Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks z”l was one of the world’s leading public intellectuals. His unique contribution among great rabbinic thinkers was the development of a body of thought deeply rooted in Jewish tradition while engaging directly with the most urgent social, political, and moral questions of our time. For Jews, as well as for people of other faiths and secular backgrounds, he was recognized as a leading thinker of his generation.

Rabbi Sacks was deeply concerned about the threats facing free democratic society—extreme individualism on one side and religious extremism on the other. He argued that overcoming these challenges requires a civic culture of respectful dialogue—an “ecology of morality” that nurtures hope, trust, and bonds between diverse communities.

He championed universal values of political freedom, social responsibility, and thoughtful dialogue, while also insisting on the indispensable role of communal identities and the virtues that sustain them. In his view, neither could exist without the other in a flourishing society.

In an age of polarization, Rabbi Sacks stood out as a religious leader whose voice was embraced across political and religious divides.