For many years, Jewish Vegetarians of North America has argued that vegetarianism should be on the Jewish agenda and that Jews should shift toward vegetarianism because the production and consumption of meat and other animal products:

1) violate at least six basic Jewish mandates (see supplementary material at the end of this message);

2) are causing an epidemic of diseases;

3)are contributing to global warming and other environmental threats that are rapidly leading the world toward an unprecedented catastrophe.

Some additional important reasons why it is urgent that this story be covered and these issues be put squarely on society’s agenda are:

• At a time when food prices are skyrocketing, food riots are occurring in many areas and an estimated 20 million people are dying annually worldwide from hunger and its effects, over 70 percent of the grain produced in the United States and over 40 percent produced worldwide are fed to farmed animals.
• In an increasingly thirsty and energy-dependent world, animal-based diets require up to 14 times as much water and 10 times as much energy as vegan (all plants) diets.
• Israel currently has its worst drought in 80 years and is especially threatened by global warming which is projected to cause severe heat waves and storms and much flooding from a rising Mediterranean Sea.
• While the world is increasingly threatened by global warming, according to a 2006 UN FAO report, animal-based agriculture emits more greenhouse gases (in CO2 equivalents) than all the cars and other means of transportation worldwide combined (18 percent vs. 13.5 percent). http://www.all-creatures.org/articles/env-livestockslong.html
• Even if animals are slaughtered strictly according to Jewish law, with minimum pain, billions of animals still suffer greatly from cruel treatment on factory farms.
• Making all of the above points more serious, the consumption of animal products is projected to double in 50 years. If this happens, it will make it very difficult, if not impossible, to reduce greenhouse emissions enough to avoid very severe effects from global climate change.

It is essential that our rabbis and other Jewish leaders recognize that a major shift toward plant-based diets is essential to avoid the unprecedented catastrophe that the world is rapidly approaching and to move our precious, but imperiled, planet to a sustainable path.

When we read daily reports of the effects of global climate change, such as record heat waves, severe storms, widespread droughts, and the melting of glaciers and polar icecaps; when some climate scientists are warning that global climate change may spin out of control with disastrous consequences unless major changes are soon made; when a recent report indicated that our oceans may be virtually devoid of fish by 2050; when species of plants and animals are disappearing at the fastest rate in history; when it is projected that half of the world’s people will live in areas chronically short of water by 2050; it is essential that the Jewish community fulfill our mandate to be a “light unto the nations” and lead efforts to address these critical issues.

It is urgent that tikkun olam-the healing and repair of the world — be a central issue in synagogues, Jewish schools and other Jewish institutions. Judaism has splendid teachings on environmental conservation and sustainability, and it is essential that they be applied to respond to the many current environmental threats.

JVNA urges rabbis and other Jewish leaders to make Jews aware of how animal-based diets and agriculture violate basic Jewish mandates to preserve human health, treat animals compassionately, protect the environment, conserve natural resources, help hungry people and pursue peace.

We are eager to have respectful, public dialogues/debates with Jewish leaders on “Should Jews Be Vegetarians?”

Additional material about these issues can be found at www.JewishVeg.com. We will be happy to provide complimentary copies of our new documentary A SACRED DUTY: APPLYING JEWISH VALUES TO HELP HEAL THE WORLD to you and to rabbis and other religious leaders who will contact us (president@JewishVeg.com). We will be pleased to offer guidance on the use of the movie and other materials. The entire movie can be viewed at the web site www.ASacredDuty.com. Additional information about the movie is also available at this web site.