By: Rabbi Daniel Roselaar, Belmont Synagogue
rabbi@belmontsynagogue.org.uk

 

The recent tsunami disaster has left us with many unanswered thoughts as well as valuable lessons. The tsunami has been rationalized as an Act of God or a natural disaster. Regardless, humankind was not directly nor tangibly involved in creating this catastrophe. However, if we are at all moved or disturbed by the scale of the calamity from this disaster, we would be well served to consider our role in creating other "disasters."

     
War is the most obvious example of how mankind "creates disasters"; as Jews, we are particularly aware of wartime suffering. However, there are also other "man-made" disasters that we should also be aware of. Over the last decade, pollution and smog have contributed to a vast degradation of life. Global warming and the attendant climate changes are believed to eventually be responsible for flooding and the destruction of coastal communities and ecosystems. The "western" fast-food culture has contributed to unprecedented levels of heart disease and diabetes. On a purely geographic basis, the tsunami's most devastative area in Thailand and Indonesia represents only a fraction of the rainforests that our society has devastated. Writing from the UK, I am vividly aware of how mismanagement and mistreatment of nature resulted in the destruction of millions of animals and enormous human misery during the BSE (mad-cow) crisis.

      
Undoubtedly, society has a right to be shocked and traumatized by the tsunami. While the resulting human kindness and compassion is truly heart-warming, it should not blind and desensitize us to the similar destruction of life and property that continues throughout society - particularly since even a small awareness can help us minimize the damage.