The climate crisis is a spiritual crisis, a crisis in how we think and what we value. For decades, I have been wondering and wandering through the texts of my tradition, endeavoring to illuminate the deep ecological culture at the heart of Judaism and the Hebrew Bible.
Rabbi, Author, Scholar, Creative; Founder, Shomrei Adamah, first national Jewish environmental organization
To read Toward a Holy Ecology is to partake in a garden of delights. . . Enlivening the senses, it nurtures a deepened ecological and embodied spirituality. . .eminently accessible and beautiful.
— Rabbi Nancy Flam, Co-founder National Center for Jewish Healing, and The Institute for Jewish Spirituality
The lushness of Ellen Bernstein’s eco-sensitive commentary on the Song of Songs is worthy of the original, which says a great deal about the ingenuity and power of her work. This uplifting and enlivening book is a wondrous gift to all who love the earth, inviting us to find solace in the Bible's most erotic and egalitarian text.
— Rabbi Jill Hammer, PhD, The Jewish Book of Days: A Companion for All Seasons
Magnificent. An extraordinary contribution to 21st century Jewish life. . .Tells the profoundly Jewish story of our relationship to the land, building a seamless connection between the Seder as we know it and the Seder as a window into the ecology of our lives.
—Ruth Messinger, Global Ambassador for American Jewish World Service
Beautiful. . . Will reopen the wonder of Passover, adding a deep layer of connection to the planet making old rituals new for the 21st century.
—Bill McKibben, Founder, Third Act, Author, Falter: Has the Human Game begun to Play Itself Out?
Ellen Bernstein makes it possible to find answers in the Bible to questions no previous generation has had to ask. A book rich in valuable insights.
—Rabbi Harold Kushner, Why Bad Things Happen to Good People
A gem, beautifully written. . .Here Bernstein joins the ranks of naturalists like Annie Dillard.
—Sandee Brawarsky, Book critic, The N.Y. Jewish Week
Rekindles what Jewish philosopher Abraham Joshua Heschel called “radical amazement.” A lyrical synthesis of the wisdom of the Bible and Bernstein’s passion for nature.
— Art Carey, The Philadelphia Inquirer
A masterpiece! This seder gives new life and language to Tu B’Shvat. . .A fresh and very meaningful expression of tradition.
Dr. Tamara Cohn Eshkenazi, editor, The Torah: A Women’s Commentary; professor, Hebrew Union College
Awakens the soul from the alienating sleep of technological civilization. In this powerful and poetic haggadah, Bernstein revives Judaism's timeless affirmation of life, blending ancient text with contemporary teaching to renew our appreciation of creation and to challenge us to reconsider our place in nature and the way we live.
A New Year for the Trees doesn't merely renew Tu B'Shvat; it re-invents it.
— Rabbi Rami Shapiro, author, Minyan, The Ethics of the Sages, Tanya, the Masterpiece of Hasidic Wisdom
Pioneering. . .This book comes as a blessing. . .A winning, eclectic mix linking Judaism and ecology.
—Rabbi Irving Greenberg, Founding President of CLAL; President, Jewish Life Network
Brings out the ecological soul of Judaism. . .Reawakens Jewish spirituality to its own glad reverence for Earth.
—Joanna Macy, author, World as Lover, World as Self
Deftly crafted. . .a treasure-trove of tools and insights for following the deep roots of Judaism in the soil of this planet.
—Steve Curwood, host of National Public Radio's Living on Earth
Invaluable for everyone who is looking with an open mind for a deeper truth. While much has been written about the folk wisdom of Native Americans and the ecological insights of the Buddha, here, Bernstein and Fink find the ecological riches in Judaism.
—Denis Hayes President, Founder, Earth Day, The Bullitt Foundation
This book will train a whole generation of Jews to see the world—and their own tradition—through new eyes. Its authors deserve our profound thanks.
—Rabbi Art Green, A Guide to the Zohar, Ehyeh: A Kabbalah for Tomorrow