LimmudFest New Orleans 2018

What if the whole sacrificial system of ancient Israel were designed not just to thank God but also to honor the animals who threw their lot in with ours? What if domestication were a covenant between
species, rather than an act of one species taking over the lives of another? That's how our ancestors once understood their relationship with their animals. While Jewish teachings have always valued animal welfare, the reasons have oscillated, from not wanting us to be cruel, to protecting animal rights, to respecting our covenant with animals. In this session we will trace different ideas about animals through Jewish history, and explore the very different implications each one has today for issues like veganism, genetic engineering, factory farming, and more.