JUDAISM AND FOOD SECURITY The Jewish framework for a sustainable - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

JUDAISM AND FOOD SECURITY

INTD 497 By Rachel Rosenbluth

The Jewish framework for a sustainable food system

Thesis Food Insecurity Food Systems Judaism

• Agriculture Laws
• Food Ethics
• Social Values
• Environmental responsibility

Contemporary Jewish Food movements

Overview

Thesis

An analysis of Judaism’s ethical and legal systems reveals that they inherently uphold justice, agricultural techniques, and the consciousness shift necessary for an equitable and sustainable food system, which is a proxy for promoting food security.

Global Food Insecurity

• 925 million people are undernourished
• 98 percent of undernourished people live

in developing countries

• Food prices peaked in January 2011

becoming a Global Food Crisis

• Problems with availability, access and use
• FAO

Influences of Food Insecurity

Food Insecurity

Climate Change Land Grabbing Poverty Corruption Peak Oil Industrial Agriculture Unstable markets / poor access Global trade & comparative advantage

Food security and Food systems

Conventional Industrial System

• Corporate, large

scale

• Values cost and

efficiency over human and environmental health (reductionist)

• Monoculture, industrial
• Heavy chemical inputs
• Negative externalities

Alternative Sustainable Systems

• Mimics cycles of

nature (sees outputs as inputs)

• Human and

Environmental Short and Long term health important

• Holistic
• Limits chemical inputs
• Local

Biblical and Rabbinic laws, ethics, and values

Sustainable Agricultural Techniques Social Justice Paradigm Shift: limits to egocentrism Equitable and Sustainable food system (contrary to conventional system) Thus, promotes food security

Judaism

Agriculture Laws Food Ethics Social Responsibility Environmental Values

1) Jewish Agriculture Laws

Shmittah

Shmittah refers to a Sabbatical Year, whereby one is commanded to let land lie fallow, and release any debts, and feed any needy man (Exodus, Leviticus, Deuteronomy)

Rabbinical interpretation of implications: 1) Sustainable Agricultural technique – Land rejuvenates nutrients to ensure future productivity 2) Social Justice – feeding the poor, promoting peace through suspension of private

• wnership, establishing equality

3) Paradigm Shift – limits egocentrism, reminds people that humans are tenants of God’s land, implies restraint, and limits human dominion Sustainable Agricultural Techniques Social Justice Paradigm Shift: limits to egocentrism

Pe’ah

Pe’ah refers to the instruction to leave the corners of one’s field and the gleanings of the harvest for the poor

Implications:

• Food Justice, feeding the hungry, responsibility to poor
• Historical impetus for justice (slavery)
• Ancient belief that soil fertility was linked to social justice

Social Justice

Orlah and Bikurim

Orlah: Commandment to leave the fruits on a tree for 3 years before harvesting them Bikurim: Bringing the first produce of the harvest as an

• ffering to God

Implications:

• Establishes restraint over consumption, self control
• Minimizes egocentrism; humbling; people are tenants of God’s

land, no right to misuse God’s creation, limits on dominion

Paradigm Shift: limits to egocentrism

Kilayim

Refers to forbidden mixtures, or the prohibition to mix certain seeds, materials and animal species. As well, provides specific guidelines for planting different crop species together Implications:

• Sustainable Agriculture: Particular methods for intercropping are

allowed

• Contemporary thinkers have applied this law to prohibit GMOs

Sustainable Agricultural Techniques

Biodiversity and Local

Biblical prohibition against killing an entire species

‘Even those things that may appear superfluous to Creation such as fleas, gnats or flies -- even these are part of the web of Creation. G-d’s purpose is carried through everything, even through a snake, a scorpion, a gnat and a frog.’ (Breishit Rabbah 10:7)

Prohibition against living in a town without a vegetable garden

“He who buys grain in the market, to what may he be compared? To a child who is cut off from his mother, and although it is taken to homes of wet nurses, it is not

• satisfied. And he who buys bread in the market, to what is he compared? To a man

who digs his own grave - a wretched, precarious existence. But he who eats of his

• wn produce is like a child reared at his mother's breast.” (Talmud Kedushin)

Sustainable Agricultural Techniques

2) Jewish Food Ethics

Sanctification of Food: Blessings

One is commanded to bless all food that is eaten. The tradition involves a number of blessings both before and after eating meals.

“Blessed are You, Adonai, our God, sovereign of the universe, the One who brings bread forth from the earth / Creator of types of nourishment / Creator of the fruit of the vine / fruit of the tree / fruit of the earth / Whose word all things came to be.”

Implications:

• Expresses gratitude and appreciate for food
• Promotes mindful consumption, establishes a connection with food
• Sees all food as holy, thus should be consumed respectfully, and produced

ethically

Paradigm Shift: mindfulness, awareness and gratitude

Kashrut

Kashrut, or Dietary Laws, include a number of prohibitions: No mixing milk and meat, no consumption of life-blood, no eating specific animals, performance of particular slaughter techniques, etc. The laws are established to:

• promote humane treatment of animals,
• improve human health,
• promote respect and sanctification of life,
• encourage human restraint,
• establish a deep awareness and connection to food system

Eco-Kashrut, (Hechsher Tzedek) and Vegetarianism

Contemporary Kashrut movement, adding modern food ethics to Kashrut: including food miles, minimal meat consumption, carbon footprint, treatment of animals, treatment of workers, resources used during production etc. Sustainable Production Techniques Social Justice Paradigm Shift: limits to egocentrism

Tzedakah: obligatory charity Tzedek: “Justice Justice You Shall Pursue” Tikkun Olam: Repairing the World

3) Social Responsibility

Social Justice

4) Environmental Values

• “Till and Keep the Land”  Stewardship
• “God saw it was good”  Inherent worth of the natural world
• “Ldor V’dor”  Future generations, sustainability
• Bal Tashchit  Do not waste, no wanton destruction
• Shabbat  Detachment from materialism, consumption,

destruction

Sustainable Production Techniques Paradigm Shift: limits to egocentrism

Biblical and Rabbinic laws, ethics, and values

Sustainable Agricultural Techniques Social Justice Paradigm Shift: limits to egocentrism Equitable and Sustainable food system (contrary to conventional system) Thus, promotes food security

Implementation: Planting the seeds of change…

Contemporary Jewish Food Movements

Hazon: meaning vision, runs programs (bike rides, CSAs, food conferences and tours, curriculums, et.c) to create healthier, more aware, and sustainable communities in the Jewish world and beyond Jewish Farm School, Kayam Farm: An environmental education organization whose mission is to practice and promote sustainable agriculture and to support food systems rooted in justice and Jewish traditions Permaculture in Israel: More than 30 permaculture farms exist in Israel, all open to volunteers, and many act as educational training centers. Jewish CSAs: In North America, many farms provide organic and local food to nearby cities, often run through synagogues Adamah and Urban Adamah: Connects people to the land, community and Judaism to build a more sustainable world, through educational programs, farming experiences. Integrates physical, social, spiritual, Jewish and ecological realms to create a life of service to the community and the earth. Teva Learning Center: Farm and educational center that transforms Jewish education through experiential learning, fostering Jewish and Environmental sustainability.

In Conclusion

“Ultimately, what sustainability requires of us is change in global society as a whole… To start the global task to which we are called, we need a specific place to begin, a specific place to stand, a specific place to initiate the small, reformist changes that we can only hope may some day become radically transformative. Where do we start? We start with food.”

• Food Fears

Systemic transformation from the ground up Within Judaism is a framework for a sustainable and equitable food systems, and thus food security. These movements are truly planting the seeds of change.