The First Jewish Environmentalist: The Green Philosophy of A.D. Gordon(90 New Directions in Critical Theory)

Hailed by philosopher Martin Buber as "the true teacher", pioneer, philosopher and dreamer, Aharon David Gordon (1856--1922) is increasingly being recognized as the first Jewish environmentalist. Long before global warming became a major threat, Gordon warned against the mounting dangers of human assault on nature and urged us to open ourselves to nature and re-attune with it. Rather than trying to conquer nature, Gordon argued, we should merge with it; rather than being a master or slave of nature, we should become nature's friend and ally. Since childhood, nature fertilized and shaped Gordon's mindscape, as it eventually did his philosophical writings. Gordon's fresh insights on critical contemporary issues--such as ecology, gender, social justice, and post-secularism--have inspired not only a rapidly growing body of scholarly literature, but also communal readings and study among young readers whose imagination has been captured by Gordon's thoughts and dreams. The First Jewish Environmentalist introduces Gordon's ideas and sets them in their historical context, shedding new light on the interconnections between religion, culture, education, and the environment. Expanding his canonical status beyond the realm of Hebrew culture, the book situates Gordon in the tradition of nature-intoxicated prophets such as Rousseau, Thoreau, and Tolstoy, and extracts from his writings empowerment and inspiration for seekers advocating the protection of our planet.

Table of Contents:
Acknowledgments Abbreviations of Gordon's Writings and Bibliographies 1. Introduction: Why Gordon matters 2. Historical Background: What led Gordon to compose Man and Nature? 3. Philosophical Foundations: Gordon's basic concepts and main arguments 4. A Religion of Nature: On Gordon's religious commitment to the environment 5. "The Return to Nature" Speech: Gordon as an Environmental Prophet 6. Epilogue: What is to be done? Bibliography Index

About the Author :
Yuval Jobani is Associate Professor of Jewish Philosophy and Education at Tel Aviv University. A scholar of Modern Jewish philosophy, he has held research and teaching positions at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, Brandeis University, and the Katz Center for Advanced Judaic Studies at University of Pennsylvania. His publications include Women of the Wall: Navigating Religion in the Public Sphere (winner of the Best Book Award from the Israel Political Science Association), co-authored with Nahshon Perez, and The Role of Contradictions in Spinoza's Philosophy: The God-intoxicated heretic.

Review :
This deeply learned and clearly written volume situates the Zionist laborer-philosopher A.D. Gordon in general and Jewish intellectual history, expertly outlines his entire philosophy, paints a picture of his life in early twentieth-century Palestine, and challengingly explores the meaning and contemporary relevance of his call to 'live with and within nature'. Aharon David Gordon occupies a unique place in the pantheon of Zionist history as a prophet of the Jews' return to nature and agricultural labor. Yuval Jobani demonstrates that Gordon belongs even more to the universal philosophy of environmentalism and his Man and Nature has much to teach us more than a hundred years since its publication as we face the global climate crisis. With philosophical rigor and sensitivity, Jobani has rescued Gordon's work for a new generation of readers. Jobani's exploration of A.D. Gordon's philosophy of Jewish renewal within the context of his distinct interpretation of Man and Nature interweaves the ideological, religious, and philosophical strings that shaped his life and writing. It presents a fascinating discussion of Gordon's transformed trajectory as an Israeli cultural icon whose meaning has been transformed over time, placing him at the heart of today's environmental discourse. This book will be of major interest to students of Jewish thought, sociologists, and cultural historians, as well as environmental scholars. Aaron David Gordon may have been well ahead of his time on both environmentalism and Arab-Jewish relations. Beautifully-written and meticulously researched book... Jobani's lucid, informed, and insightful study brings Gordon's idiosyncratic fusion of biblical religion, traditional Judaism, European culture, and Zionism to the attention of all readers who are deeply concerned about the fragile life on planet Earth... Gordon's Man and Nature, the Jewish environmentalist's bible. Jobani effectively contrasts Metmann and his scientific approach to knowledge - and life.