Roberta Kalechofsky
Encyclopedia
Roberta Kalechofsky is an American
writer, feminist
and animal rights
activist, focusing on the issue of animal rights within Judaism
and the promotion of vegetarianism within the Jewish community. She is the founder of Jews for Animal Rights and runs Micah Publications or Micah Books, which specializes in the publication of animal-rights, Jewish vegetarian, and Holocaust literature. She is married to Dr. Robert Kalechofsky, a retired mathematics professor from Salem State University, author of a book on theoretical mathematics, and a long-time long-distance runner. they appear together representing Micah Books at publisher, writer, vegetarian, and animal rights events around North America, including the Boston Vegetarian Society's annual Boston Vegetarian Food Festival. She is a popular speaker in vegetarian groups, though she is not considered 'standard fare' for such groups.
She is the author of Animal Suffering and the Holocaust: The Problem with Comparisons (2003), as well as seven works of fiction
, poetry
, two collections of essays, and a monograph on George Orwell
. Micah, which Dr. Kalechofsky founded in 1975, has published two haggadot for a vegetarian seder
, one of which, Haggadah for the Liberated Lamb, has been exhibited at Harvard University
in an exhibit on food and politics, and at the Jewish Museum in New York
.
Philosopher Tom Regan
has said of Kalechofsky, "[o]f all the historians of ideas with whom I am familiar, if I had a choice between listening to just one of them, I would not hesitate to choose Roberta. She is that good, that worth spending time with."
, receiving her B.A. in 1952, followed by an M.A. in English literature from New York University
in 1956, and a Ph.D. from the same university in 1970, also in English literature. She has taught at the University of Connecticut
and Brooklyn College
.
ic prohibition against causing suffering to living creatures, known as tza'ar ba'alei hayyim. The group promotes the ideas of Rabbi Abraham Kook
on vegetarianism
, and campaigns to find alternatives to animal testing
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
writer, feminist
Feminism
Feminism is a collection of movements aimed at defining, establishing, and defending equal political, economic, and social rights and equal opportunities for women. Its concepts overlap with those of women's rights...
and animal rights
Animal rights
Animal rights, also known as animal liberation, is the idea that the most basic interests of non-human animals should be afforded the same consideration as the similar interests of human beings...
activist, focusing on the issue of animal rights within Judaism
Judaism
Judaism ) is the "religion, philosophy, and way of life" of the Jewish people...
and the promotion of vegetarianism within the Jewish community. She is the founder of Jews for Animal Rights and runs Micah Publications or Micah Books, which specializes in the publication of animal-rights, Jewish vegetarian, and Holocaust literature. She is married to Dr. Robert Kalechofsky, a retired mathematics professor from Salem State University, author of a book on theoretical mathematics, and a long-time long-distance runner. they appear together representing Micah Books at publisher, writer, vegetarian, and animal rights events around North America, including the Boston Vegetarian Society's annual Boston Vegetarian Food Festival. She is a popular speaker in vegetarian groups, though she is not considered 'standard fare' for such groups.
She is the author of Animal Suffering and the Holocaust: The Problem with Comparisons (2003), as well as seven works of fiction
Fiction
Fiction is the form of any narrative or informative work that deals, in part or in whole, with information or events that are not factual, but rather, imaginary—that is, invented by the author. Although fiction describes a major branch of literary work, it may also refer to theatrical,...
, poetry
Poetry
Poetry is a form of literary art in which language is used for its aesthetic and evocative qualities in addition to, or in lieu of, its apparent meaning...
, two collections of essays, and a monograph on George Orwell
George Orwell
Eric Arthur Blair , better known by his pen name George Orwell, was an English author and journalist...
. Micah, which Dr. Kalechofsky founded in 1975, has published two haggadot for a vegetarian seder
Passover Seder
The Passover Seder is a Jewish ritual feast that marks the beginning of the Jewish holiday of Passover. It is conducted on the evenings of the 14th day of Nisan in the Hebrew calendar, and on the 15th by traditionally observant Jews living outside Israel. This corresponds to late March or April in...
, one of which, Haggadah for the Liberated Lamb, has been exhibited at Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
in an exhibit on food and politics, and at the Jewish Museum in New York
Jewish Museum (New York)
The Jewish Museum of New York, an art museum and repository of cultural artifacts, is the leading Jewish museum in the United States. With over 26,000 objects, it contains the largest collection of art and Jewish culture outside of museums in Israel. The museum is housed at 1109 Fifth Avenue, in...
.
Philosopher Tom Regan
Tom Regan
Tom Regan is an American philosopher who specializes in animal rights theory. He is professor emeritus of philosophy at North Carolina State University, where he taught from 1967 until his retirement in 2001....
has said of Kalechofsky, "[o]f all the historians of ideas with whom I am familiar, if I had a choice between listening to just one of them, I would not hesitate to choose Roberta. She is that good, that worth spending time with."
Education and teaching
Kalechofksy attended Brooklyn CollegeBrooklyn College
Brooklyn College is a senior college of the City University of New York, located in Brooklyn, New York, United States.Established in 1930 by the New York City Board of Higher Education, the College had its beginnings as the Downtown Brooklyn branches of Hunter College and the City College of New...
, receiving her B.A. in 1952, followed by an M.A. in English literature from New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
in 1956, and a Ph.D. from the same university in 1970, also in English literature. She has taught at the University of Connecticut
University of Connecticut
The admission rate to the University of Connecticut is about 50% and has been steadily decreasing, with about 28,000 prospective students applying for admission to the freshman class in recent years. Approximately 40,000 prospective students tour the main campus in Storrs annually...
and Brooklyn College
Brooklyn College
Brooklyn College is a senior college of the City University of New York, located in Brooklyn, New York, United States.Established in 1930 by the New York City Board of Higher Education, the College had its beginnings as the Downtown Brooklyn branches of Hunter College and the City College of New...
.
Jews for Animal Rights (JAR)
Kalechofsky founded Jews for Animal Rights in 1985 with the aim of upholding and spread the TalmudTalmud
The Talmud is a central text of mainstream Judaism. It takes the form of a record of rabbinic discussions pertaining to Jewish law, ethics, philosophy, customs and history....
ic prohibition against causing suffering to living creatures, known as tza'ar ba'alei hayyim. The group promotes the ideas of Rabbi Abraham Kook
Abraham Isaac Kook
Abraham Isaac Kook was the first Ashkenazi chief rabbi of the British Mandate for Palestine, the founder of the Religious Zionist Yeshiva Merkaz HaRav, Jewish thinker, Halachist, Kabbalist and a renowned Torah scholar...
on vegetarianism
Vegetarianism
Vegetarianism encompasses the practice of following plant-based diets , with or without the inclusion of dairy products or eggs, and with the exclusion of meat...
, and campaigns to find alternatives to animal testing
Animal testing
Animal testing, also known as animal experimentation, animal research, and in vivo testing, is the use of non-human animals in experiments. Worldwide it is estimated that the number of vertebrate animals—from zebrafish to non-human primates—ranges from the tens of millions to more than 100 million...
.
Works
- Autobiography of A Revolutionary: Essays on My Life as an Animal Rights Activist. Micah Publications, 1991.
- Bodmin, 1349
- The Martyrdom of Stephen Werner
- Solomon's Wisdom and Other Stories
- Job Enters a Pain Clinic
- Justice My Brother, My Sister
- Orestes in Progress
- A View of Toledo
Honours
- 1987: Literary Fellowship in Fiction, Massachusetts Council on the Arts.
- 1982: Honorary Membership in Israel Bibliophile Society.
- 1982: Literary Fellowship in Creative Writing, National Endowment for the Arts; publishing grant from Massachusetts Council on the Arts.
- 1980: Grant from National Endowment for the Arts in small Press Publishing; finalist in Massachusetts Council on the Arts Fellowship in Fiction.
- 1977: Finalist in Massachusetts Council on the Arts Fellowship in Fiction; cited for Distinctive Writing in Best American Short Stories of 1977; grant from National Endowment for the Arts in Small Press Publishing.
- 1976: Cited for Distinctive Writing in Best American Short Stories of 1976.
- 1972: Included in Best American Short Stories of 1972.
See also
- Animals and the environment in Jewish ethics
- Animal rights and the HolocaustAnimal rights and the HolocaustSeveral writers, including Jewish Nobel Prize laureate Isaac Bashevis Singer, and animal rights groups have drawn a comparison between the treatment of animals and the Holocaust...
Further reading
- "The Evolution of An Independent Publisher," Judaica Book News, 1983
- Cohen, Noah J. Tsa'ar ba'ale hayim: The prevention of cruelty to animals: its bases, development, and legislation in Hebrew literature, New York: Feldheim, 1979.
- Kaganoff, P. "An Independent Woman of Words," The Jewish Monthly, 1988
- Kalechofsky, R. Animal Suffering and the Holocaust: The Problem with Comparisons, 2003. ISBN 0-916288-49-8
- Kalechofksy, R. (ed.) Judaism and Animal Rights: Classical and Contemporary Responses, a collection of 41 articles by rabbis, doctors, veterinarians, and philosophers on animal rights and Judaism, 1992. ISBN 0-916288-35-8
- Kalechofksy, R. Vegetarian Judaism: A Guide for Everyone, 1998. ISBN 0-916288-45-5
- Kalechofsky, Roberta. Book Review by Urrutia of "A Boy, a Chicken, and the Lion of Judah: How Ari became a Vegetarian".
- Patterson, C. Eternal Treblinka: Our Treatment of Animals and the Holocaust, 2002. ISBN 1-930051-99-9
- Schwartz, R. The Schwartz Collection on Judaism, Vegetarianism, and Animal Rights.
- Walden, D. (ed.) "American Jewish Writers, Dictionary of Literary Biographies, vol 28, 1984.
- Jews for Animal Rights website
- Jewish Vegetarians of North America