Food for Thought: A Conversation about Food, Sustainable Communities and the Environment

On Sunday, April 6, 2014 at 9 am, Congregation B’nai Israel (CBI) in Rumson will host one of the most important thinkers on Judaism and the environment, Nigel Savage, founder and Executive Director of Hazon.  Savage will lead a discussion about the relationship between Jewish texts and traditions and the food we eat. Following the presentation, the audience will be invited to participate in small group discussions about the topic of food and sustainability as it relates to Judaism and the world beyond. Free and open to the public, the event will include a buffet brunch, with kosher, organic, sustainable food.

“We are thrilled to welcome Nigel Savage to Monmouth County,” said Susan Alderson, Youth Director at CBI.  “This public lecture is part of an ongoing series of adult and youth education programs related to the environment.  Last year, we received a Mini-Grant from Hazon to support an in-house program called PLANT, LEARN, GROW which integrates Hazon education materials into the religious school curriculum.  With this lecture by Savage, we hope to inspire adults to understand more about where our food comes from, environmental sustainability and how this relates to our modern Jewish lives.”  

Hazon means vision and its’ mission is to create healthier and more sustainable Jewish communities in the Jewish world and beyond.  Hazon, which has been recognized by the Sierra Club as one of the 50 leading faith-based environmental organizations, seeks to effect change in the world through transformative experiences, thought-leadership and capacity-building. Savage founded Hazon in 2000 and was named a member of the “Forward 50”, the Jewish Daily Forward’s 2008 list of the 50 most influential Jewish people in the United States.  He has an MA in history from Georgetown University and studied at the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies, the Yakar Center for Tradition and Creativity and The Hebrew University. 

Admission to the lecture and brunch is free but seating is limited and a reservation is required. RSVP to www.cbirumson.org or call Emilie Kovit-Meyer at 732-842-1800 x203. For more information about Hazon, visit www.Hazon.org.

This lecture is supported by a grant from the Jewish Federation of Monmouth County.  For more information about the Jewish Federation of Monmouth County, visit www.jewishmonmouth.org.

CBI is located at 171 Ridge Road at the corners of Hance and Ridge Roads in Rumson, New Jersey.  Serving the Jewish community for more than 90 years, the synagogue serves as a spiritual home for families throughout Monmouth County and provides religious education for preschoolers to adults and hosts social and civic functions for the community.