Does your Jewish institution lack guiding principles for food procurement?

Do you desire for your Jewish institution’s food policy to be (more) ethically grounded?

Engage in the development of an ethical food statement rooted in your Jewish values!

Apply now to be a part of the inaugural Ta’amim Tovim, a cohort of local institutions working to develop ethical food statements. We’ll foster peer learning and the exchange of ideas, with exposure to local and national resources. Monthly meet-ups (November 2018 to May 2019, location TBD) will provide exposure to the variety of impacts and implications of institutional food choices.

Facilitated by Beantown Jewish Gardens, each institution will also have an individual consultation with the Jewish Initiative for Animals (JIFA). Time between sessions will include readings and opportunities for conversations, interviews and investigative work. Upon completion, each institution will produce a proposal for their institutional review, with the potential opportunity to apply for a mini-grant at the completion of the cohort.

The application process will require:

  • Must include at least three persons per institution, preferably from a variety of perspectives or levels of institutional engagement (i.e. education staff, professional staff, lay leadership, clergy, students, etc.)
  • Commitment to send representation to participate (ideally in person) for each of the monthly sessions
  • Articulation of what you hope to gain from participation, as well as consideration of how you might educate and engage your community of affiliation during and after the cohort
  • Commitment to respect the affiliations and starting assumptions of other participating institutions
  • Commitment of $180 for participation

DEADLINE TO APPLY: Oct. 26, 2018

The application is found at http://bit.ly/TaamimTovim.

Potential topics will include:

  • Institutional assessment and creating change
  • Delving into our contemporary food system, including sourcing, consuming and disposal
  • Responsible and sustainable sourcing of animal products and their alternatives
  • National and local resources and speakers
  • Educational program opportunities
  • Considerations for food policies and example policies

Questions? Contact Leora@beantownjewishgardens.org.

Who we are:

Founded in 2011, Beantown Jewish Gardens is building community through experiential food and agriculture education rooted in Jewish text, tradition and culture in the Greater Boston area. We are engaged in the question of how to feed ourselves and the world in a just and sustainable manner by exploring the myriad agricultural and food traditions of our people, breathing new life into Jewish traditions, holidays and political actions. Historical frameworks, tradition and ancestors’ stories offer guidance to tackle understanding and shifting our contemporary food system.

We are rooted in the Jewish values of:

  • L’ovda ul’shomra – To Till and To Tend: Being responsible stewards of the earth
  • Gemilut chasadim – Bestowing Kindnesses: Being responsible stewards of each other
  • Tikkun olam – Repairing the World: Being responsible stewards for the next generation

The Jewish Initiative for Animals supports innovative programs to turn Jewish values of compassion for animals into action and build Jewish American communities in the process.

We pursue this work through:

  • Education: We collaborate with Jewish nonprofit organizations—camps, synagogues, youth groups, community centers, schools, college programs and more—to produce educational resources that will spark inquiry into how Jewish values should interact with how we treat animals.
  • Expert consultation: We provide expert consultation to Jewish institutions that serve animal products to assist them in lowering meat consumption and finding higher welfare sources. We’ll even help your Jewish institution set up new supply chains so that any animal products you serve truly represent your community’s values.

JIFA is an initiative of Farm Forward, a team of strategists, campaigners and thought leaders guiding the movement to change the way our world eats and farms. They implement innovative strategies to promote conscientious food choices, reduce farmed animal suffering and advance sustainable agriculture.

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