Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis has called for urgent action by the Jewish community to tackle the climate crisis as the United Synagogue unveiled a new green strategy.

Writing exclusively for the JC ahead of Tu Bishvat this Sunday, Rabbi Mirvis quotes a lesson from the Midrash.

“Each one of us has a responsibility to safeguard and protect the planet we all share,” he writes.

“Not only for those who inhabit the earth now, but for the sake of all future generations.”

Rabbi Mirvis, who attended the COP26 world summit last year, also refers to the Talmud maxim that a wise person “anticipates the consequences of their behaviour”.

“It has never been more important for humanity to anticipate the consequences of our continued reliance on phenomena such as fossil fuels and unsustainable manufacturing processes,” he writes.

“Can we now rise to this epoch-defining challenge and safeguard the planet for the sake of our descendants?”

His intervention came as his office and the United Synagogue announced plans to phase out disposables, rewild unused land, investigate their investment portfolio for ecological gains and conduct a green audit of shuls.

The scheme, named Dorot – Hebrew for “generations” – includes an employee electric car leasing scheme and plans to plant 37,000 trees, to mark the Queen’s Jubilee celebration this year.

“Our hope is that these changes will, in turn, inspire the hearts and minds of those right across our communities, to act responsibly in their own lives,” the Chief Rabbi writes.
Masorti Rabbi Jonathan Wittenberg hailed “the passion and practicality” of Chief Rabbis’ response.

Liberal Judaism CEO Rabbi Charley Baginsky also welcomed Rabbi Mirvis’ message, saying: “The fact that the Chief Rabbi of the United Synagogue is making a commitment, not just saying words but actually leading with actions, is wonderful.

“From my experience of Rabbi Mirvis, he’s not one to close his eyes to that urgency. He’s a leader and I respect him for that and his leadership.”

Israel’s ambassador to the UK, Tzipi Hotovely, said: “As we celebrate the Jewish New Year for trees and continue to be mindful of our ecological impact, the words of Chief Rabbi Mirvis could not be more pertinent and, indeed, much can be learned from his passage in illustrating the need for wise and proactive leadership in combating climate change.

“Only three months ago we took part in COP26, as Israeli leaders joined counterparts from around the world, cooperating to address global warming, including with the use of Israeli technology.

“We showed that although we are a small country, we can have a large impact via our cooperation with partners around the globe.

“And so, once again, I wish a happy Tu B’Shevat to all those celebrating in the UK and around the world”.