Our ethics education program researches, formulates and disseminates Jewish ethical and spiritual responses to global warming that can foster the necessary changes in individual and collective consciousness and behavior.
The spiritual sources of Judaism, contain profound wisdom on intergenerational justice, how to reorient human consumption, take responsibility for the effects of our economic activities and catalyze the shift in human consciousness that will be necessary to combat climate change. This wisdom needs to be accessed, developed and brought into dialogue with the contemporary reality, and with the wisdom of other traditions.
Faith can be an immensely powerful force for behavioral change in combating global warming. We aim to actualize this power within Judaism and stimulate other religious leaders to actualize it in their own faith communities. We therefore seek to engage and stimulate leaders of other world religions to mobilize their faiths as a global force for good in combating climate change.
Jewish Climate Initiative is launching its ethics program in the following fields:
- Researching Religious/Ethical Responses: Catalyze development of a coherent Jewish spiritual response to climate change by accessing and disseminating Jewish teachings that can be brought to bear on climate changes issues.
- Global Jewish Education: Develop educational initiatives targeted particularly at schools, youth movements and students to communicate the relevance and power of Jewish teachings on this issue, as well as a catalyst for a Jewish Climate Change Corps.
- Interfaith Education: Promote dialogue between the world’s spiritual traditions on the role of religion in addressing the crisis.
- Public Policy: Development of economic, energy and environmental policies for application first to the State of Israel and Diaspora Jewish communities and foster similar global/regional/national/local efforts by communities, societies, economies and industry.
- Interface of Ethics, Science and Technology: How can we wisely use science and technology to reduce our carbon footprint, to foster the shift to new patterns of energy production and use and to adapt to impending climate change?
Jewish Climate Initiative promotes its work in these fields through conferences, seminars, books and other publications and a continuously updated website.