Jewish Environmentalism

Hasidic wisdom offers an alternative to the dominant Jewish paradigm which places human needs at the center of our relationship with the earth and its creatures.

The Jewish practice of blessing natural phenomena awakens us to the fact that the earth is a wonder, a witness, and a spiritual mystery.

Jews need to put environmental issues higher on their agenda, the author argues.

To whom does the earth belong?

From the commandment not to cut down trees in war, we derive the prohibition against the careless destruction of nature.