The Coalition for Jewish Values (CJV) today rejected the “co-option of Judaism” in pursuit of a liberal agenda on climate change. Since President Trump announced his intention to withdraw the United States from the Paris Climate Change Agreement on June 1, an assortment of liberal Jewish leaders have insisted that opposing Trump’s decision is a Jewish obligation. On Sunday the Jerusalem Post published a news article featuring only affirmative answers to the question, “Is fighting climate change a Jewish duty?” Two days later the Jewish Telegraphic Agency distributed an op-ed by David Kraemer, librarian and professor of Talmud at Jewish Theological Seminary, in which he claimed that “Judaism requires us to pursue the goals of the Paris climate accords.”

“There’s not even a pretense that there’s another side,” remarked Rabbi Steven Pruzansky, Senior Rabbinic Fellow of the CJV. “The media and public should be forewarned that statements on Judaism from heterodox spokespersons usually bear little resemblance to true, classical Judaism.”

His colleague Rabbi Aryeh Spero elaborated: “The Torah’s primary focus is upon human welfare. Zealous activists often disregard the impact of their demands upon hard-working Americans and their families.”

“Jewish values are not found in the latest draft of the Democratic platform,” concluded Rabbi Dov Fischer. “They are found in the Torah that God gave the Jewish People at Mount Sinai.”