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I was struck by a comment made recently by Prince William, when the finalists for his environmental Earthshot Prize were announced. He said that he wanted to be able to look his children in the eye and tell them that he had done his bit to tackle climate change. The Book of Genesis says that God placed us in this world with the mandate “to work it and to look after it”. We have certainly excelled in the former, but not so much in the latter. Prince William’s words particularly resonated in relation to the Jewish festival of Succot, which we are currently celebrating. One of its key themes, rooted in the teachings of the Book of Leviticus, is a call for a greater sensitivity to the natural world. During this seven-day festival, we step out of the comfort and security of our homes and have our meals in small temporary structures, which are open to the elements. We leave behind the illusion that we have somehow conquered our environment and that it is ours to manipulate according to our whim. Instead, we are reminded of what it is like to be weak and vulnerable within the natural world. A popular custom of the festival is to welcome ‘Ushpizin’ – the Aramaic word for guests – into our temporary dwellings. On each day of the festival, we pay tribute to a different legendary ancestor. All of them were chosen because, at some point in their lives, they left the security of their homes and were forced to endure a challenging journey. We acknowledge that the immense blessing of our Jewish heritage is only possible today because of their sacrifice and we delight in carrying the torch, lit by them, thousands of years ago. This charming tradition prompts us to ask some sobering questions: What will our own great grandchildren thank us for? How will we navigate the demanding journey of averting disaster for our planet? With COP26, the United Nation’s Climate Change Conference in Glasgow, now approaching, that same sense of responsibility to our grandchildren should weigh heavily on us. We must all act now, without exception, to leave behind a habitable and healthy home for future generations. We cannot wait any longer. Two thousand years ago, the great Jewish sage, Hillel the Elder, issued a call to action, which, with regard to the future of our planet’s climate, is more relevant today than ever before. Hillel said, “If not now, then when?”