AS Americans repeat their centuries-old folly of inflaming anti-immigrant passions, we might remind ourselves that the Torah commands us 36 separate times to love or provide for the stranger.
Thats more than for Shabbat, sacrifices, Yom Kippur or kashrut. Its a good idea to recall this Torah commandment at Sukkot, when its a mitzvah to invite families, friends, neighbors and even sukkah-less strangers to our booths. We were strangers once in the Land of Egypt, and G-d, Moses and our rabbinic sages apparently dont want us making the same mistakes with strangers that the ancient Egyptians made with us.
Torah commandments are made to set ideals for us. Were fear- and scarcity- driven animals, whose intellects (cerebral cortex) are constantly wrestling with our fight-or-flight lizard brains (amygdala).
This leads us to often act irrationally. But our intellects are determined and persistent, and over the millennia, theyve led us past superstition and brutality to wiser places.
That will help us focus on how well survive on this climate-challenged planet.
THE key to survival is re-imagining our social contract. Its the invitation behind every commandment in the Torah how can we choose to better relate to and work with each other?
Currently, we see everything in economic terms, as in, Its the economy, stupid!
But its really the people in each economy who create the impact on our planet. People are the bottom line.
Until recently, economists magically separated the economy from its social and ecological consequences, rejecting them as externalities with no bearing on business. Now, we know better. Our new perspective, sustainable business, promotes a triple bottom line of equity, ecology and economy.
It is possible in business, as Starbucks, Nike, 3M, Costco, REI, Patagonia and hundreds of other companies have shown, to treat people well, and reduce environmental impacts.
But to be a sustainable business, a firm must stay in business. And even though societal responsibilities are spelled out in every corporations charter, profit concerns still trump people and planet for most of them.
Businesses are also hampered by their sizes: the more national or global the enterprise, the less its owners, executives and managers connect with local, social and environmental consequences.
But the more local and regional the business, the more it connects with people and planet. Do you see a pattern here?
ONE way to re-imagine the social contract is by voting with your dollars. This supports local and regional enterprises that take good care of the people and places where they do business. Were bound in Judaism to pursue justice and do mitzvot. What are the incentives for such good behavior? Potentially, more civic engagement, less pollution and illness, better uses of resources, more jobs, more local investment. In short, better lives for us all.
Another way to help re-imagine, and engage in the social contract is by joining the tikkun olam or social action committee at your temple or synagogue.
The Reform, Reconstructionist, Conservative and Orthodox movements have all initiated offices or resource centers to promote earth-healing actions.
Several independent Jewish organizations also promote them.
American Jewish World Service is dedicated to alleviating poverty, hunger and disease among people across the globe,
COEJL, the Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life, creates distinctively Jewish responses to the environmental crisis,
Hazon works to create a healthier and more sustainable Jewish community and world for all.
Repair the World works to make service to those in need a defining part of American Jewish life.
The sukkahs eye view makes the world seem simple and clear. To paraphrase the Shema and Ki Tavo: Be kind to the earth, and it will be kind to you. You are the key and how kind you are to others.
Copyright © 2010 by the Intermountain Jewish News
