Fall 1999 Newsletter

Highlights: From the Director From the Field: Jewish Environmental Activism Around North America Sukkot and Ecology On the Hill: Legislative Update

From the Director
As we prepare for the High Holy Days and reflect on the events of the past year, we might ask ourselves, "How does teshuva, the Jewish practice of repentance and return, apply to the ecological challenges we face?"

Today, we are challenged to find ways to restore a harmonious relationship. between humankind and the rest of creation. From creation's perspective, and from a biological point of view, ecological teshuva must be a return--to functional ecosystems that provide the ecological services all creatures need and a context for the continuing evolution of life.

From a Jewish perspective, ecological teshuva is about returning to core Jewish values: tikkun olam--healing the world; dor l'dor--generation to generation; and tzedek--justice. As well as core Jewish virtues--humility, kindness, compassion, and responsibility.

Yet, in order to be successful and true to universal human aspiration, we must effect ecological teshuva in a manner that does not send us searching to return to some earlier, simpler time, but rather propels us forward into an exciting future. Ecological teshuva must feel like--and truly be--a cultural evolution, a moving forward that opens up new opportunities for human creativity and innovation.

Fortunately, as some of our best planners, designers, businesspeople, agriculturists, and artists have proven, building a sustainable future is indeed exciting and enlivening.

And as Jews around the world are discovering, ecological teshuva can also engage us spiritually, as we forge new Jewish relationships and discover new Jewish connections.

Indeed, teshuva has deep implications for ecology. And ecology has deep implications for teshuva.

Following on the heels of Yom Kippur, Sukkot is a wonderful opportunity to make good on our intentions to effect ecological teshuva. As a harvest festival, Sukkot is an appropriate time to explore the ways we grow food in our society and whether those ways enhance or diminish human health and the health of the planet. And as modern agriculture is a major source of water pollution and a primary cause of ecological degradation, taking action to promote more sustainable agricultural practices is central to ecological teshuva and tikkun olam.

This newsletter provides background information and program ideas for families, synagogues, and schools to explore "Harvesting Food for Healthy People and a Healthy Planet" this Sukkot.

Sukkot is called zman simchateynu--the Season of our joy. This Sukkot, may it be a season of joy for all creation          

Mark X. Jacobs

 
COEJL Regional Affiliates

 
Transitions
COEJL bids farewell to Evonne Smitt, who has ably served as the COEJL legislative assistant for the past year. She is taking a position at the Environmental Protection Agency. Thank you, Evonne, for your steadfast efforts on behalf of the environment and the Jewish community.

COEJL welcomes Ari Gilbert, who will succeed Evonne. Ari recently graduated from SUNY-Albany, where he majored in Environmental Science. He can be reached at COEJLinDC@aol.com.

 
From the Field: Jewish Environmental Activism Around North America
Greater Boston COEJL Builds Ladders for Herring and Bridges for Jews

The greater Boston Jewish community is concerned about herring. So concerned, in fact, that a delegation went to the Massachusetts Statehouse in March to urge legislators to allocate funds to repair fish ladders in the Charles River to enable herring to swim upstream to spawn.

The delegation to the Statehouse was organized by Greater Boston COEJL after a series of meetings with local environmental groups and government officials to educate the Jewish community about the fate of the Charles River fish. The group has succeeded in involving people by combining education about environmental issues with enjoyable outdoor programs such as bike rides and whale watching.

Greater Boston COEJL also provides training programs for Jewish educators to help them incorporate Jewish environmental study into their curriculum. "We receive a lot of calls from Hebrew school teachers and administrators for program suggestions on how to help kids make the link between protecting nature and their identity as Jews," Boston COEJL co-director Michal Frankel explains. "As we see it, the first step is to help make that connection through education. The second step is to empower kids and adults to create real change."

Boston JCRC executive director Nancy Kaufman is enthusiastic about Greater Boston COEJL's work. "Through education and activism, Boston COEJL is helping to improve the environment, whether by building ladders in the Charles River or by building bridges between the Boston Jewish community and the environmental movement," she said.

Santa Cruz COEJL Symposium on Agriculture, Environment, & Ethics Planned for October 17

What are the ethical issues raised by various agricultural technologies, such as pesticides and biotechnology? What kinds of risks to human health, ecological health, and future generations are acceptable? Can Judaism help us grapple with these issues?

In order to explore how Jewish and other religious traditions address these concerns, Santa Cruz COEJL is organizing a community symposium on "Agriculture and the Environment: From Generation to Generation."

"Our aim is to foster dialogue and build partnerships among agriculturists, environmentalists, and the religious community," says organizer Orah Rein. "We want to focus on the use of chemicals and biotechnology in agriculture, the environmental and health effects of these technologies, and the responsibilities the community has toward protecting environmental health."

The full-day event, which will take place on Sunday, October 17, will be free and open to the public. The program will include panel discussions, musical performances, an organic food, fair, letter-writing and other advocacy opportunities, and children's programs.

For more information, contact Orah Rein at far@cats.ucsc.edu.

Organic and Kosher Wine from the Santa Cruz Mountains
Is making kiddush on wine made from organically grown grapes more consistent with the spirit of Judaism than using wine made from conventionally grown grapes?

Kosher vintner Benyamin Cantz thinks so.

"For me, making kosher wine from organically grown grapes ties together the obvious ways that we need to be living in the physical world with the spiritual vision of Judaism," says Cantz, who is the first producer of certified kosher wine made from organic grapes. "It gives me great pleasure to know that kiddush is being said over wine grown in a sustainable way, that respects God's world."

"In just a few generations, we in the United States have became so comfortable so fast that we didn't notice that we could destroy the planet simply by continuing the way that we are living," adds Cantz, who lives in the Santa Cruz Mountains of California. "This has been a little bit of an oversight. Fortunately, we are now beginning to catch on."

For more information, call Benyamin Cantz at 831.457.2673.

Jewish Ecology for Day School Students in the Midwest
"For years, Jewish day schools in the Midwest have set aside one week each year as science week, during which students get out of the classroom and into nature," says Endangered Spirit founder and director Aaron Katler. "It's only been recently that we've created a distinctively Jewish option for outdoor programs."

Chicago-based Endangered Spirit runs Jewish environmental outdoor programs for 5th-8th graders from day schools, JCCs, and synagogues throughout the Midwest. The four-day programs explore the connections between Judaism and ecology, incorporate Jewish text and tradition relating to environmental sensitivity and protection, and teach outdoor and group-building skills.

Students take their heightened awareness and new skills back to school with them. Follow-up projects have included creating a recycling center at school, holding an environmental fair, and decorating classrooms with environmental messages.

For more information, contact Aaron Katler at 888.202.2930 or aaron@endangeredspirit.com.

 
Sukkot and Ecology
Harvesting Food for Healthy People and a Healthy Planet
The centrality of Sukkot was recognized in antiquity, when it was called "Ha-Chag;" the festival. Sukkot both reminds us of the Israelites wandering in the wilderness of Sinai and serves as a symbol for our vision of Eden, a world of plenty in which the bounty of the earth flourishes around us.

There is no more appropriate time than Sukkot for us as Jews to consider the consequences of what we eat and how we grow our food for our own health and the health of our planet.

We are all familiar with the saying "We, are what we eat." This is not just a catchy motto, but the truth of how our bodies work. The food we eat supports all our activity and can affect our health dramatically in both positive and negative ways.

Unfortunately, most of the food we eat is grown with many chemicals, particularly pesticides, which can be harmful both to human health and wildlife. Though pesticides are much better regulated today than they were 30 or 40 years ago, there is continuing evidence that pesticides continue to harm humans, particularly children and farmworkers. Children eat more food and drink more water per pound of body weight than adults. And there is mounting evidence that exposure to pesticides and other toxic chemicals in utero, may be responsible for increasing rates of certain childhood cancers and birth defects.

Sukkot is an opportunity to begin to take responsibility for protecting our health, the health of farmworkers, and the health of the environment.

The Ecology of our Harvest: Q&A
What are the environmental issues related to agriculture?
There are two interrelated issues. First, how does the food we eat affect our health? Many human-made chemicals, including pesticides leave residue on foods, persist in water supplies, and remain in the food chain for years.

Second, how do the processes by which we grow, transport, and package food affect the health of our planet? Depending on the how it is conducted, agriculture can be an environmentally sustainable activity that actively enriches surrounding ecosystems, or it can be highly destructive of land, species, and clean water.

Are these really serious problems?
According to government reports:

• Pesticides poison over 300,000 farmworkers and their families each year.

• Dioxin is now so widespread in fish that even remote populations in pristine areas are contaminated by it.

• Chemicals in our environment may be contributing to the rise of a number of types of childhood cancers and other childhood diseases.

• Most streams in the Midwest contain high concentrations of pesticides for several weeks or months following their application to crops, with levels of some pesticides at times exceeding federal health standards for drinking water.

Aren't we already protected by current laws and regulation?
Yes and no. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has set "tolerance levels" for many pesticides--but many are still relatively untested. And even those that have been tested have, up until very recently, only had safety limits set for exposures to healthy adult males. Children are often both more sensitive and more exposed to such chemicals through normal childhood behaviors. A recent law, the 1996 Food Quality Protection Act, was designed to increase protection of children and in August the EPA banned two pesticides suspected of harming children. There are still many pesticides that remain inadequately tested.

Are these chemicals responsible for increases in various childhood cancers and diseases? What really are our exposure levels? How much dioxin are we carrying around in our bodies, how precisely did it get there, and what are the long-term health consequences? Some of these chemicals may be "endocrine disrupters," severely affecting human hormonal systems. But at present. we just don't know--and there are no government programs in place to find the answers to all these questions.

What is organic food? Is it just some trendy products or is it really part of the solution?
"Certified organic" food is grown and processed using no synthetic fertilizers or pesticides. At present, the certification process occurs through various organic growers' associations, although efforts are underway to standardize the certification nationwide. Organic products are now the fastest growing category of food in the U.S. If, through support of organic products, farmers see that organic methods indeed pay off, pesticide and energy use by the agricultural sector could drop significantly--leading to significant improvements in human and ecosystem health.

How do the food choices we make affect the environment?
By purchasing certified organically grown food, we can support the continued expansion of earth-friendly agriculture and those who make a living from it.

We can make a difference in other ways as well through the food choices we make. We can reduce our "ecological footprint"--the amount of resources we consume and the amount of pollution we produce--by reducing the amount of meat and dairy products we eat and increasing the amount of grains and vegetables we eat. This is because livestock eat vast quantities of grain. Indeed, a significant majority of all grain grown in the U.S. is used for animal feed. And animal wastes cause much water pollution in rural areas. Eating less meat and dairy products and more grains and vegetables is also, for most Americans, consistent with a healthy diet.

For the Family
Torah -- Study
Text study for your Sukkot table:

You shall celebrate the festival of ingathering, at the end of the year, when you gather in your labors of the field. Exodus 23:16

One generation goes and another generation comes, but the earth abides forever. Ecclesiastes 1:4 (Ecclesiastes is traditionally read during Sukkot)

Consider the work of God: for who can make straight that which has been made crooked? Ecclesiastes 7:13

When God created the first human beings, God led them around the Garden of Eden and said: Look at my works! See how beautiful they are, how excellent! Take care not to spoil or destroy My world, for if you do, there will be no one to repair it after you. Midrash Rabbah, commentary on Ecclesiastes 7.13 (above)

What do these texts teach us about our relationship to the earth? Our role in nature? What is their connection to the harvest and Sukkot? How do we view these texts in light of what we know about ecology and the environment?

Avodah --Jewish Observance
Following is an "ecological kavannah" which might be read before eating.

For the sake of the earth, for the sake of generations to come, and for the sake of all the waters and creatures and plants.

For the sake of all who are hungry, for the sake of thankfulness, and for the sake of our own souls.

May we have the wisdom and courage to protect and restore, and not diminish, the integrity of creation.

And may we always open our hearts and our hands to share the bounty of the Earth with all who are in need.

Gemilut Chasadim -- Deeds of Loving-kindness for People and the Earth
1. Reduce the exposure of your family to dangerous pesticides.
Although children are particularly vulnerable to pesticides on fruits and vegetables, eating fresh fruits and vegetables is still good for your health and essential in children's diets because of the vitamins and nutrients they provide. A number of shopping and eating habits will protect your health and your children's health. For more information, visit http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/food/.

Purchase "organically grown" products.
"Organically grown" food is grown and processed using no synthetic fertilizers or pesticides. All health food stores and many supermarkets now stock organic products. For more information on organic foods, see http://www.organicconsumers.org/.

Wash all fresh fruits and vegetables thoroughly with a very diluted solution of mild dishwashing detergent and water, or under running water with mild soap.

Buy organic baby foods. Because of their special vulnerabilities, pesticides are especially dangerous to infants and small children.

Peel fruits and vegetables that were grown with pesticides (unless produce is clearly labeled as organically grown, you can assume that it was grown with pesticides). Discard the outer leaves of leafy vegetables and the fat and skin from meat and poultry (many pesticide residues collect in fat).

2. Seek alternatives to pesticides in your own garden and home.
Pesticides marketed for home use are not guaranteed to be safe: indeed many of them are found to be at dangerously high levels after application by untrained citizens. You can eliminate the use of fertilizers, weed killers, and pesticides and still have healthy and attractive lawns and gardens. Check with local garden centers about alternatives to chemical pest control.

PRODUCT SOURCES: Alternatives to pesticides--Gardens Alive! 812.537.8650; non-toxic cleaning products--Seventh Generation 800.456.1177 and Real Goods 800.347.0070

3. Advocate for protection of human health and the environment.
To be informed about environmental and public health issues and to receive action alerts regarding important times to write to your members of Congress, join COEJL's Legislative Advocacy Network.

SIGN UP at www.coejl.org or by calling 212.684.6950, ext. 210.

Program Suggestions for Synagogues and Schools
Visit a local organic farm: Collect s'chach (natural material for the roof of the Sukkah) and Sukkah decorations, harvest fruits or vegetables for your Sukkot meals, and/or fulfill the mitzvah of gleaning (donate the harvested foods to shelters/homeless programs). Invite the farmer to speak about the challenges and importance of growing healthy foods. Such a program can be complemented with the study of texts that relate to Sukkot and environmental responsibility. TO FIND ORGANIC FARMS in your area, visit http://www.umass.edu/umext/csa/.

Sukkot sleep-over for youth group: The Shabbat of Sukkot is a wonderful time to organize a synagogue sleep-over. Weather permitting, the youth group can sleep in the Sukkah, learn texts related to Sukkot and the environment, and conduct prayer services with special attention to themes of nature in the liturgy.

Invite a local organic farmer to speak at a Sukkot meal. Ask him/her to speak about the challenges of raising healthy food, and serve lunch or kiddush in the Sukkah made of at least some organic produce. You might also invite local farm workers or union organizers to speak about the risks farm workers face from pesticides and poor working conditions.

Serve organic produce at Sukkot meals, which can be found at local health food or organic food stores, as well as some conventional grocery stores.

For Rabbis
During Sukkot you might:

• present a sermon on ecology
• conduct an ecologically-themed Hallel service in praise of creation and Creator
• use the "ecological kavannah" on the previous page.

 
On The Hill:
Legislative Update
Forest Protection: On August 4, COEJL director Mark X. Jacobs and six other conservation leaders met at the White House with John Podesta, the President's Chief of Staff, and George Frampton head of the Council on Environmental Quality, to discuss the protection of National Forests. The meeting followed the President's receipt of a letter organized by COEJL and other religious groups and signed by over 300 religious leaders across the country. The letter urged the President to protect all roadless areas over 1000 acres in our National Forests.

In related news. COEJL has endorsed the Act to Save America's Forests (H. R. 2512/S. 1368), introduced by Representative Anna Eshoo (D-CA) and Senator Robert Torricelli (D-NJ) on July 14. If passed, this bill would protect core areas of natural forests--on Federal lands from logging and road building. Only environmentally compatible, sustainable logging would be permitted outside of the protected core forest areas.

Biological Diversity: Jewish senators are taking the lead in protecting endangered species. Jewish Senator Frank Lautenberg of New Jersey is spearheading the effort to introduce the Endangered Species Recovery Act, which COEJL supports. Of the four senators currently cosponsoring the bill with Lautenberg, three are Jewish: Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Joseph Lieberman (D-CT), and Paul Wellstone (D-MN). The fourth is Edward Kennedy (D-MA). Lautenberg wants 15 co-sponsors before introducing the bill. 40% of the Jewish delegation in the Senate is supporting this bill--compared to only 5% of all Senators. Call your senators to urge them to cosponsor the Endangered Species Recovery Act.

Climate Change: Over the summer, COEJL issued action alerts and sent letters to Congress calling for measures that would reduce U.S. reliance on fossil fuels.

Burning fossil fuels contributes to global warming. COEJL advocated raising fuel efficiency standards for all vehicles (known as CAFE standards), and for closing the loophole which classifies Sport Utility Vehicles as light trucks, which have lower fuel economy standards. COEJL also urged Congress to fully fund energy efficiency and renewable energy research.

Israel's Environment "On the Edge of Collapse"
According to a recent report, Israel's environment is "on the edge of collapse: underground aquifers suffer from almost irreversible salinization; the quality of the air is declining, causing one in 10 children to suffer from asthma, garbage is piling up, uncontrolled construction is eating away at open areas; the transportation system is unplanned and traffic is growing uncontrollably."

The report was published in July by the Israel Economic Forum for the Environment and the Technion's Ne'eman Institute.

Compounding already serious conditions is the worst drought Israel has faced in recent years. "We are concerned that the drought will cause an additional deterioration, in Israel's ground water, which already suffers in many places from the presence of heavy concentrations of nitrates and other pollutants beyond levels allowed for drinking water in the U.S.," notes Danny Fisch, director of Adam Teva V'Din: The Israel Union for Environmental Defense "The situation is so bad that by the end of the summer much wildlife in Israel may perish through drought."

Though the conditions are severe, there is hope. The number of grassroots environmental organizations in Israel continues to grow, environmental news now is covered regularly in the Israeli press, several major foundations are funding efforts to address the problems, and the Israeli public is getting more involved in environmental campaigns.

Faith Communities Leading on Climate Change
From Capitol Hill to cities in the heartland, the faith community is bringing together religious, business, environmental, political, and scientific leaders to discuss the moral urgency to address global warming.

On May 27, COEJL leaders Sharon Bloome, Rabbi David Saperstein, and Dr. Ismar Schorsch joined senior Catholic, Protestant, and Evangelical leaders, Senator Joseph Lieberman (D-CT), Carl Pope (Sierra Club's executive director), Dr. F. Sherwood Rowland (Nobel laureate for discovery of the hole in the ozone layer), John Sweeney (AFL-CIO president), and representatives from a number of major corporations for a day of discussion on the moral urgency to address climate change. The meeting was organized by the National Religious Partnership for the Environment.

Such discussions have also been taking place around the country. COEJL regional leaders joined Christian activists at state-wide interfaith conferences on climate change in Columbus, OH, in March and in Detroit, MI, in June. Over 100 rabbis, ministers, and congregational activists have attended these gatherings, which have resulted in awareness among elected officials and business leaders that the faith community is concerned about global warming.

Additional conferences will be taking place in Pennsylvania (September 21-22), Iowa (October 16), and West Virginia (December 5-6). For further information, contact Stefanie Zelkind, COEJL assistant director, at 212.684.6950, ext. 216 or stefcoejl@aol.com.