Rabbi Daniel Sperber on Environmental Stewardship

Rabbi Daniel Sperber reflects on a personal journey linking early experiences in Jerusalem, time spent in Nepal, and a later awakening to environmental change and conservation ethics. The speaker recalls intense study years in the late 1950s and early 1960s that led to burnout, followed by restorative travel to places such as India and Kathmandu, Nepal, which he describes as once-feeling like “paradise” due to its clean air, natural beauty, and vibrant landscape.

Returning about a decade later through his involvement with the Alliance of Religions for Conservation, he witnessed dramatic environmental degradation in Kathmandu, including severe air pollution, loss of visibility in the Himalayas, and the contamination of the Bagmati River. This stark contrast becomes a defining moment in his understanding of environmental responsibility and the consequences of pollution.

He reflects on the principle that while humanity is permitted to benefit from nature, it has a responsibility not to destroy it, but to preserve and protect it. He connects these ideas to modern conservation and ecological thinking, as well as to biblical teachings and Jewish tradition, including a story about planting trees for future generations. The core message emphasizes intergenerational responsibility: living not only for present comfort, but ensuring that future generations inherit a healthy, livable environment.

For more from Jewish figures in ecological matters, please see “Nature, Sustainability, and Sukkot: Rabbi Jessica Shimberg“.