Shabbat and Nature

By Elyse Horowitz
University of Massachusetts, Amherst

Maybe God had it right all along.

That seventh day of rest – without television, driving, spending money on material possessions – maybe that is what the world needs in order to maintain its "green" environment.

We are instructed to observe the day on which God rested, keeping in mind all of the work God had done to produce the rest of the world in the six days prior. Although this is an unimaginable amount of work for one being to complete, it can be argued that God didn’t have to worry about paying the bills, going food shopping or handing in term papers on time.

However, on this holy day each week, many Jews across the world walk to shul, with covered heads and dangling tzitzit in respect.

I would never be one to contradict the observances of any religion, but it is interesting to wonder if these rules were put in place not only for the benefit of people, but also to allow our Earth to observe a day of rest. Without driving cars, handling money and using electricity, we are helping conserve energy while observing the laws of Judaism.

While most Shabbat mornings follow the path of formal services in a congregational synagogue followed by a Kiddish luncheon, my ideal Shabbat differs from the norm.

I was lucky enough to attend Camp Tevya as a child and recently completed my fourth summer as a counselor there, my tenth overall. Set in the rural lakeside of Brookline, New Hampshire, Tevya is the second brainchild of Eli and Bessie Cohen and part of the Cohen Foundation. It has been a home-away-from-home for Jewish teens for almost seventy years. Its lush green fields and breathtaking sunsets are only some of the attractions of the camp, as it has also provided me with Jewish experiences to last a lifetime.

A Shabbat morning at Camp Tevya begins with late wake-up, a coffee cake and cereal breakfast and relaxing outdoor services. Imagine sitting beneath the trees as the sun shines through, the voices of young ones praising God as God’s work of art is appreciated in the purest form.

Shabbat afternoon is left open for walks around camp, reading in the shade, or pick-up games of soccer and basketball between counselors and campers of all ages.

I believe that this is the kind of Shabbat that God must have wanted people to experience at least once in our lifetime. By being so close to a natural environment, we are able to understand how God truly intended Shabbat to be observed, which can only enlighten our connection to our Jewish roots.

So, next Shabbat, remember to spend time heightening your connection to nature and appreciating its beauty as God’s creation.

Elyse Horowitz is from Natick, MA, and is a junior at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst. She is majoring in journalism, and has spent the last semester working as an Assistant Editor of the Arts and Living section of The Massachusetts Daily Collegian. She plans to spend next semester studying at the International School in Haifa.

[Posted 12/27/08]