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From God’s first injunction—“ ‘Behold, I have given you every herb yielding seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed—to you it shall be for food.’ ” (Gen. 1:29)—the Hebrew Bible offers countless examples of how God intends a compassionate and caring attitude toward animals, our health, and the health of the planet. This attitude, as Richard Schwartz shows in his pioneering work now fully revised, has been a constant theme throughout Judaism to the present day.
A vegetarian diet is not only consistent with Judaism, but, argues Schwartz (Professor emeritus, College of Staten Island, author of Judaism and Global Survival), the best diet fitted to basic Jewish values. In this third edition of his 1982 and 1988 book (which includes updated scientific and medical references and a list of web sites), the author shows how Jewish beliefs in showing compassion toward animals, protecting human health, preserving the environment, conserving resources, sharing with hungry people, and pursuing peace are best served by vegetarianism. Throughout, the text is calm, fully documented, and very convincing. Schwartz includes biographies of famous Jewish vegetarians (among them, writers S. Y. Agnon and Isaac Bashevis Singer), "action-centered" ideas on how to promote vegetarianism, and typical questions and answers on Jewish and general issues regarding vegetarianism. A well-done treatise on a subject of increasing interest: highly recommended. ~Library Journal
Indeed, Judaism’s particular concern for tikkun olam, a healing of the world, has never been more urgent than today—given the current state of world hunger, environmental degradation, and the horror of factory farms. Dr. Schwartz shows not only how Judaism is particularly well suited to solving these problems but how doing so can revitalize one’s Jewish faith. “A convincing, compassionate, and comprehensive argument [that] marshals overpowering evidence.”—Harry Essrig, The American Rabbi
“Professor Schwartz has presented us with impressive material supporting his thesis that a practical, healthy, and Torah way of eating is through vegetarianism.”—Emunah Women
Richard
H. Schwartz, Ph.D., is Professor Emeritus of Mathematics at the College of
Staten Island, New York. He is the author of Mathematics and Global Survival
and Judaism and Global Survival. He lives in Staten Island, New York.
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