The Way into Judaism and the Environment

The Way Into

by Jeremy Benstein

For everyone who wants to understand how Jews view the natural world and the responsibilities of environmental stewardship, this book provides the way into an essential aspect of Judaism and allows you to interact directly with the sacred texts of the Jewish tradition. At a time of growing concern about environmental issues, Jeremy Benstein, PhD―a founder and associate director of the Heschel Center for Environmental Learning and Leadership―explores the relationship Jews have with the natural world and the ways in which Judaism contributes to contemporary social-environmental issues. He also shows us the extent to which Judaism is part of the problem and how it can be part of the solution. Benstein offers both an environmental interpretation of Judaism and a Jewish approach to environmentalism, examining the dilemmas and questions we face when evaluating Judaism’s role in the care of creation:

Genres: Jewish, Judaism

288 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 2006

Reviews

[Tucker]

This book was recommended to me as "deep and nuanced" and it surpassed expectations. Benstein wrestles with varied historical Jewish attitudes towards the environment and paints a vibrant philosophical picture without manipulating some views to subsume or exclude others.

Although there is some grounding in actual environmental situations, including a direct quote from a 2000 report by Alon Tal that "[s]cientists predict that Jerusalem's air will soon be as polluted as that of Mexico City" (p. 215) and a graph showing a dramatic improvement in urban air quality in Tel Aviv on Yom Kippur when driving is religiously prohibited (p. 171), most of the discussion is theoretical and theological. Consider this treat: in the second Genesis account of creation, "adam is not 'created' (bara, as in 1:27) but rather fashioned (yitzer) very explicitly out of the 'dust of the ground' (2:7), and while that does include being infused with the divine breath of life, it is only in the first story that adam is said to be created 'in the image of God' (betzelem elohim--1:27)." (pp. 40-41)

Not only textual parsers, but also more general philosophers will be able to gain something from this book. Of Shabbat, Benstein writes: "It is not anti-human, but it does promote a different conception of what human fulfillment looks like. Arguably, the difficulties many of us have with these aspects of Shabbat observance are similar to the resistance that exists to general environmental values: reigning ourselves in, conquering our impulses, and redefining the role of the material in our lives and our conception of the components of the good life." (p. 188)

Jeremy Benstein. The Way Into Judaism and the Environment. Woodstock, Vt.: Jewish Lights Publishing, 2006.

[Lorri]

The Way Into Judaism and the Environment is an excellent resource expanding on the current pertinent environmental and global issues. Benstein believes that “a sustainable society is one that integrates social, environmental, and economic concerns of health and justice, and can both sustain itself over time, living up to responsibilities to future generations…”

Consumption, destruction and waste is an important topic within the pages, and how we are responsible for not only what we consume in the present, but what we leave as our legacy in the time continuum. Bal tashchit is discussed in full.

[Ellen]

Benstein explores the interconnections between Judaism and environmentalism from the prospective of classic Jewish thought and texts, as well as from the environmental aspect. He covers a great deal of source material, some more familiar and some less so, with a light touch. Worthwhile reading for anyone interested in the topic, with careful notes and a thorough bibliography for further study.