Vancouver Talmud Torah Association – To formalize and deepen the school’s plant-based Jewish learning program by expanding curricula, training additional teachers, offering garden-based intergenerational and community programs, and increasing opportunities for experiential service-learning.

How does this curriculum educate students about Judaism’s connection to the earth and agriculture?

At VTT, we imagine the curriculum as a living bridge between Jewish tradition and the earth—one that is experienced as much as it is studied. By grounding learning in agricultural practice, participants engage mitzvot like shmita, pe’ah, and bal tashchit as daily, lived choices rather than abstract concepts. This approach reflects our goal of cultivating an embodied Judaism, where the rhythms of the land and the Jewish calendar inform and deepen one another. In doing so, the curriculum responds to a growing desire for meaningful, values-driven environmental engagement within contemporary Jewish life.

In what ways does a plant-based curriculum lend itself to broader community building?

The plant-based curriculum we are developing through this grant is not only about food, but about cultivating relationships between people, values, and place. Shared meals, gardening, and food preparation serve as core pedagogical tools that foster collaboration, inclusivity, and connection. We are especially inspired by generational learning—honoring the knowledge of grandparents and elders whose food traditions and practices carry deep cultural and ecological wisdom. A plant-based approach enables diverse participants to gather around a common table while aligning with the values of sustainability and justice. In this model, community is intentionally nurtured through shared practice and intergenerational exchange.

What’s your favorite environmentally-focused Jewish text, ritual, or practice?

In developing this project, we continually return to bal tashchit as a central guiding principle. Rooted in Torah, it has evolved into a broad framework for understanding environmental responsibility in our time. Our grant builds on this foundation by encouraging participants to view everyday choices—what they consume, grow, and discard—as expressions of Jewish values. In this way, ancient teachings become practical tools for navigating contemporary challenges, helping learners experience sustainability not only as an idea, but as an ongoing, communal Jewish practice grounded in care and responsibility.