Fair Trade Principles and Jewish Values

What is Fair Trade?

Fair Trade products are made with respect to people and planet. Adhering to social, environmental and economic standards promotes safe, healthy working conditions, protects the environment, enables transparency, and empowers communities to build strong, thriving businesses. When you choose products with the Fair Trade label, your day-to-day purchases can improve an entire community's day-to-day lives.

What is Jewish about supporting Fair Trade?

Halanat Sachar - Pay wages in a timely manner
"Whoever withholds an employee's wages, it is as though he had taken the person's life from him"     -Talmud

Tzelem Elohim - Sanctity of all humans, as we're made in the Divine image
"Beloved is all humankind for they were made B'tzelem Elohim. Doubly beloved are they, for they were told that they were made in the image of God. As it says: "In the image of God was human kind made.""     -Mishnah, Pirkei Avot, Genesis

L'Avda U'lshamra - Till and Protect the Land
"God placed Adam in the Garden of Eden to till it and tend it."     -Genesis

Ona'at Mammom - Do not engage in price deception of fraud
"When you sell anything to your neighbor or buy anything from your neighbor, you shall not deceive one another."     -Leviticus

For a detailed list of how Jewish values correspond to Fair Trade values, click here.

How can you support Fair Trade?

• Buy Fair Trade products when you shop. A great resource for Fair Trade Judaica and Kosher food items can be found here.
• Educate yourself and others. 
• Bring Fair Trade to your supermarket.
• Host a Fair Trade film screening. There are an increasing number of doucmentaries being made about Fair Trade, click here for resources.