Aytzim Statement in Support of Immigrants, the Climate and Civility |
Feb. 7, 2017 — 12 Shvat 5777
Aytzim has a long history of being a Jewish-environmental organization composed of people who care not just about Judaism and the Earth, but about the peace and wellbeing of all of our planet’s inhabitants, regardless of religion, ethnicity, gender or economic status. It is therefore with grave concern that Aytzim views the recent policy shifts by the new presidential administration in Washington.
On climate, the new president already has overturned the rejection of the Keystone XL Pipeline; proceeded to allow the Dakota Access Pipeline to proceed by Native American lands without being rerouted; removed references to climate change from the websites of both the White House and the Environmental Protection Agency; planned to appoint a man who denies climate change to head the E.P.A.; appointed the head of ExxonMobil to be Secretary of State; and pledged to withdraw the United States from the Paris climate-change accords. These actions are not surprising given that the new president has called climate change a hoax, but nonetheless represent worrisome developments. Climate change is the most disruptive danger that humans have faced in modern history — and we have a biblical obligation to protect the Earth (Gen. 2:15). Pretending that climate change isn’t happening only leads to policies that hasten its ill effects while neglecting our responsibility to God to care for Creation.
Aytzim is similarly worried at the new administration’s scapegoating of Muslims and immigrants. Much of the anti-Islamic and anti-immigrant rhetoric is reminiscent of inter-war Germany’s anti-Semitic speech that led to the Holocaust. We support fighting terrorism and we resist the misguided notions that entire peoples and countries are to blame. Immigration has been one of the biggest blessings for the United States — as well as for Israel — and it’s worth remembering that we are all immigrants. We pray for the health and safety of our Abrahamic siblings.
We also have observed that those who have hatred in their hearts have taken the hate speech of the new presidential administration — including the white-supremacist chief strategist — as a signal that it’s safe to practice their hatred in the open. The drastic increase in swastika graffiti and other anti-Semitic, anti-Islamic and anti-immigrant activities is cause for alarm.
These new policies take America away from justice, which the Torah commands us to pursue (Deut. 16:20). As American Jews who care about both the Earth and its inhabitants, we call for policies that really will make America great — smart climate-change action, and a return to civil discourse and policy without baseless hatred and fear mongering — and renew our days as of old (Aicha 5:21).
Related:
|
Quick Links
Israeli Nature Poll
Eco-Quote
"God saw all that God had made, and found it very good."
- Genesis 1:31
Did You Know?
Israel's main water sources are the Mountain Aquifer, the Coastal Aquifer, the Kinneret and desalination.
Mideast Green News
-
‘Earth Has No Climate Problem. We’re the Ones Who Won’t Survive Within Decades’ – HaaretzRotem Shtarkman May. 3, 2022 Professor Dan Tchernov does not believe the earth has a climate problem. In...
-
Israeli company Watergen supplies water to those in need in Syria -Jerusalem PostThe Multifaith Alliance for Syrian Refugees is using the innovative technology of the Israeli company, Watergen, which supplies...
-
Israeli technology helps bring water to rural Africa – YNETOwini, a subsidiary company of the Mitrelli Group, was able to make water more accessible in more than...
-
Israel’s Cabinet Endorses Climate-change Bill, Dividing Environmentalists – HaaretzThe bill approved by the ministerial committee is significantly less stringent than an original version that the ministry...
-
Israel Wants to Become a Petroleum Superpower, and the Climate Crisis Can Wait – HaaretzA visit to state-owned EAPC facilities in Ashkelon, one of the world’s 20 largest oil storage facilities, make...
Aytzim (Green Zionist Alliance, Inc.) is classified by the IRS as a tax-exempt nonprofit organization under Internal Revenue Code Section 501(c)(3).
Aytzim.org is a carbon-neutral website hosted by DreamHost and is best viewed in Firefox. | ![]() |
Aytzim™, Ecological Judaism™, Jewcology™, Jews of the Earth™, Shomrei Breishit™, Rabbis and Cantos for the Earth™, Green Zionist Alliance™, The Grassroots Campaign for a Sustainable Israel™, Green Zionism™, Green Israel™ and Green Israel Summit™ are trademarks of Aytzim.
Copyright © 2020 Aytzim and its respective contributors. All rights reserved. May not be reproduced in any form without written permission. No quotes may be used in any media without attribution to Aytzim. The opinions expressed and those of the authors do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Aytzim, its staff or lay leaders.
Some Aytzim educational resources are made possible
in part due to support from Mercaz/Masorti Olami and Hazon.