“Food, Faith, Ecology: Grounding and Gratitude”

This video examines the connections between food ethics, sustainability, and spiritual eating through Jewish, Christian, and Muslim perspectives. Hosted by The Interfaith Center for Sustainable Development, the discussion brings together faith leaders and environmental thinkers to explore how religious traditions can contribute to healthier, more sustainable communities.

The conversation highlights how spiritual values influence the way people grow, consume, and think about food, while also addressing broader ecological and ethical concerns connected to modern food systems. By amplifying faith-based voices on sustainability, the panel encourages deeper reflection on environmental responsibility, compassion, and mindful living.

Featured speakers include Rabbi Yonatan Neril, founder and executive director of The Interfaith Center for Sustainable Development; Shaykh Mustafa Umar, president of California Islamic University and Director of Education and Outreach at the Islamic Institute of Orange County; Rev. Dr. Jill Crainshaw of Wake Forest University School of Divinity, where she serves as Vice Dean for Faculty Development and Academic Initiatives and Blackburn Professor of Worship and Liturgical Theology; and Rabbi Bill Kaplan, Executive Director of the Shalom Institute in Malibu, an experiential Jewish and environmental education center that includes Shemesh Farms, a social enterprise supporting adults with developmental disabilities.

Together, the panelists discuss the role of faith communities in promoting ethical eating, environmental stewardship, sustainable agriculture, and stronger connections between spirituality and everyday choices.