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What to Do About the Gefilte Fish?
Wouldn't it be great if life was a collection of clearly marked experiences, this one being clearly "right" and this one being clearly "wrong"?
Well, when it comes to ecological questions, there are few issues that are so clear. Quite frequently, ecological questions as viewed from Jewish perspectives involve dilemmas – situations in which two or more values come into conflict. Every time we update our web, we will offer you a new eco-dilemma to consider. And, we will post your responses at the end of each month. Be sure to email me at to let me know what you think. And check back periodically to see what other people are saying.
You are a member of your school or congregation board and you learn that the Michigan Department of Natural Resources has declared all ponds and
lakes in the entire state so contaminated as to make the eating of fish from them a potential health hazard. You also learn that the Michigan State Department of Health has issued warnings regarding the use of
fish taken from Lakes Michigan and Erie. These warnings include one which says that no carp taken from these lakes or their feeder streams should be consumed due to the high levels of PCB chemicals and heavy
metals, such as mercury.
You also discover that your congregation serves gefilte fish made from carp taken from Lakes Erie and Michigan. Should you congregation or school stop serving gefilte fish or use an all white fish version that cost slightly more? Do you think you should just keep the information to yourself so as not to cause any trouble?
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