🎧 Promoting coexistence through the environment… and vice versa
In this episode of the Journeys Podcast, host Allison Kaplan Sommer speaks with Rabbi Yonatan Neril, founder and director of the Interfaith Center for Sustainable Development in Jerusalem, about the powerful relationship between environmental sustainability and interfaith cooperation. Drawing on his experiences in Israel, Rabbi Neril explains how environmental challenges can serve as a bridge for dialogue and collaboration among people of different faiths, cultures, and national identities.
The conversation explores the mission of the Interfaith Center for Sustainable Development, which works to strengthen both environmental action and peaceful coexistence by bringing together religious communities around shared concerns for the planet. Rabbi Neril discusses how ecological issues such as water, climate change, and conservation transcend political and religious divisions, creating opportunities for cooperation where other approaches may struggle.
Rabbi Neril also reflects on his personal journey from California to Israel and the experiences that led him to combine his interests in environmental sustainability, Jewish learning, and interfaith engagement. He argues that the world’s religious traditions share core values of stewardship, compassion, and responsibility for creation, making faith communities uniquely positioned to inspire environmental leadership and collective action.
Throughout the episode, the discussion emphasizes that environmentalism should not be viewed as a partisan issue, but as a universal human responsibility. By connecting people through shared ecological concerns, Rabbi Neril demonstrates how sustainability can become a catalyst for building trust, fostering coexistence, and strengthening relationships across religious and cultural boundaries while working toward a more sustainable future.
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