Rabbi Jonathan Sacks was a prominent British Orthodox rabbi and theologian, serving as Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth from 1991 to 2013 and then as the Emeritus Chief Rabbi of the UK. He was known for his commitment to interfaith dialogue and social justice, as well as his extensive writings on faith and ethics. Rabbi Sacks left a lasting impact on Jewish thought and contemporary society. But what has made Rabbi Jonathan Sacks such a compelling thinker? Looking at some of the main strands of his thought, we will see how he reframed the challenge of living as a modern Jew in the 21st century. As we reach his fourth yahrzeit, there is still much to learn from him.

Rabbi Dr Raphael Zarum is dean of the London School of Jewish Studies (LSJS) where he holds the Rabbi Sacks Chair in Modern Jewish Thought, established by the Zandan family. He also serves as Scholar-in-Residence at the Central Square Minyan in Hampstead Garden Suburb. He has a PhD in Theoretical Physics from King’s College London, an MA in Education from University College London, rabbinic ordination from Rabbi Sacks and the Montefiore Kollel, and is a graduate of the Mandel Leadership School in Jerusalem. His articles on Bible, philosophy, education and Jewish life regularly appear in the Jewish Press, academic journals, and book collections. His first book, Questioning Belief: Torah and Tradition in an Age of Doubt, was the finalist in Yeshiva University's Rabbi Sacks Book Prize 2023. He recently launched the popular podcast Big Questions of Jewish Belief. Rabbi Zarum is an acclaimed educator who travels the globe lecturing in many Jewish communities and diverse institutions.