The many Jewish laws regarding food—how it gets from the ground and into our mouths in a kosher manner—are central to Jewish life. But what ethical framework underlies the system of kashrut? In Maimonides' Guide of the Perplexed, his justifications for kashrut range from avoiding cruelty to animals and eschewing the idolatrous practices of antiquity to considerations of health. These days, one is more likely to hear kashrut's regulatory practices invoked on behalf of workplace safety and conformity with minimum-wage laws.
Here, two videos by the Israeli media agency Leadel introduce a number of North American initiatives that aim to get Jews closer to their food—both by producing food according to Jewish agricultural law and by concerning themselves with the ethical and environmental implications of how the food gets to their plates. B'teiavon! —The Editors
Jewish Farming
Before the Jews were exiled from the land of Israel, they were an indigenous agrarian society with a calendar and holidays centered on the agricultural cycle.
Honey, Milk, and Ethical Kashrut
"When I eat, what I do is more than just consume food."
You can find this online at: http://www.jidaily.com/eatingyourvalues