February 2012 - Beth El Synagogue

`iypdna message from our president
You are invited to
hear and see the
captivating video recording of
DR. JANE GOODALL’S
Inspiring Minds Lecture
“A REASON FOR HOPE”
First presented at Beth El in April 2009
Sunday February 26, 2012
10:30 a.m.
Beth El Synagogue
Photograph by Heather Damaske
Continued from previous page
However, he feels conflicted. That use must be “judicious
and humane,” he said. This is not black and white. For
example, for some time he told me, he has been troubled
by the relationship of humans to animals when he considers
eating. His reflections on the laws of kashrut and his
discomfort with the notion of mammals eating mammals,
lead him to believe that from a moral perspective, ideally
we should be vegetarians – though he is not.
He is further conflicted by the notion that animals attain a
higher moral status as their development brings them closer
to resembling humans. He told me for example, that
chimps looking into a mirror have the ability to recognize
themselves. Mice, dogs and most other animals do not seem
to have this human like capacity for self-reflection.
Jane Goodall has written about this capacity in great detail
and so I especially wanted to hear her thoughts about the
work of Jeff’s committee. She was most pleased that these
eminent scientists recognized the ethical concerns involved.
She believes that their recommendations were a big step in
the right direction. She hopes this will eventually lead to the
end of all invasive research using chimpanzees.
When I asked her what her reaction was to the ripple effect
of her speaking at Beth El, she told me that, “just like a rain
forest, there is an interconnection of all life. Wherever you
go, you can make significant connections. You just never
know what will be worthwhile unless you talk to people.”
Talking and listening. Teaching and learning. This is what
Judaism has been about from day one. At the core of Jewish
study has been the endless quest to answer the question:
“What is ethical behavior?”
I believe in this case, both Judaism and Beth El have contributed
ever so modestly toward making our world a bit
more of an ethical place. As I reflect on this, I am proud to
be Jewish and also proud to be able to say: I am a member
of Beth El Synagogue in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Please join us for our next installment of the Beth El
Inspiring Minds Speaker Series with Gloria Steinem
presenting “Feminism: The Longest Revolution,” on
April 17th at Beth El Synagogue. See page 9 for more
information or visit www.besyn.org/gloria.
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