Rabbi Sacks course has English makeover to reach new audiences

A free online course which focuses on the thought and teachings of the late Chief Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks has been translated into English, making it available to students all over the world.

The Philosophy of Rabbi Jonathan Sacks – originally only in Hebrew - was launched by Bar-Ilan University to coincide with Rabbi Sacks’ fifth yahrzeit in November.

As well as a new English version, it will soon be released in Arabic and additional languages, through CampusIL, Israel’s national online learning platform.

Developed under the academic leadership of Dr Miriam Feldmann-Kaye, senior researcher at the Jonathan Sacks Institute, the course covers Sacks’ ideas in connection to questions of faith, society and ethics.

For Feldmann-Kaye, the subject is also personal. As one of her father’s close friends, Rabbi Sacks was a familiar presence in her household while she was growing up in London.

Miriam Feldmann-Kaye (Photo: The Jonathan Sacks Institute)[Missing Credit]

She said: “Our exploration of Rabbi Sacks' thought will be multifaceted. We will examine his reflections on the role of religion in the contemporary world, his insights into the challenges of multiculturalism, and his exploration of the relationship between science and faith.

“We will also delve into his profound understanding of morality and ethics, as well as his perspectives on leadership and community.”

Rabbi Sacks, who served as Chief Rabbi of the UK and the Commonwealth from 1991 to 2013, was widely regarded as one of the most significant Jewish thinkers of his generation. His writings and lectures, calling for moral courage, compassion and shared humanity, continue to resonate globally.

Feldmann-Kaye, who is also an assistant professor at Bar-Ilan’s department of Jewish Philosophy, said: “Our journey will not only be an intellectual exploration but also an opportunity for introspection and dialogue. We will consider how Rabbi Sacks's teachings can inspire us to engage with the challenges of our time, fostering a sense of responsibility and ethical conduct in our personal and communal lives.”

According to Professor Jonathan Rynhold, director of the Jonathan Sacks Institute at Bar-Ilan University, the course is intended to expand Rabbi Sacks’s intellectual influence beyond the academy.

“Rabbi Sacks’s thought continues to inspire rigorous scholarship and profound moral reflection. Through this new course, Bar-Ilan University and the Jonathan Sacks Institute are extending his intellectual influence to new audiences - bridging academia and the public sphere and ensuring that his voice continues to shape global conversations on faith, ethics, and human dignity,” he said.

Interested participants can visit the Jonathan Sacks Institute at Bar-Ilan University for registration details and updates

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Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks

Bar-Ilan University

The Jonathan Sacks Institute

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