Beit Din Activity. 2) Each group should read the Jewish texts sheet (attached), and follow the guidelines (planning and creating a presentation).

Transcription

1 Beit Din Activity 1) Split up into groups, and hand out guiding questions to each group (attached): Farmers Forest Worker Union Conservationists Unite Recreationalists Housing Developers 2) Each group should read the Jewish texts sheet (attached), and follow the guidelines (planning and creating a presentation). 3) Each group presents to the whole audience and negotiates their position. 1 / TEVA Learning Center

2 Beit Din Study Texts All cities must have a migrash [open space] that surrounds them. The first 1000 cubits [approximately 500 meters] shall be for open space and the next 1000 cubits for grazing animals. -Bamidbar (Numbers) 35:2-5 with Rambam (Maimonidies). It is forbidden to live in a city that does not have a garden or greenery. -Mishna, Kiddushin 4:12 The land must not be sold beyond reclaim, for the land is Mine; you are but strangers resident with Me. Throughout the land that you hold, you must provide for its redemption. -Vayikra (Leviticus) 25:23-24 God did not create the world a wasteland, but formed it for habitation. -Isaiah 45:18 Woe to those who add house to house and join field to field, till there is room for no one but you to dwell in the land. -Isaiah 5:8 And God blessed them, and said to them, Be fruitful and multiply, replenish the earth and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth. -Breishit (Genesis) :28 And God took Adam and put him in the Garden of Eden, to work it and to tend (guard, watch) it. -Breishit (Genesis) 2:15 The Rabbis said: Even though you may think them superfluous in this world, creatures such as flies, bugs, gnats, have their allotted task in the scheme of creation, as it says, And God saw everything that God had made, and behold, it was very good. -Midrash Breishit (Genesis) Rabah 10:7 Rabbi Yitschak Eisik said, The motto of life is Give and Take Everyone must be both a giver and a receiver. He who is not is like a barren tree. -Martin Buber, Late Masters There are three ways in which we may relate ourselves to the world - we may exploit it, we may enjoy it, we may accept it in awe. -Abraham Joshua Heschel If not for the trees, human life could not exist. -Midrash Sifre (Deuteronomy) 20:19 2 / TEVA Learning Center

3 Beit Din Fact Sheet Old Growth Forest: A forest with trees that are over 200 years old. Currently, only 2% of our country's original old-growth forests still exist. There are some animal species that can only live in old growth forests. Managed Forests: A forest that was once harvested or cut but has since grown back and may be selectively logged over time. Most forests in the Northeast fall under this description. Clear Cutting:. Removing all the trees in a specific area for logging. The most damaging form of logging. Wetlands: The most productive habitat on the planet, wetlands are home to all kinds of animals. They also help prevent flooding because they absorb extra rain water. Around the world, wetlands have been drained to create human habitat and new farmland. In fact, 90% of America's wetlands have already been destroyed. Grasslands: Is home to numerous creatures like mice, deer and birds. Many song birds and butterflies depend on the ecosystem of the meadow for their habitat. Selective Logging: Removing individual trees from throughout the forests so that no area is completely destroyed. 3 / TEVA Learning Center

4 Farmers You represent the farmers. You see the donated land as ideal for creating a new farm. There is fertile soil along river with plenty of water for crops and animals, should you choose to raise them. As well, wetlands are perfect for growing cranberries. 2) Think about the ecology that you have learned at school. How does it inform your decision about how to use the land? 4) Chose within your group: 1 Chairperson to run the meeting, 1 Secretary to record results, 2 Questions/Facts to consider: What kind of farming will you do? Will you raise animals or crops or both? Will you use pesticides to kill unwanted insects or will you find alternative ways to control the bug population? What kind of impact do you think your farm will have on the water quality of the lake and pond? How will your farm impact the animals that currently live in the area that you want to clear? 4 / TEVA Learning Center

5 Forest Worker Union You represent the Forest Workers Union, an organization which includes people who work as loggers in the local forests. Your livelihood is based on harvesting this wood, wood used in all aspects of our life including the construction of this very building. 2) Think about the ecology that you have learned at school and here. How does it inform your decision about how to use the land? 4) Chose from your group: 1 Chairperson to run the meeting, 1 Secretary to record results, 2 Questions to consider: What types of trees will you be harvesting? What are some of the ways you can minimize your impact? How will your logging impact the local environment and the creatures that live there? How can you minimize your impact on the forest? Is this even an issue for you? 5 / TEVA Learning Center

6 Conservationists Unite You represent Conservationists Unite, a local grassroots environmental organization. You believe in the need to protect wild areas for the plants and animals who live in them. You are especially concerned about the wetlands and old growth forests. You know wetlands are very important, they purify water, help prevent flooding, and provide great habitat for a variety of wildlife. You also know that 90% of all wetlands have already been destroyed. Forests are an essential element in the Earth s ecology. They are home to thousands of plant and animal species, and maintain the earth s atmosphere so people can breath. 2) Think about the ecology that you have learned at school and here. How does it inform your decision about how to use the land? 4) Chose from your group: 1 Chairperson to run the meeting, 1 Secretary to record results, 2 Other Questions/Facts to consider: What kinds of negative affects will the various other proposals likely have on the ecosystem? How will they affect the lives of the animals and plants that make up the pond and forest communities? : If you had to protect only certain areas of the forest which ones would they be? Old growth forests are forests with trees that are over 200 years old. Currently, only 2% of our country's original old-growth forest still exits. How would you respond to the farmers who might say, "We need to use the water in the pond for our crops because there simply isn't enough water from other sources!"? 6 / TEVA Learning Center

7 Recreationalists You represent the people who use the land for fun. You believe that the land should be preserved in such a way as to allow for maximum human enjoyment. Types of activities people in your group enjoy include: Hiking, camping, rock climbing, fishing, hunting, snowmobiling, ATV, and skiing. 2) Think about the ecology that you have learned at school and here. How does it inform your decision about how to use the land? 4) Chose from your group: 1 Chairperson to run the meeting, 1 Secretary to record results, 2 Facts/Questions to consider: How do you balance the recreationalists who want to preserve the land for camping and hiking, with those who want to build on it (example: ski slopes.) What do you say to the loggers and farmers who might argue that before we can worry about recreation, we have to feed our families? 7 / TEVA Learning Center

8 Housing Developers You represent the housing developers. You see this land as an ideal opportunity not only to provide jobs for the community --both for cutting down trees and building houses-- but also as a way to attract new people to live in your town, thereby increasing your tax base. 2) Think about the ecology that you have learned at school and here. How does it inform your decision about how to use the land? 4) Chose from your group: 1 Chairperson to run the meeting, 1 Secretary to record results, 2 Facts/Questions to consider: Where would you like to put your housing? How will it affect the residents (plants and animals) who currently live in the natural community? How will your housing development affect the natural resources on the land - trees, water, etc? 8 / TEVA Learning Center