Ecology & the Jewish Spirit: Where Nature & the Sacred Meet
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
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Book details
- Author
- Ellen Bernstein
- Imprint
- Jewish Lights, an imprint of Turner Publishing Company
- Published
- Formats
- Paperback, Hardcover
- Subjects
- Religion › Judaism
- Topics
- Jewish spirituality · nature and religion · Jewish theology · creation story · environmental stewardship · Jewish holidays · sacred texts
- ISBN-13
- 9781580230827 (Paperback)9781683360407 (Hardcover)
About the author
ELLEN SUE BERNSTEIN was an American rabbi, author, and educator who founded Shomrei Adamah, Keepers of the Earth, the first national Jewish environmental organization, in 1988. Her books include Toward a Holy Ecology: Reading the Song of Songs in an Age of Climate Crisis, The Splendor of Creation and Ecology & the Jewish Spirit: Where Nature & the Sacred Meet.
Bernstein held an M.A. in biology and education from Southern Oregon State University, an M.A. in Jewish studies from Hebrew College, and rabbinic ordination from the Academy of Jewish Religion. She also graduated from one of the first environmental studies programs at the University of California, Berkeley in 1975.
When not writing, Bernstein served as an advisor to the Yale Forum on Religion and Ecology. Much of her work explored the intersection of Jewish tradition and environmental responsibility.