Healthy Jew fights against war with wellness
We win the war for wellness by practicing healthy Jewish living and appreciating Israel’s natural world. In this war, everyone is a soldier.
Torah
Zumba is at Odds With the Torah in Israel
Rabbis in an ultra-Orthodox settlement in Israel have attacked the popular Brazilian dance-ercize known as Zumba, declaring that it conflicts with the teachings of the Torah and runs counter to holy living.
"Ye Shall Live In Booths" And Be With Nature During Sukkot
For Jews in Israel, there is probably no better time to reflect on one’s place in nature and the health of the environment than during Sukkot, the Festival of Booths or the Jewish harvest festival. When I lived in Jerusalem, I could see the small make-shift sukkahs (huts) erected everywhere outside my window – each […]
Eco-Activist Yeshiva in Jerusalem Brings the Torah Down to Earth
The links between religion and environmental concern/activism are no news to Green Prophet. We’ve covered them in our Eco Rabbi series, discussion of the environment and the Qu’ran, and in stories about multi-faith perspectives on the environment. But it was news to discover an Eco-Activist Beit Midrash (EABM) in Jerusalem’s Yeshivat Simchat Shlomo, which, in […]
Stephen Colbert on Israel’s National Bird
When Israel declared its new national bird, the hoopoe, Green Prophet was on the story. Little did we know that so was American fake newscaster Stephen Colbert, complete with Hebrew pronunciation. “Congratulations, Israel. Just as America soars like the might eagle, may you emulate the noble long-billed hoopoe by squirting fecal matter at intruders,” says […]
Eco Rabbi: Parshat Terumah – Give of Yourself to Make Room for Our Home
Each week Orthodox Jews read one segment of the Five Books of Moses so that they can complete the entire Five Books within the course of a year. In last week’s Eco-Rabbi post I discussed free trade and the commandments, this week I write about how to create room for God to live within us. […]
Eco Rabbi: Tu Bishvat and the Receiving of the Torah
Each week Orthodox Jews read one segment of the Five Books of Moses so that they can complete the entire Five Books within the course of a year. In last week’s Eco-Rabbi post we discussed water and life. In this week I will discuss man, trees and the receiving of the Bible (Torah) on Mount […]
Eco-Rabbi: Parshat Vaera – Plagues, Pharoah and Dissonance
Each week Orthodox Jews read one segment of the Five Books of Moses so that they can complete the entire Five Books within the course of a year. In last week’s Eco-Rabbi post we discussed the Jews slavery in Egypt along with Moses’ first prophecy via a burning bush. This week continues Moses’ fight for […]
Eco Rabbi takes the Hanukkah Challenge!
Ever wonder why every day of Hanukkah we add another candle? The Jewish religious source the Talmud explains that this disagreement goes back to the Jewish sages Hillel and Shamai. Hillel explains that we add another candle every day “for the days coming” and Shamai explains that we start with eight and remove a candle […]
Eco-Rabbi: Parshat Maasei – What Kind of Mark Are You Leaving?
When I was growing up whenever we would go to a park or on a camping trip, my parents would instill in me the importance of leaving the area where we had just been cleaner than how we had found it. This is probably one of the most influential ideas from my parents that has […]
Eco-Rabbi: Parshat Chukat – Hitting The Land
Last week, God took care of the waste in the camp. This week Moses hits the rock. The Israelites had been traveling in the desert for roughly forty years, and Miriam, the sister of Moses and Aaron, dies. After Miriam dies suddenly the People of Israel lack water. Commentaries explain that in Miriam’s merit a […]
Eco Rabbi on Parshat Naso: Nazir – Making Changes in Our Lives
When attempting to incorporate new elements and habits into our life what is the best way to do this? If I want to be greener, how do I go about doing it? If I want to be friendlier, how do I add this to my life? In this week’s Weekly Bible segment the laws of […]
Tonight: Environmental Torah Seminar at Yakar
We’ve seen how environmentalism can be applied to studies of literature, but what about Torah learning? While our Eco-Rabbi is one example that it’s possible to view Torah from an environmental perspective, there are other paths to environmental Torah learning blossoming all around us.
Shmita year, an introduction from Israel
Our readers have also been asking about organic gardening during the shmita (or Sabbatical) year in the land of Israel. Are there any loopholes around the halacha? What does shmitta mean? We love the idea of shmitta. The biblically ordained one year out of seven when the land is left to lie fallow (this applies […]