Jewish Veg

Rabbinic Statement

“Judaism’s way of life, its dietary practices, are designed to ennoble the human spirit. It is therefore a contradiction in terms to claim that products that come through a process that involves inordinate cruelty and barbarity toward animal life can truly be considered kosher in our world. In our world today, it is precisely a plant-based diet that is truly consonant with the most sublime teachings of Judaism and of the highest aspirations of our heritage.” Rabbi David Rosen, Former Chief Rabbi of Ireland

We, the undersigned rabbis, encourage our fellow Jews to transition toward animal-free, plant-based diets. This approach to sustenance is an expression of our shared Jewish values of compassion for animals, protection of the environment, and concern for our physical and spiritual well-being. Jewish Veg Rabbinic Council Rabbi David Wolpe Rabbi Raymond Apple Rabbi Aaron Levy Rabbi Katy Z. Allen Rabbi Annie Belford Rabbi Benjamim Levy Rabbi Nelly Altenburger Rabbi Aaron Benson Rabbi Natan Levy Rabbi Dr. Analia Bortz Rabbi Matthew Berger Rabbi Nathan Lopes Cardozo Rabbi Rick Brody Rabbi Binyamin Biber Rabbi Yonatan Neril Rabbi Boris Dolin Rabbi Rachel Brown Rabbi Danny Newman Rabbi Robert Judd Rabbi Janet Burden Rabbi Hillel Norry Rabbi Andy Kastner Rabbi Prof. Geoffrey Claussen Rabbi Avi Olitzky Rabbi Jonathan Klein Rabbi Aryeh Cohen Rabbi Kerry Olitzky Rabbi Jonathan Rubenstein Rabbi Robert Davis Rabbi Rabbi Carl Perkins Rabbi Alexandria Shuval-Weiner Rabbi Art Donsky Rabbi Nina Perlmutter Rabbi Barry Silver Rabbi Steven Exler Rabbi Jonah Rank Rabbi Fred Scherlinder Dobb Rabbi Yossi Feintuch Rabbi Ed Rosenthal Rabbi Marc Soloway Rabbi Lori Feldstein-Gardner Rabbi Samuel Samtosha Steinberg Rabbi Beni Wajnberg Rabbi Adam Frank Rabbi Barry Schwartz Rabbi Ariann Weitzman Rabbi Robyn Fryer Bodzin Rabbi Arthur Segal Rabbi Shmuly Yanklowitz Rabbi Stephen Fuchs Rabbi Rami Shapiro Rabbi Yonassan Gershom Rabbi Camille Shira Angel Rabbi Shefa Gold Rabbi Andy Shugerman Rabbi Aaron Goldstein Rabbi Daniel Sperber Rabbi Elyse Goldstein Rabbi Jon-Jay Tilsen Rabbi Jeremy Gordon Rabbi Elyse Wechterman Rabbi Bonny Grosz Rabbi Dr. Raysh Weiss Rabbi Jay Herman Rabbi Jonathan Wittenberg Rabbi Jeffrey Kahn Rabbi Ben-Hayil Yellen Rabbi Dr. Deborah Kahn-Harris Rabbi Lina Zerbarini Rabbi Jonathan Keren-Black Rabbi Max Kohanzad Rabbinic or Cantorial Students Rabbi Tzvi Koren Laura Bellows Rabbi Michael Kramer Aryeh Bernstein Rabbi Paul Kurland David Fair

Jewish Veg wishes to thank the U.K.-based Jewish Vegetarian Society for helping to recruit rabbis to sign this statement.

This Statement is signed by 13 Orthodox rabbis, 24 Conservative rabbis, 25 Reform rabbis, 8 Reconstructionist rabbis, 3 transdenominational rabbis, 1 Renewal rabbi and 1 Secular Humanist rabbi, as well as by 2 rabbinic students and one cantorial student.