OPINION: Drilling one hole impacts on us all
I have a degree in Hebrew and Jewish studies and one in physics. I tell you this mainly to make my mother proud (it still might). Actually, they came the other way round: physics first and training to be a rabbi later, but that never meant abandoning science and “doing” Judaism instead. Both my scientific background and Judaism influence the way I approach the world. S
o I was disturbed, although not altogether surprised, to read recently how under-represented science graduates are in Parliament. Do MPs need a science degree? Of course not. But a certain degree of scientific literacy must surely matter when considering the issues that face us as a society. A new Populus poll shows almost half of MPs remain unconvinced by the overwhelming (97 percent) scientific consensus on anthropogenic (human-caused) climate change.
Tory MPs fare worst in their willingness to disregard the science, with 53 percent feeling the evidence is inconclusive and 18 per cent believing it to be “environmentalist propaganda”. The debate is not about climate change, but what we do about it. See theconsensusproject.com. A midrash tells the story of the passengers on a small boat. One of them took a drill out of his luggage and started to bore a hole in the floor under his seat. “What on earth are you doing?” exclaimed the others. The man kept on drilling.
“What’s it to you?” he said. “I’m only drilling under my own seat.” No longer can we say, “It’s just one quick car journey” when we could walk, cycle or at least take public transport. No longer can we say, “It’s just one light that I forgot to switch off, or television that I left on standby, or unnecessary flight I took.” Bangladesh is apparently one of the countries most immediately vulnerable to climate change. Yet one person flying in an airplane for one hour is responsible for the same greenhouse gas emissions as a typical Bangladeshi in a whole year. No longer can one country say, “What’s it to you? We’re only drilling a hole in our bit of the ozone layer.”
• Rabbi Paul Freedman is senior rabbi, Radlett Reform Synagogue and vice-chair, Assembly of Reform Rabbis UK
Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.
For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.
Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.
You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.
100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...
Engaging
Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.
Celebrating
There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.
Pioneering
In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.
Campaigning
Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.
Easy access
In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.
Voice of our community to wider society
The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.
We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.
