New Jewish Veg – Rabbinic Statement on Plant-based Diet

“Judaism’s way of life, its dietary practices, are designed to ennoble the human spirit. It is therefore a contradiction in terms to claim that products that come through a process that involves inordinate cruelty and barbarity toward animal life can truly be considered kosher in our world. In our world today, it is precisely a plant-based diet that is truly consonant with the most sublime teachings of Judaism and of the highest aspirations of our heritage.”

Rabbi David Rosen, Former Chief Rabbi of Ireland 

We, the undersigned rabbis, encourage our fellow Jews to transition toward animal-free, plant-based diets. This approach to sustenance is an expression of our shared Jewish values of compassion for animals, protection of the environment, and concern for our physical and spiritual well-being.

 

Jewish Veg Rabbinic Council 
Rabbi David Wolpe Rabbi Raymond Apple Rabbi Aaron Levy
Rabbi Katy Z. Allen Rabbi Annie Belford Rabbi Benjamim Levy
Rabbi Nelly Altenburger Rabbi Aaron Benson Rabbi Natan Levy
Rabbi Dr. Analia Bortz Rabbi Matthew Berger Rabbi Nathan Lopes Cardozo
Rabbi Rick Brody Rabbi Binyamin Biber Rabbi Yonatan Neril
Rabbi Boris Dolin Rabbi Rachel Brown Rabbi Danny Newman
Rabbi Robert Judd Rabbi Janet Burden Rabbi Hillel Norry
Rabbi Andy Kastner Rabbi Prof. Geoffrey Claussen Rabbi Avi Olitzky
Rabbi Jonathan Klein Rabbi Aryeh Cohen Rabbi Kerry Olitzky
Rabbi Jonathan Rubenstein Rabbi Robert Davis Rabbi Rabbi Carl Perkins
Rabbi Alexandria Shuval-Weiner Rabbi Art Donsky Rabbi Nina Perlmutter
Rabbi Barry Silver Rabbi Steven Exler Rabbi Jonah Rank
Rabbi Fred Scherlinder Dobb Rabbi Yossi Feintuch Rabbi Ed Rosenthal
Rabbi Marc Soloway Rabbi Lori Feldstein-Gardner Rabbi Samuel Samtosha Steinberg
Rabbi Beni Wajnberg Rabbi Adam Frank Rabbi Barry Schwartz
Rabbi Ariann Weitzman Rabbi Robyn Fryer Bodzin Rabbi Arthur Segal
Rabbi Shmuly Yanklowitz Rabbi Stephen Fuchs Rabbi Rami Shapiro
Rabbi Yonassan Gershom Rabbi Camille Shira Angel
Rabbi Shefa Gold Rabbi Andy Shugerman
Rabbi Aaron Goldstein Rabbi Daniel Sperber
Rabbi Elyse Goldstein Rabbi Jon-Jay Tilsen
Rabbi Jeremy Gordon Rabbi Elyse Wechterman
Rabbi Bonny Grosz Rabbi Dr. Raysh Weiss
Rabbi Jay Herman Rabbi Jonathan Wittenberg
Rabbi Jeffrey Kahn Rabbi Ben-Hayil Yellen
Rabbi Dr. Deborah Kahn-Harris Lina Zerbarini
Rabbi Jonathan Keren-Black
Rabbi Max Kohanzad Rabbinic or Cantorial Students
Rabbi Tzvi Koren Laura Bellows
Rabbi Michael Kramer Aryeh Bernstein
Rabbi Paul Kurland David Fair

 

Jewish Veg wishes to thank the U.K.-based Jewish Vegetarian Society for helping to recruit rabbis to sign this statement.

 

This Statement is signed by 13 Orthodox rabbis, 24 Conservative rabbis, 25 Reform rabbis, 8 Reconstructionist rabbis, 3 transdenominational rabbis, 1 Renewal rabbi and 1 Secular Humanist rabbi, as well as by 2 rabbinic students and one cantorial student.

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