Commentary
Jews Should Work To Reduce Fossil Fuels
New York/JTA
T
wo weeks ago, JTA reported
on a new alliance between
Jewish leaders and domes-
tic gas and oil companies. Called the
Council for a Secure America, the alli-
ance is based on a "common interest"
between American Jews and domes-
tic energy companies to "increase
domestic oil and gas production and to
decrease U.S. reliance on imported oil
from the Middle East," the report said.
But the alliance represents neither
the Jewish community nor its inter-
ests.
To say that reducing our depen-
dence on foreign oil is our No.1 prior-
ity is not only an ineffective approach
to energy policy, it is also a distorted
picture of the Jewish community's
concerns.
Reducing the use of all fossil fuels,
not just foreign ones, must be our
goal. This not only will help improve
energy security in the United States,
it will reduce greenhouse gas emis-
sions and lessen the tremendous
threats to Israel's security posed by
climate change.
Every nation already has its own
in the "Israel National Report" on
supply of renewable energy. If we
climate change, the Negev Desert
learn to harvest this natural inheri-
could expand as much as 200-300
tance, fossil fuel tyranny and energy
miles northward, which would include
scarcity would disappear.
most of Israel. That would be an over-
Israel is at the forefront of solar
whelming threat to Israel's survival,
energy research and commercializa-
as great as any the nation has ever
tion, and a shift to a clean energy
faced.
economy would
The JTA report
benefit Israel
suggested that
in many ways.
there is no com-
Oil is also the
munal consensus
primary source
on energy policy.
of income for
But there is a
Iran, and reduc-
growing Jewish
ing the world's
communal con-
need for oil will
sensus that our
improve Israel's
desire to achieve
security.
energy inde-
Sybil Sanchez & David Seidenberg
Focusing
pendence must
on domestic
be linked to an
fossil fuels will only make us more
urgent response to climate change.
dependent on a system that is put-
The Green Hevra, a network of 16
ting the entire natural world at
Jewish environmental organizations
risk. Furthermore, in a dirty energy
co-founded by the Coalition on the
future in which climate change goes
Environment and Jewish Life, is lead-
unchecked, the disruption of weather
ing the call in the Jewish community
patterns in the Middle East could
for sustainability.
turn most of Israel into a desert. As
For many individuals and organiza-
reported by Ben-Gurion University
tions across the Jewish community,
7
JN Survey
Although 90 percent of the public supported a bill
Jewish values, alongside self-interest
and policy concerns, are a critical
factor that motivates their position.
Jewish texts and traditions high-
light the importance of caring for the
world and repairing the world, or tik-
kun olam. More directly, we are com-
manded to "choose life, that you and
your seed will live." The effects of cli-
mate change will heavily burden the
world's most vulnerable populations
and threaten the existence of many
of the Earth's species. They also are
predicted to escalate conflicts around
the globe, including the Middle East.
Choosing a dirty energy future
means violating the most fundamen-
tal precepts of Torah and of derech
eretz, of common sense. When given
alternatives, this is not the future
most Jews choose. We can ensure
greater security for the United States
and Israel, create a cleaner and safer
world, and transmit our values to
future generations by choosing clean
energy.
❑
Sybil Sanchez is the director of the Coalition
on the Environment and Jewish Life. David
Seidenberg is the founder of NeoHasid.org .
601:10 pb
strengthening background checks for gun buyers, the
'Aar
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I'm glad. The law would
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I'm disappointed. The will of
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As lawmakers in Washington D.C. work on immigration reform, would
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50% Yes. These people need
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a chance to achieve their
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rewards illegal behavior.
Do you have something you'd like to say to Metro Detroit's
Jewish community? Call (248) 351-5146, state your city
and start talking!
April 25 • 2013
57