More than 70 rabbis from around the world have signed a declaration calling on Jews to adopt a vegan diet.
The rabbis, including several from Britain, have supported a statement issued by the Jewish Vegetarian Society, which urged ‘their fellow Jews to transition toward animal-free plant-based diets.
As part of central principles of the Jewish tradition, not causing pain to another living creature is an essential aspect.
The statement, which was also supported by UK Masorti Rabbis Jonathan Wittenberg and Jeremy Gordon, asks all individuals with Jewish beliefs to consider veganism.
According to the Jewish Vegetarian Society: “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.”
One of America’s prominent Conservative rabbis, David Wolpe, also added: “Tza’ar ba’alei chayim, not causing pain to another living creature, is a central principle of the Jewish tradition.
“We violate it every time we eat something that we know was factory farmed, was debeaked, declawed, was treated cruelly.”
