This reading & discussion series will be guided by the following central question: What wisdom might Jewish traditions offer for our current environmental crises? Philosophy, as the love of wisdom, should be open to wisdom wherever it embeds itself. The Tanakh, the textual source of Judaism, arose from within a largely agrarian society with deep connections to particular lands and places. It seems reasonable, then, to start with the assumption that the traditions of thought and practice that have grown out of the Hebrew Bible (and inspired it) might offer environmental wisdom for our pressing times.
Together, over 4 every-other-Wednesday sessions, we will closely read and discuss the contemporary import of essays from a variety of Jewish authors including Abraham Joshua Heschel, Leo Strauss, Daniel Delgado, James Hatley, and others. Sessions will be discussion-based, facilitated by Kaleb Cohen and Mitchell Conway, with one guest facilitator joining along the way.
Some core questions that we’ll explore:
— How might Hebraic ideas inform philosophy? Are they philosophical or solely religious ideas? Can those ideas have any meaning outside of their cultural context?
— What role might the Jewish notion of exile hold for an environmental ethic?
— In Montana, how ought we respond to a history of violence against buffalo and Indigenous peoples and what could Jewish traditions teach us about these responses?
— What is the meaning of rest in an age of industrialization and unrelenting resource extraction?
While each session will be self-contained (such that you can attend a stand-alone session and still benefit), participating in as many sessions as possible will allow more time to make and experience larger connections between readings, ideas, and questions explored.
FREE & open to the public. Donations appreciated. Learn more, check out what we’ll be reading here (seats limited!): https://merlinccc.org/event/reading-discussion-series-environment-jewish/
RSVP here: https://mailchi.mp/merlinccc/jewish-environmental-wisdom
