Why Jewish Organizations Need a Sustainable Food Policy
Jewish organizations—such as Hillels, synagogues, and summer camps—serve as vibrant hubs of community life, where we practice and celebrate shared values and traditions. Central to these experiences is the food we share, nourishing both body and soul.
An organizational food policy serves as a guide to how food is sourced, prepared, and served within these institutions. Some Jewish organizations already have established food practices, such as preferred kashrut standards or accommodations for dietary requests on an as-needed basis. Formalizing these best practices into a sustainable organizational food policy can improve kitchen and food operations while also expressing a community’s values and benefitting the environment.
Why is a Sustainable Food Policy important?
Developing a sustainable food policy allows Jewish organizations to embody core values like sustainability, justice, compassion, and inclusivity. It’s an opportunity to align communal dining practices with Jewish ethical teachings—turning these values into long-term commitments that create positive changes.
A well-developed organizational food policy also promotes inclusivity. By reducing or eliminating ingredients with common allergens—like dairy milk and eggs—from menus, institutions can create inherently more welcoming dining experiences. Accommodating diverse dietary preferences, needs, and cultural heritage ensures that everyone feels valued and respected in the community.
Make an Impact with Plant-Based Defaults
An option for an effective, sustainable organizational food policy is the implementation of a plant-based default strategy. This simple yet powerful approach–also known as “greener by default”–makes plant-based food the default option in communal dining settings. By doing so, communities can significantly reduce their environmental impact and help reshape cultural food norms.
Prioritizing plant-based foods in communal settings is highly impactful. An event that serves plant-based food by default saves up to two-thirds of greenhouse gas emissions and water use, as well as up to three-quarters of food-related land use. These savings have a profound effect on our planet and align with Jewish values such as bal tashchit—avoiding wasteful destruction—and sh’mirat ha’adamah—protecting the Earth.
This approach, not only benefits the environment and fosters inclusivity, it also helps to positively shift cultural food practices and empower individuals. Making plant-based meals the default helps reshape what people consider a “normal” meal.
As stated in the Jewish Journal:
“Encouraging more plant-based options is not about taking things away…it’s adding knowledge about the impact of what you chose to eat. When you know where your food comes from, and how it fits with Jewish values, you can make informed decisions that are in alignment with who you are and what you believe.”
Whether at a Hillel Shabbat dinner, conference, or synagogue holiday event, a values-based food policy recognizes that individuals are influenced by the choices presented to them and that those choices have a huge impact. By implementing practices that make more humane and sustainable options easily accessible for community members, everyone has the opportunity to choose the meal that’s right for them.
Bring Jewish Values to the Table
For centuries, the question of what is "kosher," or “fit to eat,” has guided Jewish communities in their daily actions, religious identities, and moral values. Today, industrialized animal agriculture practices, including factory farming, are the norm for 99% of animals in our food system. Kosher-certified animal products are no exception. The detrimental impact of these intensive farming practices on animal welfare, the environment, and human health is undeniable.
By shifting the foods we buy and serve in our communities we can be in better alignment with Jewish values. These shifts, like reducing the animal products served and choosing higher-welfare meat when possible, embody the value of tza’ar ba’alei chayim—preventing unnecessary suffering to living creatures. Embracing other sustainable practices such as sourcing local ingredients, prioritizing plant-based foods, and minimizing food waste exemplifies the Jewish principles of bal tashchit and sh’mirat ha’adamah.
Through plant-forward organizational food policies, Jewish institutions can demonstrate their commitment to these values and promote the well-being of their community.
Sustainable Food Policies in Action
CJFE works closely with Jewish organizations to help them develop food policies that reflect their unique community. By introducing simple strategies like plant-based defaults, we can significantly reduce the environmental impact of institutional food practices while promoting inclusivity and the Jewish values of sustainability and preventing animal suffering.
In a first-time effort launched by the Conservative Movement, the Rabbinical Assembly partnered with CJFE to support a cohort of institutions in adopting plant-forward food policies. Ohavay Zion Synagogue in Lexington, KY, a member of our Partnership for Sustainable Dining cohort, recently crafted their own sustainable food policy and shared this experience:
“Our strategy includes subtle substitutions of plant-based proteins, maintaining a ratio of two plant-based options for every animal-based option, and listing plant-based entrees first as the default option for community meals.”
Take Action for Your Community
From animal welfare to environmental justice to public health, there are many Jewish values-based reasons to commit to alternatives to industrial animal agriculture. By developing an organizational food policy rooted in these values, Jewish communities authentically embody their beliefs through food practices.
At CJFE, we help Jewish organizations turn these commitments into actions. Together we work to build a more humane and sustainable future—starting with shifting the foods we buy and serve. We offer expert resources, education, and free consultations to guide your community through developing a values-based food policy that promotes Jewish ethical principles.
Ready to make a positive impact? Contact CJFE today to schedule a free consultation for your community.
