New environmental group aims to enlist haredim
JPost.com
By MATTHEW WAGNER
Global warming, the thinning ozone layer and the greenhouse =
effect are not presently at the top of the haredi community's priority =
list, but an organization known as Haredim Le'sviva (Haredim for the =
Environment) wants to change that.=20
Not only desecration of Shabbat by El Al or the sale of =
immodest clothing in Bnei Brak and Jerusalem will be at the forefront of =
haredi interests if Haredim Le'sviva has its way, but also educating =
against littering and encouraging recycling.=20
In the first conference of its kind, haredi MKs and a dozen =
local government politicians together with Tel Aviv Chief Rabbi Meir =
Lau, will meet Monday in Bnei Brak to discuss recycling, air and noise =
pollution and the adverse effects of cellular phone antennas.=20
Environment Minister Gideon Ezra will also attend the =
conference. McCann Erickson, an ad agency with a haredi department, will =
be sponsoring the gathering.=20
So far none of the major haredi halachic authorities has =
come out publicly in support of the move and without their support it is =
doubtful that Haredim Le'sviva's initiative will gain momentum.=20
However, according to Yehudah Ganut, a young haredi educator =
from Petah Tikva who founded the organization several years ago, two =
prominent rabbis are backing his organization. Rabbi Yitzhak =
Zilberstein, an expert in medicine and halacha, and Rabbi Shmuel Eliezer =
Stern, a member of Rabbi Shmuel Halevi Vozner's rabbinic court, both =
support increasing haredi awareness to environmental issues.=20
Akiva Briland, a member of Haredim Le'sviva, told The =
Jerusalem Post that there were many classical Jewish sources supporting =
environmental protection.=20
"For instance, Jewish law states that a tree must be planted =
50 amot (25 meters) from the city out of consideration for the landscape =
and the Midrash [homiletic rabbinic commentary] warns man to be careful =
not to destroy the world," said Briland.=20
Briland and Ganut say that haredim realize the importance of =
protecting the environment, but they have yet to be mobilized.=20
According to a survey conducted by Mutagim, a leading =
pollster, 94% of haredim surveyed said that protecting the environment =
was important. Some 72% said they were bothered by air pollution and the =
same amount said they wanted to live in a green setting.=20
In a related development, the government set in motion =
Sunday a recycling bill that would include as refundable 1.5 to 2 liter =
plastic bottles. The government set up a committee that is supposed to =
prepare the legislation within a month. The Sephardi haredi Shas party =
has opposed the bill, arguing that it would hurt large families. Shas =
said that including the bigger bottles as eligible for a deposit refund =
would raise the price by half a shekel.=20
"We do not have enough refund outlets for the bottles," MK =
Amnon Cohen (Shas). "So haredi families will pay the extra price without =
getting their money back."=20
Haredim Le'sviva recommended allowing non-profit =
organizations to collect the bottles, thus encouraging citizens to =
recycle them.=20
Briland said that in Bnei Brak last year, four million =
bottles were returned for refunds.
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