Justin Goldstein
Justin Goldstein has served as the rabbi of Congregation Beth Israel in Asheville since early 2014. Rabbi Goldstein teaches and writes frequently on environmental justice and sustainability in the Jewish tradition. He is a Rabbis Without Borders fellow and was recently named by the Jewish Daily Forward as one of the most inspiring rabbis in the US in 2016.

The Spirit to Address Climate Change: Panel
“I used to think that top environmental problems were biodiversity loss, ecosystem collapse and climate change… I was wrong. The top environmental problems are selfishness, greed and apathy, and to deal with these we need a cultural and spiritual transformation. And we scientists don’t know how to do that.” Gus Speth U. S. Advisor on climate change . What we are reading, seeing and hearing about our failing ecosystems is overwhelming. Our panelists will explore how our spiritual lives and the stories within our spiritual traditions offer solid ground of hope, compassion and love in the midst of waves of fear, selfishness and greed. Faith communities are essential to the ongoing work for climate justice, social justice and creation care. What is our individual and collective role in this time and place?