Noam’s Adult Lecture and Programming Options
Spark an
in depth conversation on cutting edge Jewish environmental values, learn about
the state of Israel’s environment, or explore how we can work in our own lives
to make a difference. Noam’s diverse
array of adult lecture topics make him a perfect guest speaker at your
conference, retreat, synagogue or lecture series.
Jewish
Environmental
Shabbat as a Weekly Environmental Holiday, a Spiritual and Practical Guide to Shabbat Practice.
Shabbat dinners are one of the most common
forms of Jewish activity. While this
weekly holiday is a great opportunity for community building or family bonding,
Shabbat is also central to Jewish values of personal and communal
sustainability. In this workshop we will
explore the Jewish values of sustainability inherent in Shabbat and discuss
ways to make your communal Shabbat dinner more environmentally conscious.
Treif
Tomatoes? The Ethics and Halacha
of Genetic Engineering.
Would you
eat a tomato you knew had pig genes in it, or fly or human? You may be doing just that and don't know
it. Genetically engineered foods now
dominate our shopping market shelves. In
this session we will explore the Jewish ethical and legal questions surrounding
the genetic engineering of food (pro and con), and help forward a Jewish
response to this timely issue.
Oy Veh I'm Svitzing, a Jewish Response to Climate Change
Climate change is the pressing
environmental challenge of our day, so in an attempt to look forward, let's
look back at what Jewish tradition has to offer this modern problem.
Explore Jewish texts related to energy conservation and waste reduction, pikuach nefesh (responsibility to
save life,) plus biblical values of withholding rain and climate change as G-d's form of punishment.
Your Table
as a Temple
Eating is an action we take more than 3 times a
day. What we choose to consume speaks
volumes about our values and beliefs. In
this workshop we will explore the Jewish and secular ethics related to
conscious food choices, modern food technology and how to make our meal a holy
offering.
Beyond Bal Taschit, Advancing a Jewish Sustainability Ethic
For most of the last decade, Jewish
environmentalism has focused on Baal Taschit, the law
against waste. But Jewish environmental
values are much deeper than this once wartime law. In this workshop we will discuss issues of
sustainable living, bioregionalism, and how Jewish tradition can be used to
help guide societies growth.
Vegetarianism and Jewish thought
In the story of Creation, humanity is given
only fruit and seeds as food. So why do
we eat chicken on Shabbat? This workshop
will explore the Jewish values related to meat consumption and vegetarianism, including
biblical, prophetic and modern voices.
Do Marmots Have Rights? Exploring Jewish Animal
Ethics
From the value of individual species, to
reduction of pain and suffering in animals, Jewish law and tradition is full of
references to animal rights, both wild and domesticated. In this workshop we will explore these texts and
discuss how can develop a Jewish animal rights ethic for the 21st Century.
Creation Through
Evolution. Exploring Creation’s Methodology
Scientists speak of singularity before a big
bang, Kabbalists of a
oneness shattering into billions of pieces.
Evolution tells us life started in the water, Genesis 1 says the
same. This workshop we will tell the
story of Creation using the latest scientific and Jewish thought, and explore
whether these two concepts might be more alike than most think.
Our Communal Responsibility,
Greening Our Lives and Our Synagogue.
Explore Jewish values related to environmental
and communal responsibility, and the interplay between Jewish ethics, and
personal and communal consumer choices. Strategize ways to ‘Green’ your
synagogue’s building and community.
Israel Environmental
The Unnatural Jew, Exploring our Personal Connection to Land
How well do you know the geography of your home
state or country? Can you name the
lakes, rivers, mountains, valleys? Most
Israelis can. In this session we will
explore our personal connection to our homelands in the Diaspora and Israel, discuss
historic and current reasons for these relationships, and view Zionism as a
movement to re-indigenize the Jewish people.
The Zionist Dream, An
Environmental Nightmare?
Oleh U’vneh (Arise and Build) is one of many early Zionist
slogans calling for growth, settlement, and development of the land of Israel.
But has it gone too far? Has
Israeli’s need for western style development and standard of living, come at
the expanse of the land we love to dear? This workshop will explore the pros
and cons of modern Israeli development and discuss sustainable solutions to Israel’s
growth.
Sustainable Peace, exploring the interplay
between peaceful cooperation and environmental sustainability in the Middle
East
We’ve all heard the speculation that the next
war in the Middle East will be fought over
water. This precious natural resource is
one of many shared by Israel’s
citizens and neighbors. In this workshop
we will explore the shared environmental concerns around land, water and air,
and discuss how collaboration is vital in addressing social and environmental
sustainability and creating lasting Peace.
If I Forget Thee O Jerusalem, Will all your Forests be Destroyed?
A Philosophical, Spiritual
and Political Exploration.
Jerusalem
is at the center of Jewish life and prayer, but how many of us really know
what’s happening to this piece we love so dear. This workshop will explore our
personal and communal connection to Jerusalem,
and discuss threats to Jerusalem’s
forests and last remaining open spaces.
Eco-Zionist Dilemmas, Balancing
Environmental Sustainability with Security and Economic Considerations
Israel
has long been a country with only two political issues, security and economic
development, issues that still today remain central to Israel’s future. Unfortunately this view has left other issues
vital to Israel’s
future off the table including many environmental concerns. This workshop will explore how we balance environmental considerations
with economic and security concerns in Israel, and help develop a vision
for a safe, prosperous and ecologically sustainable future.
Holiday
Programming
Hanukkah as a Holiday of Energy
Conservation
One days supply of oil, last for eight. A group of passionate
committed people fight for something they believe in and win. This
ancient miracle of the Macabbees is repeated daily
when we switch to low energy light bulbs, reduce our personal and communal consumption
level and fight for systematic and political change. This Hanukkah, let's
practice being a energy efficient "Light unto the
Nations."
Tu B’shvat – a Jewish New Year
for the 21st Century and beyond
Come together for a community celebration of our connection
to our earth, our bodies and our G-d.
Through text, song, art and creative exploration we will celebrate this
ancient holiday in light of our 21st century lives.
Sukkot – Exploring Jewish food ethics on a holiday of harvest.
Sit together under a sukkah and
share the feast of fall harvest while discussing the most Jewish thing of all,
food. Exploring modern
Jewish food ethics including health, social and specifically environmental
concerns of production, transportation, bioengineering, etc.
General
Environmental
Climate Change/ Global Warming for
Dummies.
An Introduction to the Science of
Climate Change for Regular People.
Everyone’s talking about climate
change, but what is it really? How do greenhouse gases work? What might happen if trends continue? What can I do as an individual to make a
difference? This workshop will answer
these questions and more in a simple, interactive forum aimed at giving regular
people the tools to understand the reality of climate change.
