Rynn Berry - MeatFreeZone - Board of Advisors - The Meat Free Zone (MFZ) campaign is intended to make the MeatFreeZone logo as recognizable a symbol as the "Smoke Free Zone"

Home
Introduction
Our Mission
Who We Are
Testimonials
Articles
Articles - Health
Contact Us
Discussion Boards
Help Us
MFZ Sightings
MFZ in India
Free MFZ Kits
MFZ Stuff

T-Shirts
Totes
Magnets
Tank Tops
Aprons
Order

Links
Myths about Vegetarianism

Woodstock Animal Rights Movement

A Store For Life

P. O. Box 746
Woodstock, NY 12498 USA

Board of Advisors

Rynn Berry

Rynn Berry is the historical advisor to the NAVS (North American Vegetarian Society).. In his lectures, articles, and books, he has specialized in the study of vegetarianism from an historical perspective.

Recently, Rynn was commissioned to write the entry on the history of vegetarianism in American for the Oxford Encyclopedia of American Food and Drink ( to be published in October, 2004).

His first book, The New Vegetarians, was a collection of biographical sketches and interviews of famous contemporary vegetarians.

His second book, Famous Vegetarians and Their Favorite Recipes is a biographical history of vegetarianism that ranges from Pythagoras and the Buddha to Nobel laureate Isaac Bashevis Singer, the Beatles and beyond.

In his third book Food for the Gods: Vegetarianism and the World's Religions, Rynn has written essays on vegetarianism in each of the world's religions: Jainism, Buddhism, Hinduism, Taoism, Judaism, Christianity and Islam. He has also included conversations with prominent vegetarian thinkers from each of these religions. In his latest book Hitler: Neither Vegetarian, Nor Animal Lover, (March, 2004), Rynn adroitly demolishes the myth that Adolf Hitler was an ethical vegetarian and animal lover. Currently, Rynn is completing work on a book entitled Fruits of Tantalus: A History of Vegan Rawfoodism and the Origins of Cooking ( to be published in the fall of 2005).

At the University of Pennsylvania and Columbia, where Rynn did his graduate and undergraduate work, he specialized in ancient history and comparative religion A popular lecturer, in New York, where he lives, Rynn teaches a college course on the history of vegetarianism (the first of its kind in the nation). His hobbies include book collecting, listening to classical music, translating ancient Greek authors, and theater-going; his favorite pastimes include running, swimming, tennis and cycling.

With co-author, Chris Suzuki, Rynn puts out an annual vegan guide to New York City, the first of its kind in the country. It was recently given an enthusiastic review in the New York Times (January 7th, 2004); the first time that America's newspaper of record had ever featured a vegan/ vegetarian travel guide in its pages.

The Meat Free Zone (MFZ) campaign is intended to make the MeatFreeZone logo as recognizable a symbol as the "Smoke Free Zone". The idea was originally conceived when The WARM Store in Woodstock, NY, was in operation throughout the '90's (Woodstock Animal Rights Movement). The store was truly a meat free zone as it was the first cruelty-free, Vegan, socially conscious animal rights store in the United States. Now that the Vegan and Vegetarian movements have been growing so rapidly, more and more people are showing concern about the food in their diet and their overall health and nutrition. Many people are giving up eating fish, chicken, beef, pork (pigs ), dairy (milk, cheese, yogurt, ice cream) and eggs. Headlines of Mad Cow disease, E-coli and salmonella are in the news with greater frequency. Vegan and vegetarian recipe cookbooks are standard now in all bookstores and many restaurants have added Vegan and Vegetarian options to their menus. We hope you will help us with the Meat Free Zone campaign by putting the signs up in your homes and workplaces and by spreading them to all the vegetarian and vegan restaurants that you know and frequent. And someday we will have true "meat free zones" in establishments that serve meat. (d-5)