New book explains how to 'put your money where your soul is'

We're always happy to see new publications that address how faith groups can invest in line with their values, and we are especially pleased to see the new book by our friend Rabbi Jacob Siegel, Put Your Money Where Your Soul Is: Jewish Wisdom to Transform Your Investments for Good. The books explores sustainable investing through the lens of millennia-old Jewish teachings, made accessible for the modern investor.

Beyond making the case for the urgent need for active faith-based investing for the good of people and planet this books provides a practical resource for investors, based on Jewish teachings, with every chapter closing with a summary and list of 'practical next steps organisations and individuals can take'.

The author explains, 'Judaism contains a richly textured set of traditions, grounded in human dignity, focused on an ideal of redeemed world, but informed by the reality of human urges and behaviors, to guide our economic decisions'.

The book is broken into three broad sections. The first section explores the theory underpinning a sustainable Jewish approach to capital, while the second introduces various asset classes including private equity through the lens of local investing, and the third addresses critical issues such as climate change, racial justice, and investing for peacebuilding and coexistence.

'Judaism contains a richly textured set of traditions, grounded in human dignity, focused on an ideal of a redeemed world'

Rabbi Siegel presents a bold vision for taking action, making the case for a 'faith-based call for a new kind of capitalism' that reflects the 'economics of enough' and the ancient Sages’ insistence that we must seek to do good while doing well. As described by the publisher, 'Rabbi Siegel brings Jewish wisdom directly to bear across asset classes and issues'.

FaithInvest Founder Martin Palmer writes in a testimonial that the book, 'takes us on a journey into insights deep within the Hebrew Bible, but which have immediate pertinence for the world of today. It shares teachings, stories and lessons learned the hard way through the centuries but always told with a sense of fun, delight or depth which is rare to find anywhere else'.