The Jonathan Sacks Institute
The Jonathan Sacks Institute was established to foster engagement with Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks's thought and legacy, integrate his ideas and values into academic, intellectual, and public discourse, and cultivate a new generation of leaders in Israel shaped by his vision.
Prof. Jonathan Rynhold, academic director of the Institute, explains: "Rabbi Sacks developed a powerful synthesis between Jewish tradition and the pressing political and social issues facing global society. He was deeply concerned by the threats to democratic societies posed by unbridled individualism and religious extremism. Rabbi Sacks' message is timeless—and this Institute is committed to securing his legacy within the canon of great Jewish and Western thinkers."
Bar-Ilan University enjoyed a close and enduring relationship with Rabbi Sacks. He served as a distinguished member of its Board of Trustees, received an honorary doctorate, and was a frequent and celebrated speaker on campus. His intellectual legacy continues to inspire the University community.
The Institute was established in cooperation with the Rabbi Sacks Legacy.
Join BIU's groundbreaking new Massive Open Online Course (MOOC), "The Jewish Philosophy of Rabbi Jonathan Sacks”
This innovative course opens access to Rabbi Sacks’s profound intellectual and moral legacy to learners worldwide—free of charge. Dr. Miriam Feldmann-Kaye who developed (along with Bar-Ilan's Learning and Teaching Division) and leads the course: “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.”
Learn more and sign up (in Hebrew) here.
What's New
We Have Sinned, We Have Transgressed, We Have Polarized
President Isaac Herzog met with Dr. Alon Shalev, research associate at the Jonathan Sacks Institute, following the publication of Shalev’s article “We Have Sinned, We Have Transgressed, We Have Polarized” in the seventh issue of Ofakim, published by the Shalom Hartman Institute.
The two discussed the challenges facing Israeli society, the need to strengthen the sense of unity and mutual responsibility, and possible ways to share the article’s ideas and messages more widely among the Israeli public.
Read the article here.
Meet Our Researchers
Jonathan Sacks Institute researchers met with the head of the Institute, Prof. Jonathan Rynhold (seated in the middle), to open this academic year at Bar-Ilan University. We are looking forward to productive and fruitful academic engagement with the ideas of Rabbi Lord Sacks o.b.m.
Sacks Ideas Presented at 19th WCJS in Jerusalem
The 19th World Congress of Jewish Studies took place at Hebrew U in early August. Twelve papers discussed the ideas of Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks, among them the following which were presented by Institute members:
- The Religious Zionism of Rabbi Jonathan Sacks and the future of Religion in Israel (Prof. Jonathan Rynhold)
- Divine Revelation & the Infinite Flames of the Burning Bush: Continental Philosophy in Light of Rabbi Sacks’ Demands (Dr. Miriam Feldmann Kaye)
- A Dialogical Theodicy: Rabbi Sacks’ Covenantal Response to Evil (Dr. Tanya White)
Dr. Feldmann Kaye chaired the session entitled “Theological and Philosophical Aspects in Rabbi Sacks’ Thought.”
Prof. Adam Ferziger chaired the session entitled “Rabbi Jonathan Sacks in Dialogue with Modern Challenges.”
New BIU MOOC: The Philosophy of Rabbi Jonathan Sacks
Dive deep into the profound philosophical legacy of Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks, pioneered and taught by Dr. Miriam Feldmann-Kaye, Senior Lecturer in the Department of Jewish Philosophy, and developed by the Bar-Ilan Learning and Teaching Division. Featuring original material and rare interviews, this Massive Online Open Course is designed to reach thousands worldwide over the next decade. Learn more here.
For more information, and to sign up (in Hebrew), click here.
Watch the AFBIU Webinar with Prof. Rynhold, "Iran Strike: What’s Next for Israel, the U.S., and the World?”
Watch the “Iran Strike: What’s Next for Israel, the U.S., and the World?” webinar here.
Dr. Miriam Feldmann-Kaye participates in interfaith "Hope Symposium" at the Vatican
Dr. Miriam Feldmann-Kaye, a fellow of the Jonathan Sacks Institute, participated in an inter-faith theological symposium held at the Vatican.
Dr Feldmann-Kaye presented the philosophy of Rabbi Jonathan Sacks to Christian theologians, dvancing "dignity in multiplicity" as a priority for contemporary collaborative religious thought.
Among the participants in the symposium were Archbishop Pache and Cardinal Koch of the Pontifical Council, together with an illustrious array of international scholars and religious leaders from many countries including the Netherlands, South Africa, Egypt and Syria.
Professor J. Jorrit Hasselaar of Vrije Universiteit, who organized the symposium, is the first Christian theologian to author a comprehensive study of Rabbi Sacks' intellectual legacy. He will be participating in a major conference on Jewish philosophy, ethics, and sustainability at Bar-Ilan University this month (June 2025) along with Dr. Feldmann-Kaye and another fellow of the Institute, Professor Hanoch Ben Pazi.