Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, ushered in the year 5775, which also marks the beginning of Shmitah. Shmitah occurs every seven years. According to biblical laws no planting or harvesting is allowed. It is a sabbatical for the land and a practice that would fit in well with the Climate Change Summit at the United Nations, this week.
Rabbi Joshua Ratner is the director of the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater New Haven and the Associate Rabbi and Director of Engagement at the Joseph Slifka Center for Jewish Life at Yale.
WSHU's Tom Kuser spoke with Rabbi Ratner about the significance of Shmitah.
