Ecology & the Jewish Spirit: Where Nature & the Sacred Meet

by Ellen Bernstein (Editor), Ellen Bernstein (Introduction)

Overview

What is nature's place in our spiritual lives?

In today’s modern culture, we’ve become separated from the sacredness of the natural world. This book offers a different, eye- and soul-opening way of viewing our religion: A perspective grounded in nature, and rich in insights for seekers of all faiths.

Respect for the holiness of Creation, our duty to protect the natural world, reverence for the land … a focus on nature is part of the fabric of Jewish thought. Here, innovative contributors bring us a richer understanding of the long-neglected themes of nature that are woven through the biblical creation story, ancient texts, traditional law, the holiday cycles, prayer, mitzvot (good deeds) and community.

Ecology & the Jewish Spirit explores the wisdom that the Jewish tradition has to offer all of us, to help nature become a sacred, spiritual part of our own lives.

Contributors:

Eileen Abrams • Bradley Shavit Artson • Philip J. Bentley • Ellen Bernstein • Ellen Cohn • Eliezer Diamond • Shira Dicker • David Ehrenfeld • Charles Fenyvesi • Shamu Fenyvesi • Dan Fink • Barry Freundel • David Gedzelman • Everett Gendler • Neil Gillman • Neal Joseph Loevinger • Victor Raboy • Debra J. Robbins • Robert Sand • Marc Sirinsky • Jeff Sultar • Marc Swetlitz • Lawrence Troster

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781580230827
Publisher:	Turner Publishing Company
Publication date:	03/01/2000
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	282
Sales rank:	696,418
Product dimensions:	2.36(w) x 3.54(h) x 0.75(d)

About the Author

Ellen Bernstein is the founder of Shomrei Adamah—Keepers of the Earth, the first institution dedicated to cultivating the ecological thinking and practices integral to Jewish life. She is author of Ecology & the Jewish Spirit: Where Nature and the Sacred Meet and currently works as director of community building at the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia.

Ellen Bernstein is available to speak on the following topics:

• Reading the Bible Ecologically
• Prayer from an Ecological Perspective
• Why Judaism Needs Ecology and Why the Environmental Movement Needs a Spiritual Approach
• Creation Theology
• Why (and How) to Start a Synagogue Garden or Farm!

Ellen Bernstein is the founder of Shomrei Adamah—Keepers of the Earth, the first institution dedicated to cultivating the ecological thinking and practices integral to Jewish life. She is author of Ecology & the Jewish Spirit: Where Nature and the Sacred Meet and currently works as director of community building at the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia.

Ellen Bernstein is available to speak on the following topics:

• Reading the Bible Ecologically
• Prayer from an Ecological Perspective
• Why Judaism Needs Ecology and Why the Environmental Movement Needs a Spiritual Approach
• Creation Theology
• Why (and How) to Start a Synagogue Garden or Farm!

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments 9
Introduction 11

Sacred Place 15
1 Adam, Adamah, and Adonai: The Relationship between Humans, Nature, and God in the Bible
Jeff Sultar 19
2 Befriending the Desert Owl
Shamu Fenyvesi 27
3 (Mis)reading Genesis: A Response to Environmentalist Critiques of Judaism
Neal Joseph Loevinger 32
4 Is There Only One Holy Land?
Bradley Shavit Artson 41
5 How Wilderness Forms a Jew
Ellen Bernstein 50
6 A Sentient Universe
Everett Gendler 57
7 Practical Kabbalah: A Family History
Charles Fenyvesi 69
8 Jewish Perspectives on Limiting Consumption
Eliezer Diamond 80
9 New York Is a Girl
Robert Sand 88

Sacred Time 95
Cycles of the Jewish Year
10 The Sun, the Moon, and the Seasons: Ecological Implications of the Hebrew Calendar
Debra J. Robbins 98
11 "In Your Goodness, You Renew Creation": The Creation Cycles of the Jewish Liturgy
Lawrence Troster 107
12 Shabbat and the Sabbatical Year
Dan Fink 112
13 The Land of Your Soul
Marc Sirinsky 121
The Holidays
14 Rain and the Calendar
Ellen Cohn 127
15 Sukkot: Holiday of Joy
Ellen Bernstein 133
16 Sukkot: Gathering the Boughs
Dan Fink 137
17 A History of Tu B'Sh’vat
Ellen Bernstein 139
18 The Tu B’Sh’vat Seder
Ellen Bernstein 142
19 Purim Rivers and Revels
Dan Fink 151
20 The Parsley versus the Potato: A Passover Reminiscence
Everett Gendler 153
21 Leaving Egypt
Dan Fink 155
22 Grow Your Own—Barley, That Is!
Eileen Abrams 157
23 Mountain Paths
Dan Fink 160
24 In Search of the Omer
Ellen Cohn 162
25 Of Dust, Ashes, Comets, and a Three-Year-Old
Dan Fink 167

Sacred Community 169
26 Cosmos and Chaos: Biblical Views of Creation
Neil Gillman 172
27 Restoring a Blessing
Shamu Fenyvesi 180
28 What Is the Common Wealth?
David Ehrenfeld 185
29 Jewish Agricultural Law: Ethical First Principles and Environmental Justice
Victor Raboy 190
30 The Blessings of Holiness
Lawrence Troster 200
31 Nature, Spirit, Body
Shira Dicker 207
32 Judaism’s Environmental Laws
Barry Freundel 214
33 Business and Environment: A Case Study
Philip J. Bentley 225
34 Between Dust and Divinity: Maimonides and Jewish Environmental Ethics
Dan Fink 230
35 What Does the Hour Demand? Environmentalism As Self-Realization
David Gedzelman 240
36 Living As If God Mattered: Heschel’s View of Nature and Humanity
Marc Swetlitz 244
37 How Community Forms a Jew
Ellen Bernstein 250

Notes 257
About the Contributors 269
Index 273

Editorial Reviews

"Highly readable…deftly crafted … a treasure-trove of tools and insights for following the deep roots of Judaism in the soil of this planet."
—Steve Curwood, host of National Public Radio's Living on Earth

"A rich collection of thinking and practices.... Challenges people of all faiths to examine their own traditions."
—Rev. Lynne West, Environmental Justice Office, National Council of Churches

“Pioneering.... A winning, eclectic mix linking Judaism and ecology.... This book comes as a blessing.”
—Rabbi Irving Greenberg, Founding President of CLAL; President, Jewish Life Network

“For the first time, a book that illuminates the guiding role that nature plays in human affairs…. A welcome and powerful voice is now added to all those dedicated to preserving the integrity and sacred quality of the planet earth.”
—Thomas Berry, author, The Dream of the Earth

“A great resource for anyone seeking to explore the connection between their faith and caring for God's good creation, our environment.”
—Paul Gorman, executive director, National Religious Partnership for the Environment

“This timely collection, bringing out the ecological soul of Judaism, is a cause for celebration. Its many refreshing voices call Jewish spirituality to reawaken to its own glad reverence for Earth.”
—Joanna Macy, author, World as Lover, World as Self

“Ellen Bernstein’s pathbreaking work helps us to rethink the meanings of Judaism’s ancient texts as we struggle to find ways of resolving today’s ecological dilemmas.”
—Carolyn Merchant, professor of environmental history, philosophy, and ethics, Universityof California at Berkeley; author, Earthcare

From the Publisher