The Sacks Scholars Retreat Serves as Focal Point of a Year-Long Journey

The third cohort of Sacks Scholars gathered in Jerusalem in December for an intensive multi-day retreat, marking the opening of the 2025–2026 programme run by The Rabbi Sacks Legacy. The retreat brought together a select group of Jewish educators, academics, and communal professionals from around the world for immersive learning inspired by the teachings and leadership philosophy of Rabbi Sacks.

The Jerusalem retreat serves as a focal point of a year-long journey, during which participants will take part in ten monthly online seminars led by leading figures in Jewish education, academia, and public life. Together, these sessions are designed to deepen engagement with Rabbi Sacks’ ideas and to support scholars in translating his thought into meaningful impact within their own communities.

The cohort studied and reflected at key sites across Jerusalem, including StandWithUs, the Lord Sacks Forest, and the National Library of Israel. Each location offered a different lens through which to explore Rabbi Sacks’ vision of Judaism as intellectually serious, morally engaged, and deeply connected to the wider world.