Jewish, Vegan, Sustainable - Building community through shared values and compassionate living
JVS promotes Jewish values through veganism and sustainability, building community through education and advocacy.
Sharing knowledge about sustainable living
Protecting our planet for future generations
Building connections and support networks
These fundamental principles guide everything we do and shape our community
Showing kindness and respect to all living beings, reflecting the Jewish value of tza'ar ba'alei chayim.
Caring for the Earth as stewards of creation, embodying the principle of bal tashchit.
Building connections and supporting each other in our shared journey toward a more just world.
The Jewish Vegetarian Society (now JVS) was founded in the 1960s, sparked by a letter from Vivien Pick to The Jewish Chronicle. She asked whether there were other Jewish vegetarians interested in meeting up. The response led to the formation of a new community, with her father, Philip Pick—a lifelong advocate for a more compassionate world—as its first President.
Philip believed deeply in a society free from cruelty to both animals and humans. The Society quickly found common ground in Jewish teachings—particularly the Torah's emphasis on compassion and the idea that “the herbs of the field” were given to us for food.
The first JVS meetings were held in committee members' homes around Highgate, north London. Thanks to a growing membership and several generous donations, the Society acquired a small property in Swiss Cottage.
Vivien Pick's letter to The Jewish Chronicle sparked a movement
First President and lifelong advocate for compassion
From home meetings to a dedicated property
Join our community and help us build a more compassionate, sustainable world.
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