Peace, Love, and Justice in Science

When asked a question, a student’s instinct is to answer right away, but an answer leaves little space for learning. To truly learn, we must embrace vulnerability. At JCDS, students are asked questions that invite curiosity and push them to consider a myriad of potential solutions. In the unit, Nutrition, Agriculture, and Climate, students explore the relationship among our food choices, the health of our bodies, the land, and the climate. Students learn practical skills of reading food labels and understanding nutrients before asking such important questions as: What natural habitats and/or animal species are being disrupted to produce this food? Are any chemical agents used? What is this food’s water and carbon footprint? Are regenerative farming practices and/or carbon sequestration considered when producing this food? Through the unit, students come to understand that small actions matter, their actions matter. They begin to recognize that justice is more easily achieved through a collective, rather than individual, response. They work in groups to design restaurant menus that highlight nutritious, low water footprint and low carbon footprint ingredients. Many students have reveled at identifying traditional Jewish dishes that fall within these parameters, such as shakshuka and latkes. Students met and learned from local Chef, Jason Bond, from Clover Food Lab in Newtonville and discovered local farms where they can source ingredients and continue their conscious commitment to purchase and use healthy, organic foods. To close the unit, we work to display the vulnerability we wish to promote in students by asking them to teach the ways in which Jewish lessons or morals connect to their final projects. In one of the most profound moments, students led a passionate discussion, pulled evidence from texts and built upon what the previous speaker said. At JCDS, students understand the work of science as being aligned with the work of justice. Together, they encapsulated their learning in the statement that is inspired by the Jewish teaching in Pirkei Avot “On three things the world stands:

Peace, Love, and Justice.”

PEACE is lowering our carbon footprint and our water footprint by eating what is in season to avoid further destruction to the land through the use of harmful pesticides and unsustainable farming practices. LOVE is patience and committing to changing our growing and harvesting practices from corporate to regenerative; Tikkun Olam.

JUSTICE is reducing waste and distributing food in a way that serves the earth and all its people. In the Garden of Eden, Eve stands beneath the Tree of Knowledge which bears fruit. Despite warnings not to succumb to temptation, she takes a bite of the apple. From this, she gains knowledge but loses peace. Our relationship with the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC), which pays farmers a set price for their crop, is akin to Eve’s first bite: the temptation to grow more food faster has come at a great expense. Our land has lost its peace.