New Online Course Exploring the Philosophy of Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks
A free, multilingual MOOC opens Rabbi Sacks’s intellectual legacy to learners around the world
Bar-Ilan University is proud to launch a new online course dedicated to the philosophical legacy of Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks (1948–2020), former Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth and one of the foremost Jewish intellectuals of the modern era.
Developed over the past eighteen months under the academic leadership of Dr. Miriam Feldmann-Kaye, the course is being released in conjunction with commemorations marking Rabbi Sacks’s fifth yahrzeit.
A Deep Exploration of Rabbi Sacks’s Intellectual World
The Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) invites learners to engage with Rabbi Sacks’s work in a meaningful and accessible way. The curriculum explores key themes that shaped his thought, including:
- Religion and modernity
- Ethical interpretation of Jewish texts
- Science and faith
- Interfaith dialogue
- Morality, responsibility, and human dignity
More than 300 students have already enrolled in the course, which is now publicly available on CampusIL, Israel’s national platform for online learning. Enroll here.
Accessible Worldwide in Multiple Languages
The course is being released initially in Hebrew and English and will later expand to include Arabic and additional languages. This multilingual approach reflects Bar-Ilan University’s commitment to sharing Rabbi Sacks’s teachings with diverse communities across cultures, faiths, and countries.
Dr. Feldmann-Kaye, assistant professor in the Department of Jewish Philosophy and senior researcher at the Jonathan Sacks Institute, notes:
“Our exploration of Rabbi Sacks’s thought will be multifaceted—we will examine his reflections on the role of religion in the contemporary world, his insights into multiculturalism, and his engagement with the relationship between science and faith. This course is not only an intellectual journey but also an invitation to introspection, dialogue, and ethical responsibility.”
A Collaborative Effort to Preserve and Share a Global Legacy
Prof. Jonathan Rynhold, director of the Jonathan Sacks Institute at Bar-Ilan University, highlighted the significance of making this course freely available:
“Rabbi Sacks’s thought continues to inspire rigorous scholarship and profound moral reflection. Through this new MOOC, Bar-Ilan University and the Jonathan Sacks Institute are extending his intellectual influence to new audiences, bridging academia and the public sphere and ensuring that his voice continues to shape global conversations on faith, ethics, and human dignity.”
Joanna Benarroch, president of the Rabbi Sacks Legacy, added:
“Launching the MOOC on Rabbi Sacks’s philosophy in time for his fifth yahrzeit feels deeply fitting. It is a meaningful way to honor his legacy—opening his ideas to the wider world in a format that reflects his vision of education, dialogue, and shared moral purpose.”
About Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks
Rabbi Sacks was internationally recognized for his scholarship, leadership, and moral clarity. His writings and lectures continue to influence thinkers, educators, policy makers, and faith communities around the world.