Propaganda? Yes, propaganda. Richard and I were accused of making a propaganda film for the vegetarian movement. We were accused of showing

"horrors that are impossible to watch." Is that propaganda? I couldn't help thinking about that incident as I read this piece about the Empire kosher plant, and I certainly thought of it as I watched the video that accompanies the article. The mere fact that the friendly narrator tells us that after the chickens are sent to the kosher plant something happens that could not be shown in the video. No, of course not. Prior to that and after that we're treated to scenes of happy chickens and clean slices of meat. But to show the actual killing was not appropriate. I wonder why.

An article like this that depicts the production of kosher meat as a happy, healthy and totally acceptable affair hides the real truth -- the truth of the brutal process by which the birds are converted from living, feeling, sentient beings into plastic-wrapped slices of dead flesh for human consumption.

To celebrate Judaism by depicting the assembly-line process by which animals are miraculously and happily turned into food for the Shabbat table without depicting the brutal cruelty and suffering that goes along with that process makes a mockery of the real meaning of our faith.

I am appalled, for this is propaganda of the worst and most twisted kind.

-----------------

Letter sent to JTA from Karen Davis, director of United Poultry Concerns:

August 12, 2011

Letters Editor

JTA

Re: “Inside Empire’s slaughterhouse: The life of a kosher chicken” by Uriel Heilman, Aug. 4, 2011

Dear Editor:

This article omits crucial information about the chickens at Empire Kosher Poultry. Cutting the throat of a chicken, however deftly, does not lead to instant “lifelessness” as implied. I’ve watched chickens being slaughtered by kosher butchers and backyard farmers. The pain is evident and the death isn't "swift." The birds thrash violently and they cry out. Stuffing birds into killing cones (“funnels”) immobilizes them cruelly and disguises their suffering.

No one ever asks to be “euthanized” by having his or her throat cut for good reason. The entire neck area, including the skin and trachea, is filled with sensitive pain receptors, in birds as well as in mammals including humans. We may lull ourselves with rhetorical transformations of animal suffering into talk about how it’s all “just reflex,” but the facts are otherwise, and ancient ritual doesn’t change these facts.

This article does not provide insight into the life and death of chickens and turkeys at Empire Kosher Poultry. Comparing chickens sliding to their death on steel conveyers with children riding joyfully down sliding-boards captures the desensitized spirit of this slaughterhouse.

Thank you for your attention.

Sincerely,

Karen Davis, PhD, President

United Poultry Concerns

12325 Seaside Road, PO Box 150

Machipongo, VA 23405

United Poultry Concerns is a nonprofit organization that promotes the compassionate and respectful treatment of domestic fowl. www.upc-online.org.

Poultry Slaughter: www.upc-online.org/slaughter/.

Alliance to End Chickens as Kaporos: www.EndChickensAsKaporos.com.

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6. Many Climate Change-Related Events Scheduled for September 24, 2011

This is a Shabbat, so perhaps many synagogues will schedule talks, discussions, debates, nature walks, and other events consistent with Shabbat.

http://act.350.org/signup/moving_planet/?akid=1188.126734.INqjz4&rd=1&t=2

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7. JVNA Advisor Aaron Gross Featured in Article About His Vegetarian Activism/My Letter in Response

http://www.jweekly.com/article/full/62569/hazon-speaker-trying-to-push-kosher-to-the-next-level/

Please post a comment

After I posted a comment, the publication asked me to edit it into a 200-word letter. Here is what I submitted:

As president of Jewish Vegetarians of North America and author of the book “Judaism and Vegetarianism,” I was very pleased to see your article, “Hazon speaker trying to push ‘kosher’ to the next level,” which discussed Aaron Gross’s efforts to promote plant-centered diets.

I wish him much success in spreading his important message because (1) the production and consumption of meat and other animal products contradict basic Jewish mandates to preserve human health, treat animals with compassion, protect the environment, conserve natural resources and help hungry people, and (2) animal -based diets and agriculture are causing an epidemic of diseases in the Jewish and other communities and contributing significantly to climate change, deforestation, desertification, soil erosion, loss of biodiversity, water shortages, and other environmental problems that threaten all of humanity.

I believe it is essential that the Jewish community address these issues to show the relevance of eternal Jewish teachings to current issues and to help shift our imperiled planet to a sustainable path.

More information about Jewish teachings related to vegetarianism can be found at JewishVeg.com/Schwartz and in our acclaimed documentary “A Sacred Duty: Applying Jewish Values to Help Heal the World,” which can be seen at aSacredDuty.com.

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8. Many Articles and Discussions re Vegetarianism and Related issues from Chabad (Lubavitch Hasidic Jews

http://www.chabad.org/k1656

Please review some of these articles and post responses after them. Thanks.

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9. Analysis of Recent Extreme Weather and Projections

The Progress Report

Our Climate Of Extremes

Aug 12, 2011 By < >Brad Johnson

In a speech this month at the Aspen Institute, Vice President Al Gore passionately excoriated the anti-science propaganda of the climate pollution industry. He denounced the decades-long effort by top carbon dioxide polluters to pollute the public’s knowledge of the growing threat of climate change. “There’s no longer a shared reality on an issue like climate even though the very existence of our civilization is threatened,” Gore concluded, after rejecting the denier memes as “the same crap over and over and over again.” As the planet’s climate grows increasingly disastrous, the world’s polluters are digging in. Top multi-national corporations, from Johnson & Johnson to Walmart, fund the American Legislative Exchange Council, a lobbying front group that touts the “benefits of carbon dioxide.” The Republican candidates for president are either long-time deniers of climate science — like Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN) and former Sen. Rick Santorum (R-PA) — or have cast aside their previous support for carbon cap-and-trade systems, like former Gov. Mitt Romney (R-MA), former House Speaker Newt Gingrich (R), former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman (R), and Tim Pawlenty.

EXTREME CLIMATE DISASTERS: With fossil pollution superheating the world’s atmosphere, it has been one of the most extreme years to date for climate in the United States in recorded history, and it was previewed by the extreme weather in 2010 that had the most FEMA disaster declarations ever . After the winter’s blizzards and the spring’s floods, it was the hottest July on record in Oklahoma and in communities throughout the United States. July was so hot “that just by plotting the location of each daily heat record that was broken, a nearly complete image of the contiguous United States is visible,” reports NOAA. “Almost 9,000 daily records were broken or tied last month.” And the National Resources Defense Council reported more than 2,000 “code orange” air quality alerts, or times when it is dangerous for children, older adults, or people with breathing problems to be outside, in the first seven months of the year. In fact, every state in the union saw record high temperatures in July. Texas is now in its worst-ever one-year drought. “Corn, soybean and spring-wheat harvests in the U.S., the world’s largest exporter, will be smaller than the government forecast last month after a damaging heat wave.” “Arctic sea ice is thinning, on average, four times faster than the models say, and it’s drifting twice as quickly.” The global oceans continue to store ever more heat. “The Arctic is all but certain to be virtually ice free within two decades,” Center for American Progress senior fellow Joe Romm writes.

EXTREME CLIMATE DENIERS: How did the right wing respond to the record-shattering climate disasters? “Record-breaking Heat Wave Was a Myth,” blared FoxNews.com. “Global Warming Theory Faces Sudden Collapse.” Fox News also attacked SpongeBob SquarePants for “pushing a global warming agenda,” and hosted denier law of thermodynamics” and “La Chatelier’s principle” to argue that the greenhouse effect isn’t physically possible. Texas and Oklahoma are the states hit hardest by climate disasters this year. The oil-rich states are also dominated by politicians who deny the existence of global warming, and who rail against science-based policy to deal with our extreme climate. Governors Rick Perry (R-TX) and Mary Fallin (R-OK) have both issued calls for prayer as the official policy response to their historic heat wave and drought. But still the drought got worse. In a USA Today op-ed this week, Rep. Mac Thornberry (R-TX) reflected upon the “devastating” and “historic” Texas drought. He said that policy makers should ignore “flawed” climate science, then joined Perry and Fallin: “A prayer for rain, however, would be appreciated.”

EXTREME CLIMATE FUTURE: “If no mitigating actions are taken, significant disruptions in the Earth’s physical and ecological systems, social systems, security and human health are likely to occur,” the American Physical Society concluded in 2007. “We must reduce emissions of greenhouse gases beginning now.” Fortunately, some leaders are trying to prepare humanity to survive our increasingly catastrophic future. “The drinking water, wastewater and storm water infrastructure is coming under increasing levels of stress,” Rep. Lois Capps (D-CA) announced, with the introduction of legislation to “help drinking water, wastewater and storm water utilities prepare for the impacts of climate-related risks.” “The weather is getting worse and more violent,” Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) recognized at a recent hearing. “The federal government needs to do more to be ready to protect federal assets and provide disaster assistance on an increasing frequency.” Citizens are also rising up with greater urgency, blocking mountaintop removal, protesting at the White House, and organizing global events in September to get the planet moving toward a sustainable future.

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10. World Farm Day Scheduled for October 2, 2011/Pay Per View Program Announced

Forwarded message from Farm Animal Rights Movement (FARM)

Join WFAD 2011 (WFAD = World Farm Animals Day each year - October 2)

FARM needs your help in showing the public how 65 billion animals annually are commodified, brutalized, and slaughtered to become dinner. Join FARM for World Farm Animals Day (www.wfad.org), on (or around) October 2nd, where compassionate people across the world will expose, mourn, and memorialize these feeling, sentient beings.

You can join us by bringing the Pay Per View program to your college campus. This highly effective program has brought people to tears and is reducing animal consumption with every event. www.farmusa.org/PPV.html

How does it work? FARM will cover the costs of paying passerby one dollar each for watching 4 minutes of Mercy for Animals’ Farm to Fridge video. We will also send you signs, privacy enclosures, and more to make your event a success.

In addition to showing graphic video footage, activists will be leafleting, coordinating information tables, and staging dramatic protests, die-ins, and vigils to draw attention to the atrocities of raising animals for food. Here’s how to get started:

-Visit our Action Center for ideas and guidance: www.wfad.org/actioncenter

-Request an Event Pack with posters, handouts, and stickers (DVDs are also available): www.wfad.org/actioncenter/register.php

-Let us promote your event when you register your plans with us.

Don't miss this opportunity to join people around the globe in speaking out on behalf of animals... their lives depend on it.

World Farm Animals Day is a campaign of Farm Animal Rights Movement (www.farmusa.org), a nonprofit organization working to end the use of animals

for food through public education and grassroots activism.

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11. “Talk to Your Doctor About Eating Meat"/Parody of a Pharmaceutical Ad

http://vegan.com/blog/2011/02/26/youtube-ask-your-doctor-about-meat/

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12. MIT Study Projects Heavier Rain Due To Warmer World

Study: Climate Change Means More Heavy Rain

Climate change will lead to an increase in heavy rainfall events across most of the world, according to a study published this week in the peer-reviewed journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences by researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Caltech.

The computer models used in the study predict that areas such as North America can expect a significant increase in heavy rain.

How much rain? The study suggests that precipitation in extreme events will increase by about 6% for every 1.8 degree rise in global temperature. A global temperature increase of anywhere from 2 to 11 degrees is expected by 2100, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

SNIP

The primary reason for the precipitation increase is that warmer air can retain more water vapor than cooler air. So as the climate heats up, "there will be more vapor in the atmosphere, which will lead to an increase in precipitation extremes," says study co-author Paul O'Gorman of MIT.

SNIP

http://www.usatoday.com/weather/climate/2009-08-21-climate-change-rain_N.htm

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13. Update From “Responsible Policies for Animals” (RPA)

Forwarded message from JVNA advisor and REP director David Cantor:

Responsible Policies for Animals Members and Friends!

Many thanks to all who have become RPA members or have donated to RPA since last communications!

I hope you are having a good summer personally despite our massive political problems: impacts of the climate’s heating up, ongoing calamities throughout the human and natural worlds, everything worsening for nonhuman animals.

It’s been a long time since the last RPA Update and the last issue of Thin Ice, so there’s a lot to tell. A newsletter will come out soon, so I’ll be very brief here and send another Update soon.

Below are details of a talk I’ll give in the Philadelphia area on two consecutive evenings this September. Paste into an email to all in a reasonable distance. Urge people coming by car to minimize impact per person and maximize benefits of the event by bringing friends. These events will also be posted at www.RPAforAll.org.

Speaking of calamities, people everywhere are shaken – many paralyzed. You are not alone if you see the institutions and advocacy we’ve counted on failing or in disarray. And we won’t find the root cause in the news – our species’ holocaust against nonhuman animals and the natural world, and denial of it.

That is why Responsible Policies for Animals events as described below are crucial. They will make sense of what is going on and point the way to the needed change. Not in a consumerist way – “buy” the talk and “get” easy things to do in spare moments. That approach is one reason for the current predicament, everything steadily worsening for humans and other animals.

Rather, we’ll grasp what we must promote as citizens to change our species’ tragic and destructive trajectory, creating peace for humans and others.

Do not lose hope! Rededicate yourself. Think whether strategically sound animal-rights activities with minimal ecological impacts might replace popular, non-strategic activities using automobiles, one of the fiercest assaults on nonhuman animals. We needn’t travel to expose the holocaust and move toward unalienable equal autonomy, ecology, and dignity rights of all animals – animal rights. And we must go far beyond merely fighting cruelty and eating plants-only.

Much great new material is at www.RPAforAll.org. Let me know of any questions anytime. Discuss with me how to promote animal rights anytime – I’ll send you factsheets just on that. The question is not whether establishing rights of other animals is “practical” – it’s whether it’s possible to solve the big human problems or remedy the other animals’ plight any other way. The answer is definitely no.

Be well! Keep in touch! Donate when you can! See event details below!

David Cantor

Founder & Director

Responsible Policies for Animals, Inc.

P.O. Box 891, Glenside, PA 19038, USA

dcantor@rpa1.org

215-886-RPA1

www.RPAforAll.org

______________________

« Presentation – Free to the Public «

Elephant in Every Room:

Human Misery and the Treatment of Nonhuman Animals

Presented by David Cantor

Thousands of dedicated citizens and officials work daily to improve human wellbeing – health, justice, equality, an end to war, restraints on pollution, conservation. But what do we see? Ever more human disease, fighting terrorism a way of life, human-caused biodisruption rampant, global economic disaster a mere news story, everything fun, no one happy. Could civilization’s millennia-long assault on nonhuman animals and the natural world be the root of human suffering and violence? If so, can we change course? Hear a surprising and thorough analysis. Start considering practical long-term solutions. Bring everyone 13 and up – Elephant in Every Room will be hard to recap over breakfast.

David Cantor, a full-time advocate, educator, and writer, founded Responsible Policies for Animals (RPA) in 2002; is preparing the first-ever news-industry guide for reporting on animals; and has published countless articles and letters as well as chapters in several books. Learn more: www.RPAforAll.org // www.ExpertsOfConscience.org // www.EatForSports.org.

7:00 P.M. Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Trinity Episcopal Church
Parish Hall
708 Bethlehem Pike
Ambler, PA 19002
www.trinityambler.com

7:00 P.M. Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Summit Presbyterian Church
Common Room, 1st Floor
6757 Greene Street
Philadelphia, PA 19119
www.summitpres.net

More details:

dcantor@rpa1.org

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14. Doctors take Aim at Antibiotic Resistance From Its Use on Factory Farms

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/08/16/factory-farms-antibiotic-resistance-doctors_n_928140.html?ncid=edlinkusaolp00000008

Thanks to JVNA advisor Steve Schuster for sending us this link

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** 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.

08/09/2011 JVNA Online Newsletter

2011-08-30T00:10:00.060-04:00

Shalom everyone,

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

1. JVNA Nominated for Favorite Nonprofit Vegan Organization in VegNews Contest!

1a. JVNA Seeking Volunteers

2. Improving and Updating My Articles That Are On the Internet

3. Why There is So Much Denial About Climate Change

4. Farm Animal Rights Movement (FARM) Conference Highly Successful

5. Interview of Nutrition/health Expert Michael Gregor

6. Can Genetically Modified Foods reduce World Hunger?

7. Nutritional and Health Benefits of Vegetarian Diets

8. Is Lab Grown Meat: a Solution to Climate Change?

9. Powerful Veg Documentary “Forks Over Knives” Featured on CNN, Released

10. Kathy Freston Tells How to Kick a Meat Addiction

11. Comprehensive Article on Judaism and Vegetarianism by Rabbi Simcha Roth

12. Guide to Meat-Free Meals Available Free from the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS)

13. Israeli Music Star Going Vegan

14. Animal Advocacy and Islam

15. Veg-Related Novel Published

16. Sustainable Seafood Myth

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.]

As always, your comments and suggestions are very welcome.

Thanks,

Richard

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1. JVNA Nominated for Favorite Nonprofit Vegan Organization in VegNews Contest!

This is a great honor and I hope we can take advantage of it to increase awareness of JVNA, get more people involved, and help increase awareness of Jewish teachings related to vegetarianism.

Suggestions welcome.

Here is the list of nominated organizations:

Favorite Nonprofit Vegan Organization

A Well-Fed World

American Vegan Society (AVS)

Christian Vegetarian Association

Food Empowerment Project

Jewish Vegetarians of North America

North American Vegetarian Society (NAVS)

Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM)

Vegan Outreach

Vegetarian Resource Group (VRG)

Other (please specify)

Please use the following link in order to vote:

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=Ip3lFGrh262wXnNNUXyTq4U%2b1tVEaoTiLi8OBLk6%2bwE%3d

Please also help spread the word and encourage others to vote.

Please note that you have to vote in at least half of the categories in order for your vote to count.

Once again, suggestions on how to use this contest in positive ways welcome. There are some great groups that have been nominated, so our chances of winning may not be great, but let us use this opportunity to increase awareness.

Many thanks to our wonderful volunteers who helped make this nomination possible:

Noam Mohr: JVNA Vice President and coordinator of the JVNA website (JewishVeg.com)

John Diamond: JVNA Secretary/Treasurer; he has been extremely helpful in sending out many thousands of DVDs of “A Sacred Duty: Applying Jewish Values to Help Heal the World.”

Maida Genser: Maida has been very helpful in posting JVNA newsletters and other materials at the JVNA website and my articles at JewishVeg.com/schwartz

Many thanks to the wonderful people on the JVNA advisory committee who have provided me with valuable suggestions many times.

Many thanks to all of you who have sent me valuable material for the JVNA newsletter.

And, finally many thanks to all of you who are reading this newsletter for your example and your help in spreading vegetarian messages.

Once again, please vote for JVNA using the link above, and please encourage others to vote for us. Many thanks.

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1a. JVNA Seeking Volunteers

Please help us continue our momentum by volunteering for JVNA, even if only for an hour a week, to help us promote our vegetarian messages.

We need help in compiling lists of synagogues, JCCs, rabbis (especially vegetarian rabbis) and other lists that will help us promote vegetarianism.

Right now, we are especially interested in a volunteer to help us create a trailer for the JVNA documentary, “A Sacred Duty: Applying Jewish Values to Help Heal the World.”

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2. Improving and Updating My Articles That Are On the Internet

Please take a look at my articles at JewishVeg.com/Schwartz, and please consider building articles around them. I will be happy to help with that. Many thanks.

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3. Why There is So Much Denial About Climate Change

White Conservative Men In Denial About Climate Change

http://www.grist.org/climate-skeptics/2011-08-02-stuff-white-people-like-denying-climate-change

One reason is at the following site

Conservative Media Downplays Heat Wave

http://mediamatters.org/blog/201107260010

Responses to a Wide Variety of Assertions by Climate Skeptics

Thanks to Dan Brook

http://www.grist.org/article/series/skeptics

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4. Farm Animal Rights Movement (FARM) Conference Highly Successful

AR2011 Inspires Hundreds of Animal Activists!

I was impressed by AR2011 beyond my highest expectations! - T. Scott, Seattle

Nearly a thousand animal activists and other caring people converged on the Westin LAX hotel in Los Angeles between July 21-25th for Animal Rights 2011 National Conference. They came from 40 U.S. States and 13 other countries. They left re-energized, more educated, and more effective.

The one hundred sessions were organized into four tracks: animal abuse, organizing, tactics, and issues. The program opened with a plenary session on the history and recent progress of the animal rights movement. It concluded with a panel of three leaders of the environmental movement addressing cooperation options. Other key panels addressed repression of animal activism, tactical issues, new challenges, effective arguments,

Among the 100 presenters were Farm Sanctuary's Gene Baur and Bruce Friedrich, SAEN's Michael Budkie, FARM's Alex Hershaft, author Melanie Joy, COK's Erica Meier, 600 Million Dogs' Alex Pacheco, Compassionate Cooks' Colleen Patrick-Goudreau, Green Is the New Red's Will Potter, Alley Cat Allies' Becky Robinson, Mercy For Animals' Nathan Runkle and The Simpsons co-creator Sam Simon.

The Saturday night’s Awards Banquet, marked the climax of the conference. Carol J. Adams, author of "The Sexual Politics of Meat," was inducted into the Animal Rights Hall of Fame by AR2011 speakers. Juliette West received the Young Activist Award for defense of threatened elephants.

Bryan Pease and Kath Rogers of the Animal Protection and Rescue League (APRL) received the Henry Spira Grassroots Animal Activist Award for their effective vegan outreach and their campaign to end the production and sale of foie gras. Kate Danaher was similarly honored for her work rescuing animal victims of the recent disasters in Japan.

Newcomer orientations, regional lunches, and daily networking receptions provided ample networking opportunities. This year's video program included premieres of "Vegucated" and "Project Nim." Nearly 70 organizations offered literature, merchandise, and food in the Exhibit Hall. Morning and evening snacks featured delicacies from our generous food donors.

A detailed program booklet is posted online. You may view 180 photos in our AR2011 photo gallery. Our Recordings page offers instructions for ordering recordings of individual sessions or the entire conference.

Animal Rights 2011 was organized by the Farm Animal Rights Movement (FARM) and co-sponsored by 17 other organizations, including In Defense of Animals, Mercy For Animals, Compassion Over Killing, United Poultry Concerns, Int'l Primate Protection League, Stop Animal Exploitation Now!, A Well-Fed World, Compassion Circle, Healthforce Nutritionals, E-Magazine, and VegNews.

Please join us for AR2012 in the nation's capital!

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5. Interview of Nutrition/health Expert Michael Gregor

Kathy Freston Interviews Dr. Michael Greger Part 2

http://h2opodcast.com/vsse.html#fsff2

Thanks to podcast coordinator Joseph Puentes for sending this message to us.

01 August 2011

This is part two of a transcript reading of Kathy Freston's interview of Dr. Michael Greger posted on The Huffington Post January 8th, 2010. The title of the interview

"Flu Season: E. Coli, Salmonella and Other Deadly Bacteria and Pathogens in Food: Factory Farms Are the Reason"

----------------------

We have a new addition to the speech archive. Listen to "The Missing Piece from World Peace" by Dr. Aryan Tavakkoli FRACP:

http://h2opodcast.com/speech.html#at

Speeches entitled "Harvesting animals and consuming the planet" by Jamie Rivet are ready on the website at http://h2opodcast.com/speech.html Many, many thanks to Jamie Rivet for his work on this project.

Are there any other speechwriters in the group? Let's continue assembling an archive of "Ready To Go" speeches that anyone can use to further the cause. Email me at: NoMeat@h2opodcast.com

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6. Can Genetically Modified Foods reduce World Hunger?

Great article by John Robbins, author of Diet For a New America and Food revolution.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/john-robbins/gmo-food_b_914968.html

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7. Nutritional and Health Benefits of Vegetarian Diets

Thanks to author, educator and JVNA advisor Dan Brook for forwarding the website below to us.

http://www.foodnutritionscience.com/index.cfm/do/monsanto.article/articleId/557.cfm

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8. Is Lab Grown Meat: a Solution to Climate Change?

http://theweek.com/article/index/216528/lab-grown-meat-a-solution-to-global-warming

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9. Powerful Veg Documentary “Forks Over Knives” Featured on CNN, Released

Forwarded message:

I am waiting for a copy of this fantastic new documentary that has garnered much attention.

Exciting that it will be featured on CNN. Here's the link:

http://www.forksoverknives.com/the-last-heart-attack-cnn-special-doctor-caldwell-esselstyn-bill-clinton/

Laura Slitt

-------------------------

We are pleased to announce that the Forks Over Knives DVDs are now available for immediate shipping. The DVD includes six bonus features, including extended interviews with FOK experts. Order the DVD, 4-Pack, or DVD book combo today!

Visit the FOK Store and Order Now

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10. Kathy Freston Tells How to Kick a Meat Addiction

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kathy-freston/meat-addiction_b_904417.html

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11. Comprehensive Article on Judaism and Vegetarianism by Rabbi Simcha Roth

http://www.bmv.org.il/v/vegan.html

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12. Guide to Meat-Free Meals Available Free from the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS)

http://www.humanesociety.org/forms/guide_to_vegetarian_eating.html

Thanks to JVNA advisor Ron Landskroner for sending us this link.

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13. Israeli Music Star Going Vegan

Forwarded message:

Hello Richard,

In case you didn't hear about it until now, the internationally famous Israeli singer, Achinoam Nini, decides to slowly go vegan after watching the incredible speech by Gary Yourofsky (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=omweihtaYwI).

You can see her here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u48JJ406kFQ

Please share this information in your next newsletter. A lot of Jewish people around the world will be glad to find about this great news.

Thank you and keep doing your wonderful work.

:)

Daniel Erlich,

daniel@animal-tv.org

http://www.animal-tv.org

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14. Animal Advocacy and Islam

Forwarded message:

August 2011

Nadeem Haque : The Qur'an contains numerous passages that directly relate to the welfare of nature, with the human being as custodian and representative of a non-anthropomorphic creator and originator of the universe that evolved from the Big Bang.

In fact, four very clear principles emerge, which are termed "Ecognitions", in a recent journal article by 'Quranic Philosopher' Nadeem Haque. It is argued that these form the foundations of animal advocacy and welfare in Islam.

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15. Veg-Related Novel Published

Below is a message from the author (who prefers not to use capital letters):

a utopian novel with vegan offerings for wild living carnivores

in the novel titled "ascende, maima, perma and mary the lifeship", a central theme is, how human beings can nurture themselves with hurting the least possible their fellow living beings. as part of the introduction of the abundance scheme, plant protein packets are being distributed with air vehicles to the wildlife areas, for the carnivores. quite a number of philosophical exchanges accompanied with the aim to build bridges between nature and technology focused types of interest give the short novel a deep space for one's own thinking. the writer, andreas buechel publishes under the artist name mayloveheal and is most happy, if someone takes time to write a feedback about the novel and its ideas to his email androgyneas@gmail.com. the novel itself can be found at many places online

--- at http://www.novlet.com/stories/passages/584 as an open text, everyone is invited to edit, enhance, and add one's own visions

--- at http://www.bookrix.com/_title-en-andreas-buechel-as-mayloveheal-ascende-maima-perma-and-mary-the-lifeship-1 , to read either online or download text

--- at http://youtu.be/UMLTqlsAAjY as a kind of audio play of it with several computer voices

--- at https://picasaweb.google.com/androgyneas/AscendeCartoon as a loose collage of snippets and graphical exercises on how a graphical translation of the story eventually could feel like ( anyone with joy in creating visual stories is very much welcome to use the story what is in the public domain and make something visually touching with it )

We would welcome a review from one of our readers. Thanks.

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16. Sustainable Seafood Myth

Thanks to author, educator, and JVNA advisor Dan Brook for forwarding the link below to us.

http://www.grist.org/sustainable-food/2011-08-01-the-sustainable-seafood-myth

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** 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.

07/24/2011 JVNA Online Newsletter

2011-07-24T15:21:00.081-04:00

Shalom everyone,

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

1. Tisha B’Av and Vegetarianism

2. The Powerful Prophecy of Isaiah That is Read in Synagogues on the Shabbat before Tisha B’Av

3. Tour of Israel for Animal Lovers Scheduled

4. Powerful Statements on Food Issues By Two Christian Groups/Models for Jewish Groups?

5. Vegan Foods or Local Foods/Which Are More Beneficial?

6. How Threatened Are Our Oceans?

7. Authoritative Article on Dietary Connections to Colon Cancer

8. Can a Global Food Crisis Be Averted?

9. Non-Violent Civil Disobedience Planned to Save the Environment

10. People’s Love Affair With Fish is Unsustainable

11. A Cautionary Story on Climate Change by the President of an Island That Is Sinking

12. Animal Experiments in Israel Decreasing

13. Is the Hotter Weather the New Norm?/NY Times Op-Ed Article

14. NY Times Op-Ed Article: Tax Meat and Subsidize Plant Foods

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.]

As always, your comments and suggestions are very welcome.

Thanks,

Richard

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1. Tisha B’Av and Vegetarianism

Tisha B’Av commemorates the destruction of the first and second Temples in Jerusalem. Today it is not just Jerusalem but the entire world that is threatened by climate change and many environmental threats. We must play a prophetic role and warn others about the severity of the threats and doing everything possible to reduce them, including promoting vegetarian/vegan diets. Please see my articles “Tisha B’Av and Vegetarianism” and Relating Tisha B'Av to Today's Environmental Crises at the festivals section at JewishVeg.com/Schwartz, and please build on the ideas in these articles to help promote vegetarianism. Thanks.

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2. The Powerful Prophecy of Isaiah That is Read in Synagogues on the Shabbat before Tisha B’Av

Isaiah 1:1-27

English Standard Version (ESV)

[I believe that this is one of the most powerful, eloquent, and challenging statements in all of literature. I also believe that it has much relevance for today.]

Isaiah 1

1 The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.

The Wickedness of Judah

2 Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth;
for the LORD has spoken:
"Children[a] have I reared and brought up,
but they have rebelled against me.

3 The ox knows its owner,
and the donkey its master’s crib,
but Israel does not know,
my people do not understand."

4 Ah, sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, offspring of evildoers, children who deal corruptly! They have forsaken the LORD, they have despised the Holy One of Israel, they are utterly estranged.

5 Why will you still be struck down?  Why will you continue to rebel? The whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint. 6 From the sole of the foot even to the head, there is no soundness in it, but bruises and sores and raw wounds; they are not pressed out or bound up or softened with oil.

7 Your country lies desolate; your cities are burned with fire; in your very presence  foreigners devour your land; it is desolate, as overthrown by foreigners. 

8 And the daughter of Zion is left like a booth in a vineyard, like a lodge in a cucumber field, like a besieged city.

9 If the LORD of hosts had not left us a few survivors, we should have been like Sodom, and become like Gomorrah.

10 Hear the word of the LORD, you rulers of Sodom! Give ear to the teaching[b] of our God, you people of Gomorrah! 

11 "What to me is the multitude of your sacrifices?  says the LORD; I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams and the fat of well-fed beasts; I do not delight in the blood of bulls, or of lambs, or of goats.

12 "When you come to appear before me, who has required of you  this trampling of my courts? 

13 Bring no more vain offerings; incense is an abomination to me. New moon and Sabbath and the calling of convocations—  I cannot endure iniquity and solemn assembly. 

14 Your new moons and your appointed feasts  my soul hates; they have become a burden to me; I am weary of bearing them. 

15 When you spread out your hands, I will hide my eyes from you; even though you make many prayers, I will not listen; your hands are full of blood. 

16 Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean; remove the evil of your deeds from before my eyes; cease to do evil, 

17 learn to do good; seek justice,  correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless,  plead the widow’s cause.

18 "Come now, let us reason[c] together, says the LORD:though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool. 

19 If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land;

 20 but if you refuse and rebel, you shall be eaten by the sword;  for the mouth of the LORD has spoken."

The Unfaithful City

21 How the faithful city
has become a whore,[d]
she who was full of justice!
Righteousness lodged in her,
but now murderers.

22 Your silver has become dross, your best wine mixed with water.

23 Your princes are rebels
and companions of thieves.
Everyone loves a bribe
and runs after gifts.

They do not bring justice to the fatherless,
and the widow’s cause does not come to them.

24 Therefore the Lord declares, the LORD of hosts, the Mighty One of Israel: "Ah, I will get relief from my enemies and avenge myself on my foes. 

25 I will turn my hand against you  and will smelt away your dross as with lye  and remove all your alloy. 

26 And I will restore your judges as at the first,  and your counselors as at the beginning. Afterward you shall be called the city of righteousness,  the faithful city."

27 Zion shall be redeemed by justice,  and those in her who repent, by righteousness.

Footnotes:

Isaiah 1:2 Or Sons; also verse 4

Isaiah 1:10 Or law

Isaiah 1:18 Or dispute

Isaiah 1:21 Or become unchaste

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3. Tour of Israel for Animal Lovers Scheduled

Forwarded message from Israeli animal activist Tova Saul, the tour organizer:

Shalom! I am writing to inform you about a very exciting opportunity to tour Israel, specially geared for animal lovers.

This tour is called "Israel Unleashed". It is a one-of-a-kind experience that blends a love of animals, the Land of Israel, and explorations into Judaism. This adventure will include major tourist sites, animal-related sites, Israel's exquisite nature trails, and several Jewish experiences, such as Friday evening at the Western Wall.

Many people are not only animal-lovers, but are also very involved with animal rescue or wildlife conservation. Many have a trip to Israel on their “to-do” list. This tour, during which they will travel with kindred spirits to uplifting animal-related sites, will inspire them to tour the country. We will visit places involving animal rescue, wildlife conservation, and zoo therapy, and meet some of Israel’s foremost wildlife conservationists and animal welfare advocates.

The trip will be led by a licensed Israeli tour guide and committed animal lover. The dynamic educators are among the most popular in Jerusalem, and are in high demand as speakers around the world.

We are now accepting applicants for our October 23-November 2, 2011 trip, which will be limited to 15 people.

I would be very grateful if you could send this announcement to everyone on your Email list or to possibly interested individuals. Thank you so much in advance.   Sincerely,

Tova Saul

For the itinerary and registration information and questions, please contact Tova Saul at tovasaul@yahoo.com

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4. Powerful Statements on Food Issues By Two Christian Groups/Models for Jewish Groups?

Thanks to vegetarian activist Jeff Tucker for forwarding this information to us.
A. link to the resolution that the UCC (United Church of Christ) has pending approval:

http://www.ucc.org/synod/resolutions/gs28/Resolution-on-Mindful-and-Faithful-Eating.pdf

Message forwarded to us about this resolution:

Last week, the United Church of Christ General Synod passed“Resolution for Mindful and Faithful Eating.” The resolution calls for church bodies “to explore ways in which our food choices can be mindful and faithful, so that, to the best of our abilities, what we eat reflects our values and beliefs.” Further, it encourages the identification, development, and promotion of curricula at all education levels help Christians understand how what we eat impacts our health, God’s earth, and God’s animals.

This resolution will help open the door to discussions about animal agriculture, as well as other aspects of faithful eating. It was supported by Rev. Diane Ryder, Rev. Lisa Hadler, and CVA chair Steve Kaufman.

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B. From Unitarian Universalists

Ethical Eating: Food & Environmental Justice

2011 Statement of Conscience

Aware of our interdependence, we acknowledge that eating ethically requires us to be mindful of the miracle of life we share with all beings. With gratitude for the food we have received, we strive to choose foods that minimize harm and are protective of the environment, consumers, farmers, and all those involved in food production and distribution.

Environmental justice includes the equitable distribution of both environmental burdens and benefits for populations of residents and workers. Marginalized people have often been able to find housing or work only in areas exposed to environmental pollutants, with consequent negative health and quality of life effects.

As Unitarian Universalists, we are called to address our relationship with food. Our Principles call for recognition of and respect for the other. As we search freely and responsibly for truth, meaning, and spiritual wholeness, we will make a variety of individual choices about food. Ethical eating is the application of our Principles to our food choices. What and how we eat has broad implications for our planet and society. Our values, Principles, and integrity call us to seek compassion, health, and sustainability in the production of food we raise or purchase.

Food production involving growing, processing, packaging, transporting, and distributing food has become a vast worldwide industry. The mass production of food often maximizes production while minimizing price. This mass production has greatly increased food supply, but has resulted in the overuse of fertilizers and pesticides with crops and the mistreatment of animals and workers in food production. Both this overuse and the large waste streams from concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) result in pollution of water, land, and air.

Access to an adequate supply of healthy food and clean water is a basic human need and right. Many people do not have adequate food, while others have a surplus. In many locations, poor distribution of food is a major contributor to hunger and malnutrition. The effects of climate change, weather conditions, and armed conflicts can also expose many people to starvation. Paradoxically, an abundance of food does not guarantee access to healthy food.

We acknowledge that aggressive action needs to be taken that will ensure an adequate food supply for the world population; reduce the use of energy, water, fertilizer, pesticides, and hormones in food production; mitigate climate change; and end the inhumane treatment of animals. These steps call for an evolution of our eating habits to include more locally grown, minimally processed whole foods. We acknowledge that this evolution must respect diversity in cultures, nutritional requirements, and religious practices.

Minimally processed plant-based diets are healthier diets. Some of us believe that it is ethical only to eat plants while others of us believe that it is ethical to eat both plants and animals. We do not call here for a single dietary approach. We encourage a knowledgeable choice of food based on understanding the demands of feeding a growing world population, the health effects of particular foods, and the consequences of production, worker treatment, and transportation methods. We commit to applying this knowledge to both personal and public actions, recognizing that many of us might embark on a dramatic change in eating choices and some might pay more for food that is ethically produced. For congregations, helping congregants gain this understanding and supporting their choices will require a long-term collective process of engagement, education, discernment, and advocacy. Unitarian Universalists aspire to radical hospitality and developing the beloved community. Therefore, we affirm that the natural world exists not for the sole benefit of one nation, one race, one gender, one religion, or even one species, but for all. Working in the defense of mutual interests, Unitarian Universalists acknowledge and accept the challenge of enlarging our circle of moral concern to include all living creatures.

As individuals and as congregations, we recognize the need to examine the impact of our food choices and our practices and make changes that will lighten the burden we place on the world. We also recognize that many food decisions will require us to make trade-offs between competing priorities. These priorities include: taste, selection, price, human health, environmental protection, sustainability, adequate food supply, humane treatment of animals used for food, and fair treatment of farm and food workers.

Environmental concerns include the use of fertilizers, herbicides, pesticides, and hormones and high volumes of animal wastes produced by CAFOs, all of which can contaminate soil, air, and water. Contributors to global warming include the overreliance on fossil fuels for food production; the methane produced by animals, including but not limited to cattle, sheep, and pigs; and the long-distance transport of food. Expanding agriculture and animal farming often removes natural habitats and reduces natural biodiversity. An additional environmental concern is the deterioration of the oceans and their life forms due to overfishing and pollution.

Human Health concerns include producers' use of growth promoters, pesticides, and antibiotics that can affect child development, antibiotic resistance, and other health conditions. Advertising and marketing can encourage overeating, poor food choices, a focus on body image that can contribute to eating disorders, and the use of infant formula in preference to breast feeding.

Concerns about the Humane Treatment of Animals include intensive confinement and abuse in CAFOs, and inhumane conditions during production, transport, and slaughter.

Concerns about the Fair Treatment of Food and Farm Workers include low pay, poor and unsafe working conditions, exploitation of undocumented workers, and enslavement of others.

Policy concerns include agricultural subsidies that reward the production of certain crops and animal products that are less healthful and environmentally friendly than unsubsidized ones and that penalize small to moderate-sized farming operations. Agricultural subsidies of exported crops have driven small farmers in developing countries off their land. The consequences of agricultural subsidies and mono-cropping include increased gender disparity where women have been the traditional agricultural producers. We recognize replicating corporate agricultural modes in our aid to developing countries is not in the best interest of humanity. We support the development of farming models that safeguard the environment, produce safe foods, provide economic benefits to all economic levels, and create environmentally and economically sustainable models.

Classism, racism, sexism, and other forms of oppression are deeply connected to economic justice, which is a prime determinant of access to food. Some of us will not be able to pay more for ethical food. Others of us will. Yet all of us can have a role in improving the ethics of food. We affirm that the fight for environmental and economic justice is inherently a fight against all forms of oppression. As a result, ethical eating requires different ways of thinking about these issues that reflect their interconnected nature, and we understand that this work will require creativity, patience, and resolve.

Calls To Action

Individual Actions

Recognizing that individual circumstances vary, we aspire to buy, raise, and consume food for ourselves and our families that: increases our proportionate consumption of plant-based foods, which increases the global access to calories, provides health benefits, and prevents injuring animals;

· minimizes the pain and suffering of animals by purchasing meat or seafood produced under humane conditions, for those who choose to eat meat or seafood;

· minimizes the negative environmental effects of raising animals or plants by purchasing organically produced food, and seafood certified as responsibly farmed or harvested;

· minimizes transportation-related carbon dioxide emissions by obtaining foods locally produced through home or community gardens, farmers markets, or community supported agriculture (CSA);

· provides farm workers with living wages and safe working environments;

· contributes to social harmony by encouraging communal eating;

· promotes health, consuming food in quantities that do not lead to obesity; and

We advocate for the benefit of animals, plants, food workers, the environment and humanity by:

· purchasing fair trade--certified products as available.

· asking food sellers and producers to label where their products come from to determine distance of transport and whether the products were irradiated or contain Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs);

· pressing food sellers to require that their suppliers certify the humane treatment of animals;

· supporting legislation that requires the labeling of products that are irradiated or contain Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs), distribution of adequate ethical food supplies, effective safety inspection of food production, and realignment of agricultural subsidies to support growing more produce and the viability of small farmers; and protecting and encouraging organic food production and its producers.

Congregational Actions

As congregations, we aspire to:

· provide and sell more plant-based, organic, locally produced, and fair trade foods at congregational events;

· promote economic accessibility to safe, ethically produced food by organizing members to work for food justice through activities such as: urging grocery chains to locate stores in low income neighborhoods, supporting local food co-ops, helping people obtain food stamps, advocating for increased funding to alleviate hunger, and assisting local meals on wheels and food bank programs;

· support the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee, Unitarian Universalist United Nations Office, and other relevant UU organizations in their efforts to ensure that everyone has adequate nutritious food, produced sustainably;

· provide educational programs for all ages that address the issues of environmental justice, world hunger, gardening, food preparation, and nutrition;

· become Green Sanctuary—accredited and include ethical eating in programs;

· advocate for healthful food for school and other institutional meals; and engage in direct action in solidarity with workers and labor advocacy groups to support agricultural and food workers.

With gratitude and reverence for all life, we savor food mindful of all that has contributed to it. We commit ourselves to a more equitable sharing of the earth's bounty.

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5. Vegan Foods or Local Foods/Which Are More Beneficial?

http://civileats.com/2011/07/15/it’s-plants’-time-in-the-sun/

Why one or the other? Why not both?

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6. How Threatened Are Our Oceans?

EDITORIAL

A Look Into the Ocean’s Future

Published: July 15, 2011 NY Times 7/16/11

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/16/opinion/16sat3.html?_r=1&emc=tnt&tntemail1=y

There is simply no exaggerating the importance of the oceans to earth’s overall ecological balance. Their health affects the health of all terrestrial life. A new report by an international coalition of marine scientists makes for grim reading. It concludes that the oceans are approaching irreversible, potentially catastrophic change.

The experts, convened by the International Program on the State of the Ocean and the International Union for Conservation of Nature, found that marine “degradation is now happening at a faster rate than predicted.” The oceans have warmed and become more acidic as they absorbed human-generated carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. They are also more oxygen-deprived, because of agricultural runoff and other anthropogenic causes. This deadly trio of conditions was present in previous mass extinctions, according to the report.

The oceans’ natural resilience has been seriously compromised. Pollution, habitat loss and overfishing are dangerous threats on their own. But when these factors converge, they can destroy marine ecosystems.

The severity of human impact was reinforced last week when scientists concluded that seven commercially important species, including marlin, mackerel and three tuna species, were either vulnerable to extinction, endangered or critically endangered according to I.U.C.N. standards. The solutions that might help slow further degradation include immediate reduction in carbon dioxide emissions, a system of marine conservation areas and a way to protect ocean life that goes beyond national jurisdictions.

This is the work of nations, but such goals require pressure from ordinary citizens if there is to be any hope of bringing them about in the face of opposing political and economic interests. As the new study notes, changes in the oceans, caused by carbon emissions, are perhaps “the most significant to the earth system,” particularly because they will further accelerate climate change.

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7. Authoritative Article on Dietary Connections to Colon Cancer

http://www.aicr.org/site/News2?abbr=pr_&page=NewsArticle&id=20691&news_iv_ctrl=1102

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8. Can a Global Food Crisis Be Averted?

Taking Back Our Food - Dealing With Hunger And The Land
By Jan Lundberg

http://www.culturechange.org/cms/content/view/758/63/

The housing crisis -- foreclosures, homelessness, renters cutting rents, disappearance of credit, slowdown in construction and home-buying – has gotten much more attention than the food crisis. The growth economy and

Wall Street's "financial instruments" have been more important to corporate media and politicians beholden to their more affluent constituents. And rising hunger can be silent, for a time.

But food is coming on strong as more serious: people can double up in a bed to stretch housing, but a plate of food split two ways means two still-hungry people. One billion people already go without sufficient food daily, a 1-7 ratio. In the U.S. it is 1-6, with record high Food Stamp reliance. One in four U.S. children are "food security at risk" (hungry).

Trends indicate things will get worse before they get better: in the U.S., soaring farm values reflect that crop prices have risen because demand for food is growing around the world, while the supply of arable land is shrinking. In Iowa, 25 percent of farmland buyers are investors, double the proportion 20 years ago.

The food crisis and the housing crisis are really one...
_ _

To read the remainder of this report, obtain resources and see inspiring photos, go to http://www.culturechange.org/cms/content/view/758/63/

· * * * *·

Culture Change

Publisher and Editor: Jan Lundberg,
independent oil industry analyst
P.O. Box 3387, Santa Cruz, CA 95063 USA
tel./fax: 1-215-243-3144

Send feedback to info@culturechange.org

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9. Non-Violent Civil Disobedience Planned to Save the Environment

Forwarded message from Rabbi Arthur Waskow:

A Prophetic Voice in Jewish, Multireligious, and American Life

Dear Richard,   Ten days ago, I wrote you two letters about a specific form of nonviolent civil disobedience -- "embodying the future in the present." I described how the US Sit-in/ Freedom Ride movement of 50 years ago, the Israeli settler movement, and recently the "Freedom Flotillas" sail-ins to Gaza, very different from each other in many ways, all won success by using that approach. (To read those two articles, click to our Home Page here.)

And I promised to explore an upcoming nonviolent civil-disobedience campaign in Washington DC, just a month from now.

Bill McKibben and several other leaders of the US and world-wide movement to prevent climate disaster have called for a wave of nonviolent civil disobedience at the White House gates between August 20 and Labor Day.  The action will focus on convincing President Obama to withhold permits for the so-called ‘Keystone XL Pipeline’ from Canada’s tar sands to flow to Texas refineries, thence to add enormously to planet-scorching CO2. Below you will find McKibben’s letter.  More than 1100 people have signed up already. I am intending (God willing & the creeks don’t rise, or even if they do!) to take part in the tar-sands nonviolent CD action in DC in August. If you think you might want to be a part of this action, please sign up here. And please forward this whole letter to your friends, co-workers, and co-congregants.   I am especially interested in helping to put together a multireligious contingent to express our spiritual commitment to the Earth and its human communities, and to focus the attention of the various faith communities on this issue and the larger climate crisis of which this is a part.

If you are interested in this multireligious aspect of the event, please drop me a note at office@shalomctr.org." At very best, a religious presence might not only risk arrest at the White House, but precede that with a religious event — “Blessing the Earth,” for example.

Please note -- these action plans are NOT an example of "embodying the future in the present." To do that with the climate issue as the sit-ins did 50 years ago about racial segregation would require creating an alternative approach to energy, or transport, or food, etc. -- and then acting it out in such a way as to interrupt and challenge the conventional habits. For instance, imagine thousands of bike-riders filling the streets of a major city and preventing auto traffic.   Shalom, salaam, shantih, peace -- Arthur  

From: Bill McKibben  Date: Sun, 3 Jul 2011 13:56:30 -0400 Subject: Fwd: civil disobedience this summer 

Dear Friends, 

This will be a slightly longer letter than common for the internet age—it’s serious stuff.  The short version is we want you to consider doing something hard: coming to Washington in the hottest and stickiest weeks of the summer and engaging in civil disobedience that will quite possibly get you arrested.  The full version goes like this:  As you know, the planet is steadily warming: 2010 was the warmest year on record, and we’ve seen the resulting chaos in almost every corner of the earth.  And as you also know, our democracy is increasingly controlled by special interests interested only in their short-term profit.  These two trends collide this summer in Washington, where the State Department and the White House have to decide whether to grant a certificate of ‘national interest’ to some of the biggest fossil fuel players on earth. These corporations want to build the so-called ‘Keystone XL Pipeline’ from Canada’s tar sands to Texas refineries.  To call this project a horror is serious understatement. The tar sands have wrecked huge parts of Alberta, disrupting ways of life in indigenous communities—First Nations communities in Canada, and tribes along the pipeline route in the U.S. have demanded the destruction cease.

The pipeline crosses crucial areas like the Oglalla Aquifer where a spill would be disastrous—and though the pipeline companies insist they are using ‘state of the art’ technologies that should leak only once every 7 years, the precursor pipeline and its pumping stations have leaked a dozen times in the past year. These local impacts alone would be cause enough to block such a plan.   But the Keystone Pipeline would also be a fifteen hundred mile fuse to the biggest carbon bomb on the continent, a way to make it easier and faster to trigger the final overheating of our planet, the one place to which we are all indigenous.  How much carbon lies in the recoverable tar sands of Alberta? A recent calculation from some of our foremost scientists puts the figure at about 200 parts per million. Even with the new pipeline they won’t be able to burn that much overnight—but each development like this makes it easier to get more oil out.   As the climatologist Jim Hansen (one of the signatories to this letter) explained, if we have any chance of getting back to a stable climate “the principal requirement is that coal emissions must be phased out by 2030 and unconventional fossil fuels, such as tar sands, must be left in the ground.” In other words, he added, “if the tar sands are thrown into the mix it is essentially game over.”   

The Keystone pipeline is an essential part of the game. “Unless we get increased market access, like with Keystone XL, we’re going to be stuck,” said Ralph Glass, an economist and vice-president at AJM Petroleum Consultants in Calgary, told a Canadian newspaper last week.  Given all that, you’d suspect that there’s no way the Obama administration would ever permit this pipeline. But in the last few months the administration has signed pieces of paper opening much of Alaska to oil drilling, and permitting coal-mining on federal land in Wyoming that will produce as much CO2 as 300 power plants operating at full bore.  And Secretary of State Clinton has already said she’s ‘inclined’ to recommend the pipeline go forward. Partly it’s because of the political commotion over high gas prices, though more tar sands oil would do nothing to change that picture.   But it’s also because of intense pressure from industry. The US Chamber of Commerce—a bigger funder of political campaigns than the RNC and DNC combined—has demanded that the administration “move quickly to approve the Keystone XL pipeline,” which is not so surprising—they’ve also told the U.S. EPA that if the planet warms that will be okay because humans can ‘adapt their physiology’ to cope. The Koch Brothers, needless to say, are also backing the plan, and may reap huge profits from it.  So we’re pretty sure that without serious pressure the Keystone Pipeline will get its permit from Washington. A wonderful coalition of environmental groups has built a strong campaign across the continent—from Cree and Dene indigenous leaders to Nebraska farmers, they’ve spoken out strongly against the destruction of their land. We need to join them, and to say even if our own homes won’t be crossed by this pipeline, our joint home—the earth—will be wrecked by the carbon that pours down it.  And we need to say something else, too: it’s time to stop letting corporate power make the most important decisions our planet faces. We don’t have the money to compete with those corporations, but we do have our bodies, and beginning in mid August many of us will use them. We will, each day, march on the White House, risking arrest with our trespass. We will do it in dignified fashion, demonstrating that in this case we are the conservatives, and that our foes—who would change the composition of the atmosphere are dangerous radicals. Come dressed as if for a business meeting—this is, in fact, serious business.  And another sartorial tip—if you wore an Obama button during the 2008 campaign, why not wear it again?

We very much still want to believe in the promise of that young Senator who told us that with his election the ‘rise of the oceans would begin to slow and the planet start to heal.’ We don’t understand what combination of bureaucratic obstinacy and insider dealing has derailed those efforts, but we remember his request that his supporters continue on after the election to pressure his government for change. We’ll do what we can.  And one more thing: we don’t just want college kids to be the participants in this fight. They’ve led the way so far on climate change—10,000 came to DC for the Powershift gathering earlier this spring. They’ve marched this month in West Virginia to protest mountaintop removal; a young man named Tim DeChristopher faces sentencing this summer in Utah for his creative protest.  Now it’s time for people who’ve spent their lives pouring carbon into the atmosphere to step up too, just as many of us did in earlier battles for civil rights or for peace. Most of us signing this letter are veterans of this work, and we think it’s past time for elders to behave like elders. One thing we don’t want is a smash up: if you can’t control your passions, this action is not for you.  This won’t be a one-shot day of action. We plan for it to continue for several weeks, till the administration understands we won’t go away.   Not all of us can actually get arrested—half the signatories to this letter live in Canada, and might well find our entry into the U.S. barred. But we will be making plans for sympathy demonstrations outside Canadian consulates in the U.S., and U.S. consulates in Canada—the decision-makers need to know they’re being watched.  Twenty years of patiently explaining the climate crisis to our leaders hasn’t worked. Maybe moral witness will help. You have to start somewhere, and we choose here and now. 

 If you think you might want to be a part of this action, we need you to sign up here.   As plans solidify in the next few weeks we’ll be in touch with you to arrange nonviolence training; our colleagues at a variety of environmental and democracy campaigns will be coordinating the actual arrangements.  We know we’re asking a lot. You should think long and hard on it, and pray if you’re the praying type. But to us, it’s as much privilege as burden to get to join this fight in the most serious possible way. We hope you’ll join us.  Maude Barlow – Chair, Council of Canadians Wendell Berry – Author and Farmer Tom Goldtooth – Director, Indigenous Environmental Network Danny Glover – Actor James Hansen – Climate Scientist Wes Jackson – Agronomist, President of the Land Insitute Naomi Klein – Author and Journalist Bill McKibben – Writer and Environmentalist George Poitras – Mikisew Cree Indigenous First Nation Gus Speth – Environmental Lawyer and Activist David Suzuki – Scientist, Environmentalist and Broadcaster  P.S. Please pass this letter on to anyone else you think might be interested. We realize that what we’re asking isn’t easy, and we’re very grateful that you’re willing even to consider it. See you in Washington!  Bill McKibben

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10. People’s Love Affair With Fish is Unsustainable

http://www.truth-out.org/end-line/1311010953

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11. A Cautionary Story on Climate Change by the President of an Island That Is Sinking

OP-ED CONTRIBUTOR

On Nauru, a Sinking Feeling

By MARCUS STEPHEN NY Times

Published: July 18, 2011

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/19/opinion/19stephen.html?_r=1

Thanks to JVNA advisor Steve Schuster for forwarding this to us.

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12. Animal Experiments in Israel Decreasing

http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/news/study-shows-steady-decline-in-use-of-animals-for-lab-testing-in-israel-1.373762

Study shows steady decline in use of animals for lab testing in Israel

Number of animals used for lab tests down nine percent in past year; been steadily dropping since 2007, stats show.

By Ilan Lior

Laboratory experiments were performed on 286,000 animals in 2010 - some 9 percent down on the 2009 figure, according to data released by the National Council for Experimentation on Animal Subjects.

According to the council figures, the number of experiments performed on animals in Israel has steadily dropped since 2007, when a record 340,000-plus animals underwent laboratory testing. Of the animals on which experiments were carried out last year, around 63 percent were laboratory mice, 18 percent rats, 9 percent chickens and 6 percent were fish. The remainder of the experiments, less than five percent, involved rabbits (about 2,000 ), pigs (1,400 ), bats (110 ), dogs (45 ), primates (33 ), cats (25 ) horses (10 ) and a single snake.

The council, which supervises the issue for the Ministry of Health, reported that 43.5 percent of these experiments were for "basic scientific research," 42.5 percent for the purposes of "health and medicine," 11 percent for "the testing or manufacture of objects or materials" and 3 percent for "educational and instructional purposes."

Permits were issued for experiments on 561,000 animal subjects, but nearly half of the permits were not utilized, mainly due to difficulties in obtaining funding.

Animal experiments are classified according to the amount of suffering they cause to their subjects, on a scale from one to five. About 11 percent of last year's experiments were rated five, causing the most suffering, with 34 percent at level four and 31 percent rated three. The council's figures do not include experiments on animals that were put to death prior to the use of their bodies, nor do they include animal experiments carried out by the defense establishment.

The chairwoman of the Behind Closed Doors animal-rights organization, Anat Refua, admitted that she was pleasantly surprised by the figures for 2010. "Experiments using live animals are bad, archaic and barbaric science that destorys human morality and needlessly hurts both animals and human beings," Refua said. "As someone who has been battling this issue for 14 years, this decline is extraordinary to a significant degree.

"

On the one hand, more laboratories, research centers and biotechnology firms are being opened; on the other hand, there is a decline in the number of animal experiments. In England there was a 3 percent increase this year and in the United States a 2 percent rise. Here in Israel, there's suddenly this 9 percent drop. It's really significant - 30,000 fewer animals than last year, that means 30,000 souls that were saved," Refua said.

A state comptroller's report issued two months ago noted serious oversights in the supervision of animal experimentation in Israel. The report noted that the national council did not act to introduce proper procedures for its own operation, and that in the 17 years since its establishment, it had discussed alternatives to animal experiments just once.

The State Comptroller's Office also found that many of the subjects of animal experiments are needlessly put to death when the experiment is completed and implied that the reasons for this were financial.

Thanks to JVNA advisor Rabbi Adam Frank for forwarding this message to us.

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13. Is the Hotter Weather the New Norm?/NY Times Op-Ed Article

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/20/opinion/20cullen.html?_r=1&hp

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14. NY Times Op-Ed Article: Tax Meat and Subsidize Plant Foods

Important article by food expert/writer Marc Bittman:

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/24/opinion/sunday/24bittman.html

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