Judaism, History, and the Environment

Engaging creatively with Jewish sources and history, this book explores the interplay between history, Judaism, and the environment through the prism of natural disasters. Case studies include the earthquakes of Georgian England, the floods of 18th century Germany, and the natural disasters experienced by Jews living in the Ottoman Empire. Rather than seeing religion as a stumbling block or as a cause of environmental degradation, historical examples are instead bought into conversation with related classical Jewish texts and contemporary Jewish thought. Unlike studies that interpret religious texts through traditional hermeneutical lenses, this book is distinctly interdisciplinary, contributing significantly to the fields of Jewish studies, religious studies, ecology and environmental humanities. Chapters explore new ways to think about contemporary environmental concerns, discussing the Anthropocene, causality and temporality, global and local contexts, and proscription. Dean Bell's timely and important argument demonstrates how a new engagement with Jewish history and thought may help us to grapple with the environmental challenges of today and the future.