Is It Rabbinic Malpractice?

In my 91 years, I have been involved with many rabbis. And, without exception, I have found them to be extremely dedicated, helping Jews lead lives based on Jewish values and traditions. Because of this, I am very hesitant to be critical of them, but I feel I must raise one case where the failure of the vast majority to speak out is contributing to the world rapidly heading toward climate and other environmental catastrophes.

That this is happening is visible in rising temperatures, melting ice caps, intensifying wildfires, devastating floods, and increasingly unpredictable weather patterns.

Every decade since the 1970s has been warmer than the previous one. All the 26 years of this century are among the 27 hottest on record, with 2023 and 2024 breaking global temperature records, and 2025 close behind. Polar ice caps and glaciers are melting at alarming rates, sea levels are rising, and extreme weather events are becoming more frequent and severe.

Some recent headlines illustrate the seriousness of the situation:“The planet is on the brink of irreversible climate disaster,” “Earth nears climate tipping points,” “We’re within years of crossing critical thresholds,” and “An extremely dangerous future looms.” Scientific consensus is clear: without immediate and systemic change, we are heading toward environmental catastrophe.

The major cause of climate threats that is generally not sufficiently considered is animal-based agriculture. Over 40 percent of the world’s ice-free land is used for grazing animals growing crops to feed them. This staggering land use has come at an enormous ecological cost. Over the course of human history, the number of trees on Earth has been reduced by roughly half—from an estimated six trillion to just three trillion. Trees are among the planet’s most powerful means for absorbing carbon dioxide, and their loss has played a major role in pushing atmospheric CO₂ levels from approximately 285 parts per million (ppm) at the dawn of the industrial era to over 425 ppm today—well beyond the 350 ppm threshold climate scientists associate with long-term climate stability.

Much attention has rightly been paid to transitioning away from fossil fuels, expanding renewable energy, improving transportation efficiency, and reducing waste. These steps are essential. But they are not sufficient on their own.

The most impactful change individuals can make today is a shift toward plant-based diets. Reducing animal agriculture would free vast amounts of land for reforestation, dramatically increasing the planet’s capacity to absorb carbon dioxide. It would also sharply reduce greenhouse gas emissions, particularly methane from cattle—an extraordinarily potent gas that traps heat more than 80 times as effectively as CO₂ in the short term. No other lifestyle shift offers comparable benefits across climate mitigation, land use, water conservation, biodiversity protection, and public health.

Here is where the Jewish connection comes in. The animal-based agriculture that is the major cause of climate change seriously violates fundamental Jewish teachings on preserving our health, treating animals with compassion, protecting the environment, conserving natural resources, and reducing hunger.

Based on the above realities, rabbis should urge their congregants to reduce, and preferably eliminate, their consumption of meat and other animal products. If that happened and was well publicized, leaders of other religions would likely join, and that would make a major difference, helping leave a habitable, healthy, and environmentally sustainable world for future generations.

Judaism has long emphasized core values that align directly with plant-based living: pikuach nefesh (the preservation of life), tza’ar ba’alei chayim (preventing animal suffering), bal tashchit (the prohibition against waste), and tikkun olam (our obligation to repair the world). In an era when food choices have global consequences, these values are not abstract ideals—they involve daily decisions.

Plant-based eating is not a fringe or impractical ideal. Today’s abundance of accessible, affordable plant-based foods makes it easier than ever to align our diets with our ethics. As organizations like Jewish Vegan Life emphasize, environmental responsibility is not a departure from Jewish tradition but a fulfillment of it. Their work connecting Jewish wisdom to ecological action—including education on how food systems impact climate—demonstrates how ancient teachings can guide urgently needed modern change. (Learn more about the environmental impact of food choices here: https://jewishveganlife.org/environment/)

The stakes could not be higher. Climate experts warn that we may be approaching irreversible tipping points beyond which warming accelerates and becomes beyond human control. And yet, denial and inertia remain widespread. Too often, society behaves as if minor adjustments will suffice—as if we are rearranging deck chairs while the ship heads steadily toward disaster.

It is noteworthy that some rabbis have urged shifts toward plant-based diets. They include Rabbi David Rosen, former Chief Rabbi of Ireland, Rabbi Akiva Gersh, “the vegan rabbi,’’Rabbi Nathan Lopes Cardozo, founder and dean of the David Cardozo Academy and author of several Judaica books, including the best selling, “Jewish Law as Rebellion: A Plea for Religious Authenticity,” and Rabbi Yonatan Neril, founder and director of the Interfaith Center for Sustainable Development, and author of several books, including Eco-Bible, Volumes One and Two. Also, the Center for Jewish Food Ethics issued a positive statement on plant-based diets, signed by over 200 rabbis, rabbinical students, and cantors. However, much more needs to be done to break through the current apathy and resistance.

I am not a rabbi, but for over five decades I have worked to raise awareness within the Jewish community about the ethical, environmental, and spiritual case for plant-based living. Through my books such as “Judaism and Vegetarianism’ (three editions) and “Vegan Revolution: Saving the World, Revitalizing Judaism,” hundreds of articles, including over 300 at Jewish-Vegan.org, thousands of published letters, and sustained engagement with rabbis and Jewish institutions, I have sought to spark dialogue grounded in Jewish values. Despite these efforts—and despite what I believe is a compelling Jewish moral case—the issue has received far less rabbinic attention than its urgency warrants. It is with deep respect for rabbinic leadership and profound concern that I reluctantly ask the question posed in this article: Is this silence becoming a form of rabbinic malpractice?

Judaism has never been a tradition that looks away from moral crises. At pivotal moments in history, Jews have been called to lead—not by power, but by conscience. Today, that calling is once again before us.

There is no Planet B. There is no effective Plan B.
What remains is a choice: whether we summon the courage to change, or wait until change is no longer possible.

Addressing the environmental devastation caused by animal-based agriculture must become a central organizing principle of Jewish life today. It is essential that rabbis help make this happen by increasing awareness of the many negative effects of animal-based diets. The future of our planet—and of generations yet to come—depends on it.

Michael Gribov, director of movement building for  Jewish Vegan Life contrinuted to this article