August 1 is Respect for Fish Day
As a proud Ally of Respect for Fish Day, we invite you to celebrate by eliminating fish from your diet and doing harm-free activities in nature like hiking, camping, kayaking, and more!
Preparing for Tisha B’Av
Tisha B’Av is coming up on the evening of August 2, 2025, the Ninth of Av. It’s considered to be the saddest day in the Jewish year, marking both the destruction of the First Temple by Babylon in 586 BCE and the Second Temple by Rome in 70 CE, among other tragedies over millennia.
On this day, we sit low, fast for about 25 hours, plug into ancient grief, and chant the Book of Lamentations or Eicha. Yet beneath the human mourning lies another layer which has been minimized … and that is the mourning of animals.
Our Team is Growing!
Jasmine Hall, Uri L’Tzedek Advocacy & Leadership Program Coordinator, is an advocate and artist, passionate about finding solutions to food scarcity and homelessness, while also increasing awareness of these problems. She recently graduated from University of Maryland with Bachelor’s degrees in Studio Art and American Studies and a minor in Art History.
Jasmine has written various academic papers ranging from American popular culture to Polish WWII trauma, presenting these topics at several conferences to promote using the arts to find solutions for modern issues. Through partnerships with coalitions, policymakers, and advocacy organizations, she works to expand Uri L’Tzedek’s influence to the D.C. area. Jasmine leads the launch of this new branch, dedicated to bringing Torah-rooted Orthodox representation to the center of American civic engagement.
If you are in DC and would like to partner with us, reach out to us at: info@shamayim.us
WATCH: Sen. Cory Booker stand with us in the fight for justice for animals and all living creatures!
“With great power comes great responsibility,” said Uncle Ben in Spider-Man, a line that resonates deeply in today’s world of celebrity influence. Celebrities hold immense power to shape public opinion, inspire change, and drive conversations about justice. While many speak out about human rights and environmental issues, far fewer lend their voice to the cause of animal liberation. And within that smaller circle, even fewer are Jewish or Israeli. ✡️🇮🇱
But those who do speak up have something in common. Their journeys are rarely overnight transformations. They’re shaped by personal values, gradual realizations, and powerful turning points, such as reading Eating Animals or watching Gary Yourofsky’s viral speech. These moments opened their eyes to the reality of animal suffering and inspired a lifestyle aligned with compassion, as well as helping them understand that the exploitation of animals is often linked to the exploitation of people and our planet too.
Let’s explore how a handful of influential Jewish and Israeli celebrities are using their platforms to reimagine what it means to live ethically –> Read here.
Mazel Tov to our 8th Annual Synagogue Vegan Challenge Cohort!
Mazel Tov to our 2024- 2025 Cohort of the Synagogue Vegan Challenge!
These 8 compassionate Jewish communities boldly took on the challenge to host monthly vegan events and teach their communities about Jewish ethics and animal advocacy, personal health, the environment, and food justice!
To learn more about their impact & reach, read our 2024-2025 Impact Report here!
Congrats again to the participating communities!
Leave a Reply