Special Recent Posts
Earth Day, JTree, and Tu B'Shvat
February 6th, 2020
By Rabbi Isaiah Rothstein Hazon Rabbi-in-Residence What is Tu B’Shvat? What is a Tu B'Shvat Seder? Not one, but four times over the course of the year we are called upon to mark a new year, a rosh hashanah. Of these four new years in the Mishnah (Rosh Hashanah[...]
Celebrating Hazon Seal Regional Cohorts
February 3rd, 2020
When your community commits to sustainability, everyone is a winner. And when several communities come together, we are redefining local Jewish life. Targeted efforts in a particular geographical location are a game changer. Physical proximity enables a whole new level of[...]
The British general election, Tu B’Shvat and Richard Powers
January 28th, 2020
By Nigel Savage Tuesday, January 28, 2020 | 2nd Shvat 5780 Dear All, What does Tu B’Shvat mean in 2020? It’s a deeper question than it may at first seem. It’s the “new year for trees.” And we indeed associate it with trees and[...]
All you need for a glorious Tu B’Shvat
January 27th, 2020
It’s almost Tu B’Shvat, and what kind of an environmental organization would we be if we didn’t make a big deal out of it, right? So here you have it: an entire Hazon Seal Newsletter dedicated (almost) entirely to this[...]
Reb Isaiah at the March, and Rob Kutner on Daf Yomi...
January 9th, 2020
Thursday, January 9, 2020 | 12th Tevet 5780 Dear All, First: we were so proud of Hazon’s rabbi-in-residence, Isaiah Rothstein, who had a lead role at the march against anti-semitism in NYC on Sunday. You can see links to that here and here. Secondly: part of[...]
Support Conservation on Farms
January 8th, 2020
Deadline January 13th Want to ensure a more sustainable food and farm future? Take action and help us encourage USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service to prioritize what’s best for farmers and natural resources! NRCS is currently accepting public comments (input from farmers and concerned[...]
The Month of Tivet: Miracles Large and Small
January 6th, 2020
By Rabbi Ora Weiss The Hebrew month of Tivet, so dark. Even though the longest night has recently passed, the small increments of light are not yet discernable to us. The sense of the month is just ongoing darkness, and the[...]
Hazon Seal Spotlight: Jewish Vegetarian Food Festival at Temple Solel
December 26th, 2019
On November 15th, Temple Solel (FL) held its first Jewish Vegetarian Food Festival with the support of the Hazon Seal Ethical Eating Mini Grant (awarded thanks to the generous support of Emanuel J Friedman Philanthropies). The festival was designed to teach[...]
Recipe: Nectarine Elderflower Chutney
December 19th, 2019
This recipe comes to us from 2019 Hazon Food Conference Presenter Miche Bacher. My tag line, “eat pretty”, is not just about how beautiful flowers are and how pretty your plates are when you include flowers in your food, it is[...]
Recipe: Sutlach (Cream of Rice Pudding)
December 19th, 2019
This recipe comes to us from 2019 Hazon Food Conference Presenter Susan Barocas. A creamy, delicate pudding, sutlach (in Turkish sütlaҫ or mahallebi) is traditionally served to break the fast after Yom Kippur and for Shabbat morning breakfast, although it is[...]
Recipe: Grounding Khichari (Rice and Lentil Stew)
December 19th, 2019
This recipe comes to us from 2019 Hazon Food Conference Presenter Regina Mosenkis. Recipe from What to Eat for How You Feel: The New Ayurvedic Kitchen by Divya Alter (Rizzoli, 2017) Here is my grounding and warming version of this meal-in-a-pot dish.[...]
Recipe: Ejjeh (Edgeh)
December 19th, 2019
This recipe comes to us from 2019 Hazon Food Conference Presenter Susan Barocas. These pancake-like omelets are full of flavor from the green onions, herbs and allspice. Cooked in olive oil, they are traditionally served during Hanukkah in Syrian communities, although[...]
Recipe: Homemade Cheese (Paneer)
December 19th, 2019
This recipe comes to us from 2019 Hazon Food Conference Presenter Regina Mosenkis. Recipe from What to Eat for How You Feel: The New Ayurvedic Kitchen by Divya Alter (Rizzoli, 2017) Paneer is freshly made, soft cheese or curd; it is the[...]
Recipe: Olive Oil Poached Broccoli Stems and Chickpeas on Ricotta Toast
December 19th, 2019
This recipe comes to us from 2019 Hazon Food Conference Presenter Liz Rueven. Recipe adapted from Cooking with Scraps; Turn your Peels, Cores, Rinds and Stems into Delicious Meals by Lindsay-Jean Hard, 2018 Yield: Serves 3-4 with a single slice of toast[...]
Recipe: Chickpea Salad
December 19th, 2019
This recipe comes to us from 2019 Hazon Food Conference Presenter Ilana Braverman. A healthy, delicious, meat-free recipe. The Jewish Initiative for Animals (JIFA) works with Jewish institutions to help them align their food choices with Jewish values while strengthening Jewish communities[...]
Recipe: Aquafaba Mayonnaise
December 19th, 2019
This recipe comes to us from 2019 Hazon Food Conference Presenter Liz Rueven. Making aquafaba mayonnaise involves using reserved liquid from canned beans. It’s a great no-waste option and a creative solution for vegans. Note that it will be less thick[...]
Recipe: Zero Waste Veggie Broth and other Variations on Making Stock
December 19th, 2019
This recipe comes to us from 2019 Hazon Food Conference Presenter Liz Rueven. Zero Waste broth is an effortless way to use vegetable scraps that might otherwise land in the compost or garbage pile. There are as many versions of this[...]
Tips for Optimum Digestion According to the Ancient Wisdom of Ayurveda
December 19th, 2019
This post comes to us from 2019 Hazon Food Conference Presenter Regina Mosenkis. Ayurveda, meaning the “science of life” in Sanskrit, is a 5000 year old natural healing system originating in the Indian subcontinent. According to this ancient wisdom, optimal health[...]
Hoda'ah Sermon
December 9th, 2019
By Rabbi Nate DeGroot Shabbat shalom and I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving yesterday with family and friends. It’s an honor and pleasure to be here with you on behalf of Hazon Detroit - the Jewish lab for sustainability, and a grateful partner of[...]
Hazon Seal Spotlight: Eggcellent News from Tamarack Camps (MI)
December 4th, 2019
Camp Maas Switches to the Best. Eggs. Ever! The story below was written by Rachel Fine, taken from the Announcements from Tamarack Camps. If you would like to connect with Tamarack Camps, email seal@hazon.org and we will make the shidduch! Yashr Koach[...]
How to feel better in a sometimes thankless world
November 27th, 2019
Wednesday, November 27, 2019 | 29th Cheshvan 5780 Dear Hazon, This year at our JOFEE Network Gathering we learned about Joanna Macy, and her concept of “active hope.” She’s an 80-something eco-philosopher, Christian I think by background; a world apart, on the[...]
Sukkahfest Reflections
November 27th, 2019
By Toby Shulruff My family and I live in Portland, Oregon – which is both geographically and symbolically out on the edges of American Jewish life. My husband and I work outside of Jewish community. Our neighborhood is a little oasis[...]
What Sukkahfest Means to Me
November 27th, 2019
By Rhonda Greif Upon entering Isabella Freedman you are greeted by a warm welcoming wooden sign “We are blessed by your arrival." This just about sums up the overall feeling of good cheer that surrounds Sukkahfest from beginning to end and stays[...]
Reflections from Israel & a Critical Error of Omission in the American Jewish Community
November 14th, 2019
By Nigel Savage Wednesday, November 13, 2019 | 15th Cheshvan 5780 Dear All, I got an inexpensive Airbnb near the marina in Ashkelon, to decompress for a day after the Israel Ride and to catch up with some work and write this email. Right now I’m[...]
What’s On Your Plate? Resources to support better food choices
November 11th, 2019
Dear green teams, leaders, provokers of thought and change! The compilation below is aimed to help you push for healthier and more sustainable nourishment in your communities and institutions. It is intended for all Jewish institutions, organizations, congregations and households. If these resources[...]
Meet the Hakhel Advisors: Noa
November 7th, 2019
Hakhel is an incubator for Jewish Intentional communities, and as such it provides members with a support package for three years. This support includes funding, training, networking, Israel trips, and the crown jewel: a personal professional advisor! Hakhel advisors provide communities[...]
Support Sustainable Agriculture Today!
November 5th, 2019
A gritty but incredibly important process called 'appropriations' is currently being hammered out between the House and Senate agriculture committees. Encourage your representatives to fully fund programs that support sustainable agriculture! Read on to find out how you can spend[...]
Building the Ark
October 31st, 2019
By Rabbi Nate DeGroot In Parashat Noach, God promised to never destroy the earth again (Gen 8.21). But that says nothing of our precarious power as humans to jeopardize our own future1. What could Noah have been thinking, we wonder2, as he[...]
Hazon Detroit: Shake Local
October 31st, 2019
Dear Friends, Our rabbis say (Tosafot, Suk. 37b) that when we shake the lulav and etrog on Sukkot, “the trees of the forest sing with joy.” So that got us to wondering, what are the conditions that might allow the trees[...]
An extraordinary gift from Greta Thunberg
October 17th, 2019
Thursday, October 17, 2019 | 4th day of Sukkot, 5780 Dear All, I get older and my Jewish journey evolves, but almost the only constant is a constantly deepening sense of how amazing the tradition is and how the pieces fit together. I say that[...]
Recipe: Cilantro Chutney
October 17th, 2019
This recipe comes to us from 2019 Hazon Food Conference Presenter Regina Mosenkis. Recipe from What to Eat for How You Feel: The New Ayurvedic Kitchen by Divya Alter (Rizzoli, 2017) This chutney and its variations are my favorites for improving any[...]
Recipe: Almond Milk Chai
October 17th, 2019
This recipe comes to us from 2019 Hazon Food Conference Presenter Regina Mosenkis. Recipe from What to Eat for How You Feel: The New Ayurvedic Kitchen by Divya Alter (Rizzoli, 2017) When I lived in India, I learned that chai is one[...]
Recipe: Bumuelos
October 17th, 2019
This recipe comes to us from 2019 Hazon Food Conference Presenter Susan Barocas. This is the only bumuelos recipe I’ve ever used, dating back over 50 years to growing up in Denver and modified only slightly since then. However, there are[...]
Recipe: Almond Milk
October 17th, 2019
This recipe comes to us from 2019 Hazon Food Conference Presenter Regina Mosenkis. Recipe from What to Eat for How You Feel: The New Ayurvedic Kitchen by Divya Alter (Rizzoli, 2017) I’ve taught this recipe to thousands of people and not a[...]
Recipe: Baklava Bites
October 17th, 2019
This recipe comes to us from 2019 Hazon Food Conference Presenter Susan Barocas. Ingredients 1 cup walnuts, chopped ½ cup pistachios, chopped 1/4 cup sugar 1/2 tsp cinnamon 1/8 tsp ground cloves 30 mini fillo shells Syrup: 1/2 cup sugar 1/2[...]
Why a Jewish Meditation Retreat?
October 11th, 2019
by Rabbi Jay Michaelson Why do mindfulness meditation in a Jewish context? These days, there are seemingly endless ways to meditate: in secular contexts, like mindfulness-based stress reduction; in a wide variety of Buddhist communities; at yoga classes. So why do Jewish? It’s[...]
The Ashamnu Prayer in the Year of Environmental Teshuva
October 8th, 2019
Yom Kippur 5780 An Invitation by Leah Palmer, Hakhel Administrative Director The “ashamnu” prayer from the Ashkenazic Yom Kippur service is once of the most iconic moments of the High Holiday prayers. The congregation stands in silence, beating their chests in regret[...]
Pre-Rosh Hashanah Gratitude
September 19th, 2019
Thursday, September 19, 2019 | 19th Elul 5779 Dear Friends, This is our last formal email before Rosh Hashanah. The year ends, the year begins. For Hazon, the year just ending is one of immense gratitude. One says that so lightly, as if[...]
L'dor Va'dor: Important Hazon Seal News for Elul
September 13th, 2019
Dear Hazon Seal sites, This month of Elul, as you reflect back, wrestle with personal and communal accounting, and contemplate the future, Hazon is here to support your personal and communal goals for environmental teshuva. What is teshuva? What is environmental teshuva?? All[...]
Opening my Eyes, Ears, and Lungs: Architecture Walk 2019
September 11th, 2019
We all know that every step we take can be important - but what about what we step on? What about what we step near? A few weeks ago, I learned that everything matters. From the type of concrete that I'm[...]
