For years, many in the Jewish world, and admittedly the rabbinic world, have pushed aside environmental issues as we focused on other agendas thought of as more pressing. Climate change was all too often viewed as some sort of political cause that didn't demand significant attention and perhaps if simply ignored all would be well.
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But the reality of today's world, where a warming globe is becoming more dangerous almost by the day, forces us to admit that we no longer have the luxury of thinking that way.
Because when we take a moment to look at the situation we will quickly recognize that this is entirely an issue of Pikuach Nefesh; literally a matter of life and death.
Beyond the obvious impacts of a changing climate are the broader effects of a warming and shifting globe; mass emigration, increased flooding and damage to our homes and livelihoods, fires and droughts among other disaster scenarios that we might not even be able to anticipate before it's too late.
That realization pushed 20 rabbis from the religious Zionist community here in Israel, I among them, to sign onto a letter addressed to our Prime Minister ahead of his trip to Glasgow for this historic summit.
In that letter, we voiced our position that from both the human and religious standpoints climate change is among the most critical issues facing humanity – perhaps ever in human history. And that our perspective and the decision whether to act aggressively or stand silent will be critical for the very survival of our world.
We need to recognize that failing to act is not an option. As rabbinic leaders, we have had a voice in the critical matters that defined our nation and our world for decades and this cannot be any different.
Certainly, the threat is very different from existential dangers that we as a Jewish people have faced – and continue to face – throughout our people's history. But just as we could not stay silent then because it was an issue of life and death, now too, Jewish values, ethics and indeed Halacha demand that we act.
There are those who will question our motives as political or populist, alleging that we are only prepared to tackle such an issue because it's the "topic of the day." But the reality is that we are calling attention to this issue because as rabbis, humanism and ethical practice must motivate our actions.
To care for our fellow man is a central part of the ethos of who we are as Jews. Certainly, we deserve some measure of guilt for not actively doing enough to counter the threat until now. But that certainly can't be a reason to continue to stay silent.
While we penned this letter to the prime minister in advance of this Summit, it is a message to all of us.
We know that we can all act differently. We and our children can begin to change our carbon footprint alongside other practical and realistic measures in a manner that can have an impact.
But the challenge is so great that real change will only come when it is being embraced and driven on the national and global levels.
As a nation of believers, we know that our ultimate fate lies in the hand of the Master of the World. But we also know that God has placed us upon this earth to act responsibly and in a manner that makes us deserving of Heavenly mercy. To act responsibly is to act humbly and recognize that the world we live in demands our respect and proper treatment. It demands that we make the decisions now to help protect that world from the incredible damage that a changing climate could mean – if we dare continue to stay silent.
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