Avi Rubel is the North American Director of Masa Israel Journey, the umbrella organization for immersion programs in Israel for young adults (18-30). When not sending people to Israel, Avi can be found making cheese, bread, kombucha or fermenting or pickling all kinds of goodies in his Brooklyn apartment and recording his adventures on his food blog, Make Cheese Not War. In the weeks after the Hazon Food Conference, he shared some of his thoughts about his experience with Hazon in California.

Click below to read his posts:

• Preserved Lemons from Joan Nathan
• The Food Conference

Other posts of interest, especially to Brooklynites like me might include:

• Kombucha the Brooklyn Way
• The Bees and the Bees
• Women in Cheese in NYC

Enjoy! and thanks, Avi, for sharing.

Thanks to Rachael Don for this guest post! Rachael is a Registered Dietitian in training and co-editor of the Jess Schwartz Jewish Community Day School’s Hazon CSA newsletter in Scottsdale, AZ.  A former healthcare administrator, she holds an MBA and a Masters in Health Services Administration. When she’s not cooking organic vegetables, Rachael is caring for her three young sons and husband, David in Phoenix, AZ. She shares these thoughts with the readers of that newsletter and all of you!

They won’t buy healthy food. They don’t have time to cook healthy food. And they don’t want healthy food. Karyn Moskowitz wouldn’t accept those answers from critics who tried to justify the lack of affordable, healthy food in low-income areas of Kentucky. Karyn tried to do something about it. And she has proved the critics wrong. Here’s her story.

I am sharing some ideas of the New Jewish Food Movement, learned from my attendance at the 2009 Hazon Food Conference. There I studied a bit about “Food Deserts.” The term refers to the disparate availability of healthy food between low and middle/upper income neighborhoods. Access to healthy food is taken for granted by many of us in our sea of food options. However, in low income areas there are drastically limited food choices, leading to higher rates of food-related disease among the poor.

Karyn Moskowitz has tackled the problem of a Food Desert in her own community of Louisville, Kentucky. Inspired by her own attendance at an earlier Hazon Food Conference, and her previous organizing experience, Karyn founded New Roots, a nonprofit organization that developed a plan of action and has successfully attacked the assumptions behind the critics’ justifications of the Food Desert.

New Roots program, called the Fresh Stop Project, operates similarly to a CSA and connects farmers with low income communities. Because there is a direct relationship between the farm and the market, the distribution costs are avoided, making it both profitable for the farmer and affordable to the consumer. Karyn and her small organization of volunteers travel each week during the Kentucky growing season (June-October) to Amish farms and produce auctions located between 50 and 100 miles from Louisville. They load a truck with produce and deliver it to various churches where the food is distributed. Members pay on a weekly basis, and are charged on a sliding scale. A share costs $24 per week for a full share and $12 per week for a half share, but may be discounted based on need. What Karyn and others have found is that the operation can still be profitable for the farmer as long as 80% of the members pay the full cost.

New Roots makes no attempt to create their own member communities. Rather, they tap into established resources, such as church ministries, and create partnerships with the church members. Through this simple model, New Roots has brought fresh, healthy produce to places where it would otherwise be unavailable.

Karyn is but one example of how a single person can make a difference, and presents ideas we can ponder to combat the Food Desert problem that exists just miles away from our own community.

Feel free to contact Karyn at Kmoskowitz@sbcglobal.net or (502) 475-8979. New Roots is accepting interns for the 2010 produce season, and would love to be invited to any community to speak about the Fresh Stop Project. Donations and other correspondence can be sent to New Roots, Inc. P.O. Box 4421, Louisville, KY 40204-4421.

Learn with Hazon’s Executive Director and Founder, Nigel Savage, get updates about our work to build a healthier and more sustainable Jewish community and a healthier and more sustainable world for all. Participate in the conversation as we explore the dynamic interplay of food, Jewish tradition and contemporary life.

Sowing the Seeds of the New Jewish Food Movement
Bonai Shalom, Boulder
Thursday, 2/18 at 7 pm

Sustainable NEXT Shabbat with Birthright Israel NEXT
University of Denver Hillel, 2390 S. Race Street, Denver
Email Sarah Kornhauser for more information and to RSVP.
Limited seats available!
Friday, 2/19 at 7 pm

Climate Change, Jewish Food Movement and a New Vision
Dvar Torah at Congregation Rodef Shalom, Denver
Saturday, 2/20, Shabbat morning services begin at 9 am

“Food For Thought” & special tour of the Udi’s Artisan Bakery in Louisville co-sponsored with Ekar, Denver’s Urban Farm
Saturday, 2/20 at 7 pm
Click here to RSVP.

and, from our friends at the Hazon Tuv Ha’Aretz CSA in Boulder, 18 Pomegranates and the Teva Learning Center:

Havdallah Sing-along and Ice Cream with the Topsy Turvey Bus Tour
Bonai Shalom, Boulder
Saturday, 2/20 6:15 pm

This year The Covenant Foundation made it possible for all members of our Jewish Food Education Network, JFEN, to attend the entire Food Conference, including a special pre-conference track designed specifically for those involved and  interested in the field of Jewish Food Education.

“I feel really positive about the energy and engagement here,” said [star educator Vicky] Kelman, who presented a session on the centrality of family mealtime in Jewish culture and consciousness. “There is tremendous commitment and passion around JFEN and Jewish food education.

Click here to read the whole story about the Covenant Foundation’s grant-in-action and don’t forget to play the stunning slideshow that accompanies it.

Hazon staff love granola. We’re blessed to often get home-made batches from our colleagues, but when we need granola for 600+, we turn to Udi’s Granola. Udi and his team have been supporters of the Hazon Food Conference for years. And, if that wasn’t enough to convince us that we like them, Udi’s Granola was a winner in the  San Francisco Chronicle’s granola reviews. Here’s what they said in the article:

Panelists described the first-place Udi’s ($4.99/13 ounces at Whole Foods) as “toasty and nutty,” with “a mild honey flavor” and “nice small flakes.” They liked the “oaty-ness” and “simple flavor” and thought it had an “old-fashioned taste.” Two would buy this brand, two might and one would not.

Read the rest of the review by clicking here.

Udi’s will also host a special gathering of Hazon foodies in a few weeks. Nigel Savage, Hazon’s Founder and Executive Director will teach and then we’ll get to go on a bakery tour! Click here to learn more about Hazon’s visit to Colorado, Feb. 18-20.

Andrew Udell is a 16 year old student at the Abraham Joshua Heschel School in New York City. Andrew is a co-founder, together with his friends Lizzie Davis and Skyler Siegel, of Veguary. I asked him a few questions about his plan to help save the world one month at a time.

What is Veguary and how did it start?

One day at shul, my Rabbi posed a question to our smaller minyan about our effect on the world.  One thought led to the next, and I just started thinking about how eating meat affects the world.  I decided to do some more research about vegetarianism, and I came across some really daunting facts that were difficult to handle, yet important to know. I wanted to try out being a vegetarian for a little while. I started doing some more thinking, one thing led to the next, and with the help of a few friends, we founded Veguary and built the site in a few months. Veguary refers to the second month of the year, in which those enthusiastic about fighting global warming, improving their health, or making a positive difference in the world commit to reducing or eliminating their meat intake by pledging on our website at www.veguary.org.

Why February? Was it for the name?

I did think Veguary had a nice ring to it, but more importantly, it gave the Veguary team enough time to set up the site and spread the word.  It’s also the shortest month, so for those that just want to learn about reducing their meat intake and the benefits of vegetarianism, it’s not too big of a commitment.

You were recently at the Hazon Food Conference. Tell me something about your experience there as a teen, and has it changed how you feel about food and Jewish life?

Being at the Hazon Food Conference was a remarkable experience – I had never done anything like it.  Being there as a teen was even better – there were so many people at the conference that were really educated about sustainability, I was really able to learn so much from all of them. For me, it added a whole new layer to environmentalism. I struggled on how to connect Judaism to my environmental interests, but with the conference, you realize that these ideas are so intertwined with each other. Whether it was connecting Jewish tradition to my environmental interests, or Jewish teachings, the possibilities are endless.

This isn’t your only environmental project. Tell me about some other green initiatives you’ve been a part of.

With the help of Hazon, I spoke at an NYC community board to lobby for Upper West Side bike lanes.  I continue to work Hazon to make sure that NYC gets these bike lanes. I have been involved with many other projects, but one other current one is the Sustainability Committee at my school, where we focus on greening our high school (and the plans for the new school building for the lower and middle school) as well as educating lower school students about the environment.

What about Varch? Will you be back on the meat next month?

That’s a great question! To be honest, I do think I will be eating meat on Shabbat. However, I really don’t think people have to become vegetarians full year round – the purpose of Veguary is to educate about the harms of our over-consumption of meat. The Veguary team hopes that people will feel compelled to reduce their meat intake (drastically) because of the facts we have presented; however, cutting out meat entirely is not absolutely necessary.

You can learn more and pledge to be a veg at veguary.org

Upon walking into the Birthright Israel NEXT salon at Hazon, I could feel the excitement and energy in the room. Dozens of people were talking, laughing, re-connecting and of course eating on this first night of the conference. This high-energy atmosphere permeated every event I attended during the conference… and did I mention there was lots of eating?

Now, looking back on my time at the Hazon Food Conference in Monterey, California, I wanted to share what the conference meant to me, and how the energy of the event has continued to stay with me.

I was a sponsored attendee from Birthright Israel NEXT for my work with Bet My Life Charities, a non-profit seeking to advance athletic participation while raising money for worthy causes (we train and educate athletes to compete in everything from 5k races to Ironman Triathlons). I wanted to attend in order to increase my knowledge about nutrition, since any athletic plan cannot ignore food and lifestyle.

But besides a more thorough understanding of food and how it affects our bodies, I walked away from the conference with a renewed and invigorated pride in my Jewish heritage. Nigel Savage, the Director of Hazon, spoke to the NEXT group on our first evening in Monterey. He emphasized that, while we as Jews often dwell on the negative aspects of our past, Hazon’s focus is spreading an optimistic outlook and creating real and positive change throughout our local communities.

This idea of bringing positive change struck a chord in me – and obviously the 600 other participants at the conference, since this enthusiasm was a tangible force visible on everyone’s faces – from the lectures on urban farming and vegetarianism, to composting and how to make sourdough bagels, I walked away with a real sense of Jewish community that compares only to my 10-day Taglit Birthright Israel trip two years ago.

Some of my favorite memories from the conference are little things that show this energy in action (and many of them are totally separated from the food movement); the joyous Havdalah service with hundreds of people singing and dancing to live musicians and drummers, the Saturday night “Chai House” which featured flawless poetry, singing and stories from people brave enough to bare it all in a poetry slam setting and, of course, I cannot forget the bike ride I took with several new friends I met through our affiliation with Birthright Israel NEXT along the Pacific Ocean and Pebble Beach Golf Course.

Now that we’ve returned from a fun filled weekend including overeating and Shabbat beachside services, the other Chicago-based participants and I are spearheading a campaign to bring some “Hazon-type” activities to Chicago. Hopefully in the coming weeks and months our ideas will take shape, and who knows, maybe we’ll have an urban garden in Lakeview, or a widespread and sustainable Jewish CSA for people of all ages, or a lecture series incorporating Jewish themes and our relationship to organic sustainable food.

I expected to have a fun time and meet some good people at Hazon, but I walked away with a lot more than I bargained for (and a few extra pounds I’m trying to work off). The Hazon Food Conference presented me with the resources, knowledge and a platform to incorporate these food-based, positive changes into my life and hopefully others’ – and I want to give back, so my local community isn’t stuck dwelling on the past, but preparing for the future.

Again, the vigor of the 600 other participants is something I’ve rarely seen, and has to be experienced to be fully comprehended. Amazing events like this make me so proud to be a Jew – and I cannot wait to help the Hazon cause and get more local people excited about our history, rich culture and our drive to make the world a better place through the information I gained at the Hazon Food Conference.

What would Moses drive? This was the title of a session on climate change at the Hazon Food Conference, held December 24 to 27 in Pacific Grove, Calif. Indeed, this is a question for the ages. Or for right now.

The conference came just a few days after the close of the United Nations’ climate talks in Copenhagen, Denmark. The conference also marked the end of a journey by a very wacky school bus, which cruised across the country on used vegetable oil to raise awareness about the Jewish Climate Change Campaign [read more about that here and here]. So it made sense for Jewish educator and environmental visionary Adam Berman to ask the question.

As it turns out, it didn’t really matter when this conference on a Jewish food movement that emphasizes sustainability took place. Really, Jews should be asking themselves what the quintessential member of the Tribe would do about climate change every day, and modeling solutions themselves. Luckily, Jewish practices translate beautifully into concrete tactics.

Or so says Berman.

He also says every Jew should be able to stand on one foot and tell your uncle at your Passover Seder what’s what with climate change-and why he should put down his gefilte fish and take action.

This presented a twist on that old story about Rebbe Hillel summing up the Torah in that flamingo-like stance. Intrigued with this idea, I decided to sit down with Berman and find out more about his views on the Jewish response to climate change.

You’ve been active with sustainability issues for many years. What has made you so passionate about the issue of climate change?

We can eat organic, and reduce the amount of pollution that goes into rivers, but if climate change continues, it would make life inhospitable to the majority of the life on the planet. If we don’t focus on climate change, then success in all other issues will become irrelevant.

How does the “What Would Moses Drive?” session fit into a Jewish food conference?

It’s clear that what we eat has climate implications. The tagline of the worst thing someone in the developing world can do is drive an SUV to the steakhouse.

What WOULD Moses drive?

A camel. Although they might not have had those in Egypt at the time, but we don’t have to get into that.

In that session, you said something about standing on one foot and talking to your uncle. What was that all about?

I think it’s every Jew’s responsibility to be able to stand on one foot and tell their Fox News-watching uncle at their family Seder how climate change works, why it’s important, and what we can do about it. I think it’s the responsibility of all human beings in the 21st century to articulate what we can do about this issue.

What are stabilization wedges?

It’s this idea [developed at Princeton and reported here] that there are a number of policies and practices we could adopt given the technology we already have to help hold back climate change. Adopting seven of these technologies and policies would bring our carbon emissions to 450 parts per million by 2021 and it would go down from there. Even with existing technologies, we can radically change the projectile.

What are some steps people can take immediately to combat global climate change?

No one should have an incandescent light bulb in their house, and everyone should eat less meat. And know that the next time you make a big purchase, you can make a big impact by buying consciously.

Even if you don’t do any of those things, don’t be afraid of politics, because if you don’t step into politics, the arena will be filled with people who disagree with your values.

Why should Jewish people be interested in fighting climate change? Are we uniquely qualified to do this work?

The Jewish imperative is no different than the human imperative to fight climate change. But we have built in mechanisms to create shifts.

Like Shabbat–what would happen if one day a week we didn’t emit carbon?

How great would it be if we expanded our idea of kashrut to expand our awareness of the foods we consume?

Or tzedakah. How great would it be if we gave 10 percent of our income to solve climate change?

Then there’s brachot, which connect us to the things in our world that we’re grateful for. They remind us that we have enough and we are enough, and that alone is as important as any technology.

Adam Berman served as executive director of the Isabella Freedman Jewish Retreat Center from 2002 to 2008, during which time he became the founding director of ADAMAH: The Jewish Environmental Fellowship. He currently serves on the board of Hazon, and also plays music and practices and teaches qi gong, a Chinese self-healing art. If you want to know more, feel free to email him.

Photos: (Top) The topsy-turvy Jewish climate change bus fresh from a cross-country jaunt on used vegetable oil; (bottom) Adam Berman discussing a Jewish response to climate change. Photos by the author.

In this article for JTA, Sue Fishkoff discusses the “food justice” track at last week’s Hazon Food Conference. Among the topics in focus: workers’ rights issues, food access in low-income neighborhoods, Fair Trade operations, and community gardens as a tool for empowerment.

Fishkoff points to “dozens of new, on-the-ground projects initiated by people influenced by past conferences, or by the new Jewish food movement in general” to illustrate the Food Conference as a platform where all the pieces of the social justice puzzle can come together.

My dear friends The Wandering Jew and David Levy over at Jewschool, sick with envy that they couldn’t attend the Hazon Food Conference this year, produced this tongue-in-cheek video to vicariously participate nonetheless. Please enjoy their playful snark as we consider how the hell this product fits into the eco-kashrut movement.