Ḥoni's Circle is a climate chevruta (partner text study), In which Rabbi Paula Rose and Tamar Libicki explore Jewish texts from the Torah, the Talmud, and Commentaries to grapple with climate change. Rabbi Paula Rose is the associate Rabbi at Congregation Beth Shalom in Seattle, Washington. This Podcast is a project of Congregation Beth Shalom and Ahavat V'Avodat HaAdama, our community's environmental group.
This week's episode is part two of a double episode exploring a text from Bamidbar about the Israelites’ intense craving for meat and the subsequent arrival of the quail. We shift our focus from the meat itself to the dynamics of leadership and community, examining how the "riffraff" or asaf-suf influenced the larger group's descent into dissatisfaction and persistent complaint, effectively undermining the leadership trying to move them toward a better future. We discuss Moses' sense of burnout and exhaustion, looking at how the divine response of spreading the spirit of prophecy among seventy elders offers a model for addressing climate despair through shared responsibility and grassroots movements. Finally, we reflect on the name Kivrot Ta’ava as a cautionary reminder of the consequences of unchecked craving and the necessity of learning from these historical setbacks. Follow along with the source sheet here: www.sefaria.org/sheets/658896
24 Feb 2026
The Craving for Meat: Part One
This week's episode is part one of a double episode exploring a text from Bamidbar about the Israelites’ intense craving for meat and the subsequent arrival of the quail. We examine the tension between the miracle of the manna—a versatile food that nonetheless left the people feeling unsatisfied—and their nostalgic, potentially idealized memories of the diverse diet they left behind in Egypt. This narrative provides a framework to discuss the environmental impact of modern meat consumption and the challenges of transitioning toward more sustainable, plant-based diets, even when innovative alternatives are available. We reflect on the historical Jewish model of treating meat as a "sometimes food" reserved for special occasions, exploring how economic and cultural factors have shifted our relationship with animal protein. Ultimately, we view the Israelites' longing as an invitation to celebrate the vast biodiversity of our planet’s offerings and to investigate how we might find vitality and pleasure in a more varied and sustainable abundance. Follow along with the source sheet here: www.sefaria.org/sheets/658896
10 Feb 2026
The Plague of the Death of the Firstborn
In this week’s episode we conclude our Ten Plagues series with the plague of the death of the firstborn. We explore how this unprecedented disaster mirrors the modern climate crisis, where significant action is often delayed until a crisis impacts everyone with the same unavoidable universality. By comparing the sudden, collective shock of this plague to our experiences with the pandemic, we examine how upending rigid power structures and traditional leadership can make room for more collaborative, harmonious models to arise. Ultimately, we find hope in the possibility of rebalancing these systems to move away from strife and toward a unified commitment to our planet. Follow along with the source sheet here: https://www.sefaria.org/sheets/694341 (https://www.sefaria.org/sheets/694341)
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