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A year of solemn rest is essential for both the nation and the land, a year of peace and quiet without oppressor and tyrant…It is a year of equality and rest, in which the soul reaches out towards divine justice, towards God who sustains the living creatures with loving kindness. There is no private property and no punctilious privilege but the peace of God reigns over all in which there is the breath of life.
Rav Kook-Introduction to "The Sabbath of the Land"

The purpose of this project is to consider the role of Shmita in our lives, both for farmers in the land of Israel and for Jews around the world. We encourage people to do that in two ways-through using the laws and values of Shmita as the conceptual framework for creating a more sustainable Jewish community and a more sustainable world. Second, to encourage practical application of Shmita laws among individuals and communities.

Goals of the Shmita Project

To start to focus attention on 7-year goals within the Jewish community for health and sustainability, especially – though not only – in relation to land. Over the next seven years we aim to see the Jewish community, worldwide, living more sustainably, learning more about health and sustainability, and advocating for a healthier and more sustainable world for all. The Shmita project will enable us to think together and in public about what those seven year goals can, could or should be;
Secondly, to focus attention on Shmita itself. What does Shmita mean in the 21st century – and what can could or should it mean?
Thirdly – and representing an amalgam of these first two issues – we want to start a public conversation about the Farm Bill, the omnibus bill that passes through congress every 5-10 years and which has a n enormous impact on food in the US and beyond. If there were to be a Jewishly-informed Food Bill, next time around – say, seven years from now – what should that look like?