Category: Uncategorized
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Is Kosher Meat Always Moral?
April 13th, 2017 RABBI SHMULY YANKLOWITZ My grandfather was a butcher. And though he has long since passed, I recall his passion for service and his love of animals, even though he thought that his obligation to the world was to use their flesh as food. The juxtaposition of a benign, kindly man flaying the…
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Israel Bans Gruesome Shackle And Hoist Slaughterhouse Method Imports
May 17th, 2017 RABBI SHMULY YANKLOWITZ Israel is Ending “Shackle and Hoist” Imports. The United States must follow suit. What is the price of consuming kosher meat? Is it a means to achieve a level of Godliness here on Earth, or is it the violent perpetuation of cruelty and needless pain on innocent creatures? The contemporary response…
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Can Houses of Worship Commit to Going Plant-Based?
June 12th, 2017 RABBI SHMULY YANKLOWITZ It is not a stretch of the imagination to say that the Western palate is accustomed to meat as one of the primary means of community interaction. Think about all of the celebrations, life-cycle events, and solemn occasions that have been garnished with chicken fingers, stuffed turkey, brisket sandwiches,…
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Judaism and Reincarnation
December 6th, 2017 RABBI SHMULY YANKLOWITZ ‘’If I shall exist eternally, how shall I exist tomorrow?’’ — Franz Kafka While more associated with Eastern religions, the notion of reincarnation is not foreign to Judaism. Indeed, through the centuries, the topic has been earnestly debated among the great rabbis. Some were adamant that, as a matter…
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Mussar & Loving Animals!
March 13th, 2018 RABBI SHMULY YANKLOWITZ The mass suffering of animals in factory farming is one of the greatest ills of our time. It requires an urgent response that is not only just but loving. Sadly, in many Jewish communities today, a culture pervades that meat consumption is not only a religious fulfillment but a…
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March 2019 Newsletter
March 21st, 2019 ERICA FUCHS I hope you’re doing great. You’re receiving this email as the FIRST official newsletter from Shamayim! We thought now would be the perfect time to start monthly updates considering we’ve just rebranded from The Shamayim V’Aretz Institute to “Shamayim: Jewish Animal Advocacy!” We hope that with this change a broader spectrum…
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Vegan Shavuot Recipes & Tips
June 9th, 2019 ERICA FUCHS HELPFUL SHAVUOT TIPS Ben and Jerry’s, SO Delicious, and even Haagen Dazs have delicious non-dairy ice cream flavors you can also have for dessert. Daiya has vegan cheesecakes if you don’t want to make your own from scratch! Daiya also makes some great non-dairy cheese. Other amazing brands are Miyoko’s Creamery or Chao Creamery by Field Roast, though these…
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July 2019 Newsletter
July 31st, 2019 ERICA FUCHS Happy start of summer! Shamayim has some exciting updates for you since our last newsletter. We’ve hired a new staff member and accepted the participants for our next cohorts of programs, including the Synagogue Vegan Challenge, and our Campus Fellowship Program! WELCOME, LISA – SHAMAYIM’S NEW DIRECTOR OR PROGRAMS! Shamayim…
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Vegan Restaurants Don’t Need Kosher Certification
August 1st, 2019 RABBI SHMULY YANKLOWITZ MAY ONE EAT AT A VEGAN OR VEGETARIAN RESTAURANT THAT DOES NOT HAVE A KOSHER CERTIFICATION? EXCLUSIVE Q & A WITH ORTHODOX HALACHIC AUTHORITY RABBI HAIM OVADIA Q: Can we can have full trust that there are no animal-based ingredients? A: In the United States it is not worth…
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Plant-Based Torah: Parashat Tisha B’Av – Will We Again Fail to Heed the Warnings?
August 8th, 2019 RICHARD H. SCHWARTZ, PHD Tisha b’Av (the 9th day of the month of Av) which we commemorate this year on August 10 -11, reminds us that over 2,500 years ago Jews failed to heed the warnings of the prophet Jeremiah, with the result that the first Temple in Jerusalem was destroyed, the…
Shamayim: Jewish Animal Advocacy 