Judaism

Secret Synagogue Reading for Environmentalists

As the Jewish High Holy Days approach, it is of course time for thinking deeply about…. what books you will read in shul during services.  Rabbis extol Rosh Hashanah Mussaf as liturgical brilliance, but the rest of us find it to be spiritual chloroform. Well, fortunately enough, the Jewish environmentalist literature has gotten better over the last …

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What Is Green Kosher?

“Green Kosher” is the new advertising tag for Empire Kosher food processors, based in rural Pennsylvania.  But what does it mean? There is an important backstory here.  Empire is the nation’s leading kosher poultry producer, which has aggressively pursued a progressive image in the media (and particularly the Jewish media).  It has done this even …

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An Unlikely Environmentalist: Samson Raphael Hirsch

Orthodox Judaism today has presented several strong views on many issues, usually centering on hot-button social issues such as gay marriage, or the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.  That’s why it was a real surprise for me to read about the strong environmentalist stance of Samson Raphael Hirsch, the founder and true intellectual giant of Modern Orthodox Judaism. …

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