the covenant & conversation
TRANSCRIPT
The Covenant & Conversation trust
A yeAr of chAnge A yeAr of ImpAct
AnnuAl Review 5774 • 2013 – 2014
annual review 5774 • 2013 – 2014
The CovenanT & ConversaTIon TrusT“The challenge of our time is to go out to Jews with a Judaism that relates
to the world – their world – with intellectual integrity, ethical passion
and spiritual power, a Judaism neither intimidated by the world
nor dismissive of it, a Judaism fully expressive of the broad horizons and high ideals of our heritage. There is
no contradiction, not even a conflict, between contributing to humanity
and affirming our distinctive identity. To the contrary: by being what only
we are, we contribute to the world what only we can give.
“In the twenty-first century, Jews will need the world, and the world will need the Jews. We will not win the respect of the world if we ourselves do not respect the world: if we look
down on non-Jews and on Jews less religious than ourselves. Nor will we win the respect of the world if
we do not respect ourselves and our own distinctive identity. Now more
than ever the time has come for us to engage with the world as Jews, and we
will find that our own world of mind and spirit will be enlarged.
Since its establishment in July 2013, the covenant & conversation trust has sought to advance the vision, mission and teachings of rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks.
these are based on the articulation and promotion of a Judaism of both Torah v’Chokhmah (torah and Wisdom), one that is connected to its rich heritage and engaged with the challenges and opportunities presented by the modern world.
Taken from ‘A Judaism Engaged with the World’ , a short pamphlet written by Rabbi Sacks in June 2013 sought to set out the global challenges facing Judaism and the Jewish people, and what he believed needed to be done to help address them.
Over the past year, The Covenant & Conversation
Trust has focused its work and Rabbi Sacks’ activities around three broad aims:
To make Judaism’s classical texts more accessible and engaging – Rabbi Sacks as a Teacher of Torah
1
To demonstrate the contribution of Jewish thought and ethical values to wider society, including academia – Rabbi Sacks as a Moral voice
2
To embed the values of Torah v’Chokhmah in the hearts and minds of future generations of Jewish leaders worldwide – Rabbi Sacks as a Leader of Leaders
3
annual review 5774 • 2013 – 2014
a renoWneD TeaCher oF Torah
Internationally renowned as one of the pre-eminent teachers of torah and faith, rabbi Sacks continues to demonstrate an ability to articulate Judaism in a way that successfully holds in balance the universal demands of the modern, multicultural world with the particularism associated with it.
“There are many faiths, many religions in the world and we admire them all. Aval zeh shelanu. But this is ours. Let us be strong in our faith, walk tall as Jews, feel joy as Jews, and go forth from this gathering and bring pride to the Jewish people and blessings to the world.” Rabbi SaCkS aT aJC GlObal FORum, WaShinGTOn D.C., may 2014
“your Torah opens minds and hearts in ways that i find deeply inspiring.”
JeFF SWaRTz, FOunDeR OF The
TimbeRlanD COmpany
“i, an atheist (not by choice), find your Divrei Torah very grounding. They’re literally my last connection to religious Judaism ... your Divrei Torah are clear, to the point, aren’t shrouded in unnecessary mysticism, and offer lessons that even a lowly atheist can appreciate.” email FROm a uS baSeD SubSCRibeR
addressing the pardes community in the pardes beit midrash, Jerusalem
Receiving The katz award, Jerusalem
addressing high school students, Dallas
in conversation with professor Fania Oz-Salzberger and yonatan ariel, Jerusalem
Receiving bar ilan university’s Guardian of zion award from mrs ingeborg Rennert, Jerusalem
With lady elaine Sacks meeting president Shimon peres, Jerusalem
Teaching students at yeshiva university, new york
Singing with The Shabbaton Choir at harkham hillel academy, los angeles
Learn More
reaD: Covenant & Conversation 5774 on LeadershipCLICk For More
WaTCh: kiddush hashem in a Complicated World CLICk For More
LIsTen: The seven Principles to Inner happinessCLICk For More
TeaChIngthis year, for the first time, rabbi Sacks’ weekly CovenanT &
ConversaTIon series, read by communities and thousands of email subscribers in over 100 countries, has been translated into hebrew and portuguese opening up new audience to his teachings. his formal academic teaching as the Kressel and ephrat family University professor of Jewish thought at YeshIva
unIversITY has also allowed him to engage with one of the world’s foremost Jewish academic institutions.
sPeakIngrabbi Sacks continues to be a popular public speaker and Shabbat scholar-in-residence, and has taught torah in
America (across the new york area, new Jersey, Los Angeles, Dallas), Israel (Jerusalem, herzliya, tel Aviv, ra’anana, Beit Shemesh) and elsewhere (madrid). he has also maintained a prominent profile within the Jewish media, including feature interviews in: The TIMes oF IsraeL ,
TabLeT MagazIne , The JerusaLeM PosT , The n.J. JeWIsh sTanDarD ,
The L.a. JeWIsh JournaL .
WrITIngIn partnership with Koren publishers and to much acclaim, his most recent book The greaT ParTnershIP:
goD, sCIenCe anD The
searCh For MeanIng was translated into Ivrit, and the koren-saCks PesaCh
MaChzor was named the 2013 winner of the American Jewish Book
council’s modern Jewish thought and experience Dorot foundation Award.
this year has also seen rabbi Sacks awarded The kaTz PrIze for “contributions to the practical analysis and application of halakha in modern life” and The guarDIan oF zIon
aWarD for “contributions to Diaspora Jewish life”.
annual review 5774 • 2013 – 2014
a resPeCTeD MoraL voICe
As a respected religious leader, public intellectual, academic scholar and popular communicator, rabbi Sacks’ voice is one that resonates beyond the Jewish community, demonstrating the positive impact that Judaism, the Judeo-christian ethic, and faith in general can have on individuals and the global society.
“Deep down in this Judeo-Christian heritage is the astonishing idea that the free God seeks the free worship of free human beings. The fact that God asks us to create, sustain, and celebrate freedom tells us something very deep indeed. It tells us that more than we have faith in God, God has faith in us. And let us honour that faith.”
Rabbi SaCkS On ReCeivinG The CanTeRbuRy meDal, neW yORk, may 2014
“no one has articulated the Judeo-Christian proposition of the bible more clearly, more ably, more forcefully, or more persuasively than Rabbi lord Sacks.” pROFeSSOR RObeRT
GeORGe, pRinCeTOn univeRSiTy
“he is not only a scholar, whose scholarly credentials are impeccable, and also a leading public intellectual, who has transcended the distinction between a scholar on the one hand and a public communicator on the other. he is faithful to scholarship and specialised knowledge at the same time.” pROFeSSOR SiR RiCk TRainOR, pRinCipal OF kinG’S COlleGe lOnDOn
With his eminence Timothy Cardinal Dolan, the archbishop of new york, new york
Delivering The erasmus lecture for First Things, new york
Receiving The becket Fund’s Canterbury medal from professor Robert George, new york
in conversation with new york university’s vice provost for Global Student leadership initiatives melody barnes, new york
being interviewed by Cnn international’s Chief international Correspondent, Christiane amanpour, london
broadcasting on bbC Radio, london
addressing students at The agora institute for Civic virtue and the Common Good, philadelphia
Learn More
reaD: In Defence of religious LibertyCLICk For More
WaTCh: Dignifying Difference: The next generation of Multifaith Leadership CLICk For More
LIsTen: The relevance of the bible for Law and ethics in society TodayCLICk For More
keYnoTe LeCTuresover the past year rabbi Sacks has delivered several major lectures about Judaism and faith to predominantly non-Jewish audiences. these have included: on the subject of interfaith dialogue at the Universidad francisco de Vitoria, a catholic university in madrid; the prestigious erasMus LeCTure for first things, America’s most influential journal of religion and public life, on what christianity can learn from Judaism about being a creative minority; an address on ‘reLIgIon anD
The CoMMon gooD’ at the Agora Institute for civic Virtue and the common good at eastern University; and as the eugene
MCDerMoTT LeCTurer at the University of Dallas on ‘the future of faith: the
Judeo christian ethic in the 21st century’ and ‘to heal a fractured World: the challenge of faith in the 21st century’.
aCaDeMIC TeaChIngIn late 2013 rabbi Sacks was appointed the Ira and Ingeborg rennert global Distinguished professor of Judaic thought at neW York unIversITY , and professor of Law, ethics and the Bible at kIng’s
CoLLege LonDon . those academic appointments included teaching and other public engagements on campus in new york and London respectively.
PubLIC voICerabbi Sacks continues to broadcast widely, including on bbC raDIo and other media outlets such as Cnn
InTernaTIonaL . he has also maintained a presence
in the house oF LorDs , most recently speaking on a debate about reLIgIous
FreeDoM .
In may 2014, and in recognition of his many years of work as a voice of faith in the public square, rabbi Sacks was awarded The CanTerburY
MeDaL by the Becket fund for religious Liberty, America’s leading religious law firm, at a gala dinner in new york.
annual review 5774 • 2013 – 2014
a gLobaL JeWIsh LeaDer
rabbi Sacks’ position as a recognised leader of the Jewish people has resulted in the development of a number of strategic partnerships with major Jewish organisations, especially in Israel and America. the primary focus of these partnerships has been on engaging the next generation of leaders.
“Judaism is a religion of doing, and what we do together is greater than any of us could do alone. That is the challenge of leadership. Jews dared believe that together, and with heaven’s help, we can change the world. Daring greatly makes us great. There is no other way.” Rabbi SaCkS in hiS inTRODuCTORy eSSay TO COvenanT & COnveRSaTiOn
5774’S SeRieS On leaDeRShip
“never did i imagine that studying a Jewish text with a Rabbi could be such an profound and potentially life changing experience.”
a SeCulaR iSRaeli buSineSSman
“There is no more important a message, nor one that resonates so deeply for a younger generation, than one which frames a vital expression of Jewish identity and practice as one that is deeply engaged with the world and in building bridges amongst its peoples. Thank you for sharing this powerful call to action with our young leadership.” alexiS FRankel, DiReCTOR OF aJC aCCeSS
With participants on The Jewish agency’s machon leadership programme, Jerusalem
at the Reut institute with Dana Somberg, avraham infeld, Rabbi Sacks, Gidi Grinstein, amb. matthew GouldSpeaking to civic and business leaders, Tel aviv
Speaking to natan Sharansky and the senior leadership of The Jewish agency, Jerusalem
Webinar with members of Jerusalemu’s CORe 18 leadership programme, london
addressing delegates at The american Jewish Committee’s
Global Forum, Washington D.C.
addressing participants at the Jewish Federation of north america’s General assembly, Jerusalem
Learn More
reaD: seven Principles of Jewish LeadershipCLICk For More
WaTCh: The state of the Jewish World addressCLICk For More
LIsTen: vision-Driven Leadership CLICk For More
LeaDershIPIn all this activity, rabbi Sacks’ central message has promoted a Judaism that seeks to bridge the growing divide between religious and secular by deepening its rich heritage and connecting it to the world. this has been reflected in this year’s CovenanT
& ConversaTIon series focused on leadership lessons from torah and what it means to lead in a Jewish way. these essays have been used as educational material by leadership development organisations in Israel, America and beyond.
sPeakIngrabbi Sacks has also engaged with key leadership groups, addressing major Jewish organisational gatherings including: the Jewish
federations of north America’s generaL
asseMbLY in Israel; Keren hayesod’s International Leadership reunion conference in madrid; the American Jewish committee’s gLobaL
ForuM in Washington D.c.; and the Joint Distribution committee’s CenTennIaL CeLebraTIons in Israel. other partnerships have developed with the Wexner foundation and hillel among others.
IsraeLIn Israel, rabbi Sacks has worked with a number of key groups, including: gesher, an organisation dedicated to closing the gap between secular, religious and ultra-orthodox Jews in Israel; the Interdisciplinary center in herzliya, an important academic institution engaged in
training the next leaders of Israeli society; and The reuT InsTITuTe , Israel’s leading think tank, on the challenges facing Israel internally as well as the Jewish people. rabbi Sacks’ advice has also been sought on major initiatives in Israel including: the development of the naTIonaL LIbrarY ; the strengthening of Israel-Diaspora relations and Jewish education; and the future of the Jewish Agency.
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In aDDITIon To The broaDer aIMs ouTLIneD earLIer, soMe sPeCIFIC aIMs For 5775 InCLuDe: • Continue to engage meaningfully with organisations
and groups involved in leadership development and/or Jewish education from across the religious spectrum, predominantly focused in america and israel but not exclusively.
• in 5775, each of Rabbi Sacks’ Covenant &
Conversation commentary essays on the weekly Torah portion will be themed on ethics. This focus will be carried through a selection of academic teaching engagements.
• Re-establish a presence as a public voice within
british society in an impactful and appropriate manner, utilising Rabbi Sacks’ established position as a voice of authority on issues of faith in the public square, democratic values, and morality.
• increase Rabbi Sacks’ profile within wider
american society. This will focus predominantly on written pieces in national newspapers and other publications.
• Continue to ensure Rabbi Sacks has dedicated time
to produce the vital and important written work so commonly associated with him.
The Covenant & Conversation trust
po Box 72007 London nw6 6rw
The Covenant and Conversation Trust ltd. Registered Charity no. 1152781
t +44 (0)20 7286 6391 [email protected]
www.rabbisacks.org @rabbisacks