Reviewed by Charles Stahler

Richard Schwartz has been promoting Judaism and vegetarianism, for almost forty years, since the publication of his book aptly named Judaism and Vegetarianism in 1982. Richard uses his books as a “business card,” so he can advance the cause of vegetarianism in media ranging from The New York Times to The Jerusalem Post to Mad Magazine. Unlike many influencers, Richard and his publisher Martin Rowe/Lantern Publishing’s goals are not fame and getting rich, but promoting ideas they consider important.

     Not all Jewish people or those in or outside of the vegan movement will agree with the statements in their newest book the Vegan Revolution, Saving Our World, Revitalizing Judaism. However, for an overview of ideas related to Judaism and veganism, this is a good start, and then you can explore more in depth topics that pique your interest. Since Christianity and Islam have their roots in Judaism, though they diverged in very different ways, the book would be helpful to those interested in those other religions in giving a starting point.

     Many people see religion as a way to promote a better world and become a better person. Religion is also often used to justify your being above others, whether it be economic or political, and even extending to slavery and killing. Religion for both sides generally means community, traditions, comfort in bad times, a way to overcome issues such as addiction, and celebration in good times, ranging from birth to wedding to death. As humans, most of us, including atheists, generally use our beliefs for all of this.

Richard starts with the idea that G-d’s original diet in the Garden of Eden was vegan.

Even religious people that believe in a strict interpretation of the bible would have to agree with this. Richard then is making the case how this is the diet that G-d really wants us to follow for health, compassion, respecting G-d’s creatures, and environmental reasons. Eating animal products becomes a concession to man and woman’s weakness, not a command. According to Rabbi Kook, first chief rabbi of pre-state Israel, and others, the Messianic period would be vegetarian, based on Isaiah’s prophecy that “a wolf shall live with a lamb… and a lion, like cattle, shall eat straw… They shall neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mount.” The two ideal times in Jewish thought are vegan– The Garden of Eden and the Messianic period. Richard makes his case about health, the environment, world hunger, and treatment of animals, and how all these are related to the Torah, Jewish thoughts, and Jewish teachings throughout the ages. He gives opinions on how Jewish holidays are connected to veganism, and a vegan view of Biblical Animal sacrifices. A chapter talks about use of leather ritual objects such as tefillin (used when praying at times) and mezuzot (on Jewish doorposts). He is trying to strike a compromise, which may not make strict vegans happy, but reminds people that veganism isn’t the religion, but veganism is a way to practice your religion. For vegan activists out there, understanding religious ideas, can be an additional method to promote their cause. For religious people, veganism can be another way to live their religious beliefs.

     The Vegan Revolution (ISBN: 978-1-59056-627-5) is a 230-page book and can be purchased at your favorite online retailer or at lanternpm.org/books/vegan-revolution. Reviewed by Charles Stahler