Environment – Rabbi Jon 's Website and Blog

October 4, 2023

Sukkot, Science and Religion

My extended D'var Torah on this topic at Sinai and Synapses! Continue reading

Calendar, Environment, High Holidays, History, Holidays, Prayer, Ritual, Science, Spirituality, Sukkot, Yamim Noraim

September 29, 2023

Affordable Housing: A Sukkot Reflection and Charge

This is my D'var Torah for the first day of Sukkot 5784 and Shabbat, September 30, 2023. Sukkot is actually the third part of the High Holy Days. It’s not just Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Sukkot is the zany but nuanced third festival of our kickoff month of Tishrei. And Sukkot is specifically… Continue reading

September 26, 2023

Sukkot, Water, and Oneness

From Yom Kippur, when we put aside our material existence by fasting and spending so many hours in prayer, we move within days to Sukkot. Sukkot is by contrast a very earthy, material holiday. There is the Sukkah booth itself and the plant material that makes up its roof. There are the Arba'ah Minim, the Four… Continue reading

Calendar, Environment, High Holidays, Holidays, Ritual, Sukkot, Yamim Noraim

May 5, 2022

Being an American Zionist

This is the text of a column i wrote in the New Hampshire Jewish Reporter for December 2021. I am posting this today on Yom Ha'atzmaut, Israel's Independence Day. I have been a Zionist since I was a kid. I didn’t become an American Zionist, though, until I was 22. That was when I decided… Continue reading

Calendar, Community Relations, Current Affairs, Environment, Equality, Ethics, Feminism, Freedom, History, Holidays, Israel, Jerusalem, Peace, Terrorism, Tikkun Olam, Tzedek, USA, Yom Haatzmaut

October 3, 2010

Engaging With the Election — Take 1

Kudos to the Southern New Hampshire Jewish Mens' Club for this morning's forum with candidates for New Hampshire's open Senate seat, 2nd District Congressional seat, and governorship. Great turnout, great questions, nicely run all around. It's a tribute to the Jewish community to be able to host such an event. It was good to see… Continue reading

Current Affairs, Election, Environment, Temple Beth Abraham, Tikkun Olam, USA

May 6, 2010

Behar/B’chuoktai: That You May Live on the Land

At first reading, the two parashiyot that are combined this week seem like a divine split personality. Behar ("At the mountain [of Sinai]") is the most utopian parasha in all of Torah after Genesis 1, in which "God saw and, look, it was very good" — all of Creation! Behar imagines a land in which… Continue reading

B’chukotai, Behar, Environment, Parashat Hashavua

February 18, 2010

Jewish Deli Meets Slow Food

Here's a great new article I came across in the Forward: Can the Jewish Deli Survive the Sustainable Food Movement? Pass The Homemade Pickles By Sue Fishkoff Continue reading

Environment, Food, Kashrut

October 1, 2009

Sukkot, Water, and One-ness

From Yom Kippur, when we put aside our material existence by fasting and spending so many hours in prayer, we move to Sukkot. Sukkot is by contrast a very earthy, material holiday. The Sukkah booth itself, obviously, and the plant material that makes up its roof. The Arba'ah Minim, Four Species as well — the… Continue reading

Environment, Holidays, Science, Spirituality, Sukkot

September 3, 2009

A Milestone in Kosher for New England

I got this in my inbox today from my friends at KOL — Kosher, Organic, Local: KOL Foods is pleased to announce the launch of our Online Store! We are so pleased to be able to offer our products just in time for Rosh Hashanah. Glatt kosher, grass-fed beef and lamb as well as… Continue reading

Environment, Ethics, Food, Kashrut, Tikkun Olam

August 4, 2009

August is Eat Local Month in New Hampshire

Did you know… The average item in the supermarket was transported 1500 miles. As much fossil fuel is consumed producing and transporting our food in the United States as driving our cars. Somewhere between two-thirds and four-fifths of all the food calories human beings on earth consume comes from four crops: corn, soybeans, wheat, and… Continue reading

Environment, Food, Tikkun Olam

July 31, 2009

Newest Page: Sustainability

Check out the newest section on this site: Environmental Sustainability Continue reading

Environment, Tikkun Olam

October 2, 2008

Rosh Hashanah Sermons

Here are links to my two Rosh Hashanah sermons: First day — On Being Judgmental Second day — A Spiritual Lens on Economic Life Below are some more particulars on the theme of Judaism and business, which I referred to on the second day. In a related vein, I am seeking to start at least… Continue reading

Environment, Ethics, Rosh Hashanah, Tzedek