Jewish Ecology Reflection: A Year Gone By
the still small voice remains unwavering
I’ve been thinking a lot about how to commemorate the new year — not just the transition into 2025, but the one year anniversary of this blog. I can’t believe it’s already been a year, and what a year it has been! In spite of everything, I hope I can spend the coming year continuing to build this blog with love, expanding and integrating ecology and Judaism in the midst of the chaos of life. I hope you enjoy this short exploratory reflection.
A photo of three ducks I found cute. I think they were deep in thoughtful dialogue. Photo unrelated to the content of this article.
With so much going on, from political upheaval to climate change, from my still-new job to my new direction here on Jewish Ecology, I’m still not quite sure what to share. At once, I want to present my next ecological commandment (and continue my series on Jewish ethics), but I’m not sure how best to word it. And moreover, I want to share some insight into what this year of writing has meant to me. Yet I’m not sure I even know the answer.
All I know is that it’s a mitzvah to honor the cycles of time: remembering the Sabbath, honoring the new year, bearing witness to the turning of the seasons, and never forgetting to celebrate life’s milestones and growth with your community.
Reflecting on my place in this moment —looking backward on a year of growth and maturation; forward towards a year of radical change — I feel compelled to share a little dialogue about the inner workings of this peculiar project.
This reflection is going to take the form of an inner dialogue, between the anxious, narrow mind (Mochin d’katlut) and the expansive all-loving mind (Mochin d’gadlut) within me. We all live our lives negotiating our daily concerns with the concerns of the whole Earth. Mochin d’katlut, our “small-mind” helps us get by each day, while Mochin d’gadlut, helps us recognize our place within the cosmos. What follows is a dialogue between these two aspects of myself. Just for fun, we will call my Mochin d’katlut Jordan, and my Mochin d’gadlut Lev.
Jordan: What to write? What to write! It’s been over a month, and everyone knows you need to publish regularly in order to succeed on Substack!
Lev: There is no rush. You have written so much this past year, and have plenty more to share. Be patient and let inspiration guide you to write.
Jordan: You have a job, a fiancée, a house to take care of, why do you even think your writing is worth spending time on! There are far more valuable uses of your time, yet here you are wasting away writing again!
Lev: Writing is part of who we are. You are a scientist — an ecologist! A lover, a steward of your relationships, your environment, your home. Writing is one way that you deepen your relationships with the world. Without reading and learning, reflecting in dialogue, and sharing your thoughts in a community of Words, you would not be able to confront the joyful chaos of life. We are Good, Beautiful, and Real, and it is our responsibility to live life for the benefit of Our World.
Jordan: Why did you even begin this blog — you are a scientist, not a philosopher! It eats away at your time, drawing you out of your embodied ecological work and trapping you in a cage of alienated ideas — what is this if not a cerebral prison, where words get confused for reality!
Lev: You are a scientist, a philosopher, a poet, an American Jew — learn to embrace your context and strive to inspire others to find an ethic built in loving embrace of the whole cosmos: Our World. Your perspective is one of a kind. Your context is not universal, but your insights and language can transcend difference, guiding others to realize the universal love that binds us all in harmonious coexistence. Remember, you started this blog not merely to share your perspective on the human niche, but to weave your perspective into a wider vision of mutual flourishing, of transformational dialogue, of global peace! Your words are but one way your life can help repair the world, but their reach is far wider than you could ever know.
Jordan: I hear you but still I remain anxiously uncertain about continuing this blog. I don’t get anything from it, and unless I figure out how to monetize it, we will never be able to sustain this long term. I came here to provide a deep political and ecological critique, yet so much of what I write feels shallow. I write a lot, but I feel it’s only so I can feel heard, not in a way that does anyone else real material benefit!
Lev: Slow down and breathe. Listen to your body-mind. Your conscience guides you to act for the benefit of all: towards Tikkun Olam. Trust it. It led you here and it will continue to guide you towards building a community bound by love. Look inward and return to this wholeness. A still small voice is calling with love, asking you to embody freedom by taking responsibility for your contexts. All I’m asking of you is to listen.
Thank you for joining me on the journey through Jewish Ecology. Whether you just found your way here, or have been here since the beginning, I am so glad you have taken the time to engage in this creative spiritual dialogue. Regardless, I would love to hear your thoughts on our journey — both what your experience has been, and what you’d like to see. Please consider taking the survey below.
This blog aims to build a participatory dialogue in which important ideas at the intersection of Judaism and ecology can help us root ourselves in the World. This blog is not just for Jews; I aim for these articles to be accessible and impactful for anyone that is interested in building up an understanding of the role that spirituality, philosophy, and ethics play in bringing about a more peaceful, ecological, and sustainable future for all People and the World. If you can think of someone who might enjoy these articles, please consider sharing this blog!