Description: Judaism and Global Survival presents basic Jewish teachings on peace, justice, compassion, sharing, love of neighbors, environmental sustainability, and others, and urges that they be applied in order to reduce climate change and other environmental threats and help shift our imperiled planet onto a sustainable path.
This important book discusses the challenges facing humanity and the Jewish teachings related to these challenges, in order to galvanize Jews to help repair the world (tikkun olam), as required by Jewish law. It argues that we don't need to discover new values and approaches to address current global threats. What is needed is a rediscovery and application of basic Jewish teachings and mandates, such as to pursue peace and justice, to love our neighbors as ourselves, and to act as co-workers with God in protecting and preserving the world. Judaism and Global Survival is meant to be a wake-up call, the strongest that one can make, on the urgency of addressing climate threats and other environmental threats, and the importance of Jews applying Jewish values in addressing these threats. Among the issues discussed in the book are the following: Jews are to guardians of the earth, partners and co-workers with God in working toward tikkun olam, the healing repair and proper transforming of the world; climate change is an existential threat to the world and the only hope to avert a climate catastrophe is through a major shift to plant-based diets, as that would enable reforestation of the vast areas now used for animal agriculture, reducing atmospheric CO2 to a much safer level; vegetarianism, and even mores veganism, is the diet most consistent with Jewish teachings on preserving our health, treating animals with compassion, protecting the environment, conserving natural resources, and helping hungry people.Review Quotes: "For many years now, Richard Schwartz has been a clear, unwavering voice for a more compassionate, more humane and holier Judaism. Judaism and Global Survival offers Jews and non-Jews alike an authentic and inspirational view of what traditional Judaism is and should be."
--Professor Alon Tal, former MK, former department chair at Ben Gurion University of the Negev; chairman of "The Green Movement" (Israel's Green Party); author of Pollution in the Promised Land and many other books and articles on environmental issues in Israel.
--Rabbi Gabriel Cousens, MD, MD(H), DD, director of the Tree of Life Foundation; author of Torah as a Guide to Enlightenment, Spiritual Nutrition, Conscious Eating, and Creating Peace by Being Peace "This book is so crucial and urgently necessary! We once again owe deep gratitude to Professor Richard Schwartz for opening our minds and hearts to the essence of Jewish ethics!"
--Rabbi Dr. Shmuly Yanklowitz, founder and CEO of Shamayim v'Aretz: Jewish Animal Advocacy; author and editor of over a dozen books of Judaica, including three on Jewish dietary teachings "No one has been more creative, committed, and consistent than Richard Schwartz in arguing for a Judaism that can address in all its depth the world crisis that all humanity and all the life forms of our planet face today."
--Rabbi Arthur Waskow, director of The Shalom Center; author of Down-to-Earth Judaism, Seasons of Our Joy, and many other works on Jewish thought and action "The challenging title of this welcome new edition by Professor Richard Schwartz, one of the most insightful commentators on Jewish scriptural interpretation, says a great deal about his struggle to reclaim Judaism in the 21st century from those who would narrow its scope to ethnocentrism and self-interest. Schwartz is a major protagonist in the battle to present the humanitarian insights and universal truths that have been part of the Jewish tradition, from its earliest holy texts to the present day."
--Rabbi Gerald Serotta, founder of Rabbis for Human Rights, North America; executive director of Clergy Beyond Borders