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A Judaism Engaged with the World

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In his final message before stepping down after more than two decades in office, Chief Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks recounts his personal journey of discovery and faith.

Through a compelling analysis of recent Jewish history, ‘A Judaism Engaged with the World’ warns that a Judaism divorced from society will be a Judaism unable to influence society or inspire young Jews.

Calling Judaism “the voice of hope in the conversation of humankind”, Rabbi Sacks argues that in the twenty-first century, Jews will need the world, and the world will need the Jews. What we need, he reasons, is a Judaism unafraid to engage with the intellectual, ethical, political and personal challenges of our time.

As one chapter in his own life comes to a close, Rabbi Sacks invites you to join him in his mission to inspire a new generation of Jewish leaders with the confidence to address the challenges that face Jews, Judaism and Israel today.

As Elaine and I come to the end of this particular stage in our Jewish journey, I've written a little pamphlet to say where I think we are and where we have to go as a Jewish people. 

There are two huge movements in the Jewish world today. Jews who are very engaged in the world but who are losing their Jewish identity, and Jews who are very much intensifying their Jewish identity, but at the cost of disengaging from the world. 

We need to avoid that kind of a split.

We need a Judaism with enough self-confidence to engage with the world and its intellectual, ethical, and personal challenges. 

So I've written a pamphlet called “A Judaism Engaged With The World,” to describe what I feel has to be that next stage. 

You can download it from my website, rabbisacks.org. Please do so, and if it speaks to you, consider yourself invited to join Elaine and myself on the next stage of the journey.