Rabbinic Letter on the Climate Crisis Calls for Action

Over 250 rabbis from across the United States have signed a Rabbinic Letter on the Climate Crisis. Calling for vigorous action on climate to prevent further global changes, rabbis seek eco-social justice for all. The letter declares that the Jewish community accepts the teaching of scientists and notes that human behavior, including the burning of fossil fuels will endanger life on earth. It continues that the Torah allows insight into the healing relationship between Earth and humans and if we refuse to let the Earth rest, the Earth will rest anyway—bringing drought, famine and creating refugees. Corporations profiting from carbon pollution are the same corporations swaying votes and backing fake science. It is the poor, and those with little impact on the Earth’s resources that will suffer the most from climate change. Extreme weather conditions are already changing countries and those most affected by climate change are low-income or marginalized populations. The Pacific Island nation of Kiribati, for example—one of the poorest places on Earth — was the first country to declare its land uninhabitable due to sea level rise from climate change, and has asked for help in evacuating its population. The Rabbinic Letter was initiated by seven leading rabbis stating they received inspiration from Pope Francis’ expected encyclical that will address the climate crisis in the context of worsening concentrations of wealth and power and worsening degradations of poverty. The Letter also provides suggested actions for individuals and organizations for transitions to sustainable living such as purchasing wind energy and solarizing buildings. More rabbis are expected to sign the Rabbinic Letter, leading towards a gathering on Sunday of Sukkot, October 4, 2015, that will explore the responsibilities toward the Earth and all humankind in this generation.     The full text of the Rabbinic Letter is available here. If you are a rabbi and wish to sign, please go to http://tinyurl.com/RabbinicLetterClimate       Attiya Sayyed, Communications Associate