As a Jewish woman, I grew up always knowing the importance of our natural world.

From a very young age, I was taught that humans are the stewards of the Earth and we must protect it. I learned that destroying the environment is unjust and that nature and the miracle of its inner workings are to always be worshipped.

In the Jewish religion, many holidays celebrate trees and the nature around us and much can be learned from these festivals and practices.

With Sukkot having just passed, there is no time to speak out about the environment like the present. 

Sukkot is the Jewish festival of the harvest. 

Some traditions and practices include building sukkahs (traditional huts or tabernacles) and decorating them with various produce, eating harvest foods, and celebrating the four special species of the harvest (lemons, date palms with myrtle and willow sprigs, myrtle boughs, and willow branches). This festival is a part of the end of the High Holy Days, the most important set of holidays in Judaism. 

Placing such importance on the harvest and a celebration of nature gives Jews a different kind of appreciation for the Earth as we recognize the beauty of the world around us.

In addition, in the springtime, Jews celebrate the holiday of Tu Bishvat, which is known as the birthday of trees. We celebrate this holiday as a reminder of our duty to protect the environment. 

Many Jews participate in the holiday by cleaning local parks, planting trees, eating fruits grown from trees, and going outside and enjoying nature. Many synagogues even send money to Israel for trees to be planted in their congregants’ honor.

The importance of the environment that Judaism teaches can also be taught to those of other religions. 

Judaism emphasizes paying attention to what lives around us and all that it provides. Jews teach about the balance between humans and nature and that both should be equally lively. We all should play more of a role in protecting our home, and Judaism has always worked to promote exactly that. The Earth is dying, and only we can fix it.

So, how do Jews work to protect nature, and what can others take away from these sacred practices? 

One easy thing we can all do is to take part in a Tu Bishvat tradition and clean up a local park or natural area. Paying attention to the environment even just in a small community can make a huge difference and aligns with Jewish tradition. Participating in Jewish festivals involving trees or harvests also promotes environmentalism and collaboration through all religions. 

Another easy thing to do is donate to have a tree planted in a local area or even in Israel. 

Talk to your Jewish friends about their values regarding the environment and learn something about the philosophies we should all consider adopting. 

Protecting our Earth should be important to everyone, regardless of religion or ethnicity. We can only reverse the damage already done if we work together. 

Action must start today, for us and our futures.

Editor’s note: This is a new monthly column written by a student at Patrick Henry High School. This month’s column is written by Grace Levine.

Top photo credit: Pixabay.com