Rabbi Sacks

In his sixth and final Reith Lecture, Dr. Jonathan Sacks, Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth, explains why faith will survive.

Dr. Jonathan Sacks explores in his lecture entitled 'A Community of Communities' the bond of religion. He explains that although the numbers of religious believers seems to be dwindling, religion will never totally fade away. He believes that the values it provides communities are still needed by the individual and the nation.

Reith Lectures Archive: 1976-2010

A Community of Communities - BBC Reith Lectures 1990: The Persistence of Faith - Lecture 6

Dr. Jonathan Sacks, Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth evaluates the effects of combining religious revival with nationalism in his fifth Reith Lecture.

Reviewing the topic of religious fanaticism in his lecture entitled 'Fundamentalism', he argues that when faith and national identity are united they create an explosive mix. Yet, paradoxically, he believes secularism does not provide a solution either.

Fundamentalism - BBC Reith Lectures 1990: The Persistence of Faith - Lecture 5

Dr. Jonathan Sacks, Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth explores the language of religion in his fourth Reith Lecture on 'The Persistence of Faith'.

In this lecture Dr. Jonathan Sacks puts forward the idea of a society which speaks both a public language of citizenship as well as a local language of community in this lecture entitled 'Paradoxes of Pluralism'. Expanding on this concept of pluralism, he asks whether it has diluted religion or created cultural space for the individual.

Paradoxes & Pluralism - BBC Reith Lectures 1990: The Persistence of Faith - Lecture 4

Dr. Jonathan Sacks, Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth explores the importance of the family relationship in his third Reith Lecture on 'The Persistence of Faith'.

In this lecture entitled 'The Family', Dr. Jonathan Sacks investigates the persistence of the religious institution of marriage in the modern secular age. He explores the values of the nuclear family as a framework for how we understand society and wonders how the new age of increased divorce, co-habitation, single parents and same sex relationships, will affect the concept of the family. He evaluates whether it is a good or bad thing for the family unit be eroded.

The Family - BBC Reith Lectures 1990: The Persistence of Faith - Lecture 3

Dr Jonathan Sacks, Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth, explores religious ethics in his second Reith Lecture in the series 'The Persistence of Faith'. He investigates whether today's moral dramas centre more on the free-self than the saint or the hero.

In this lecture entitled 'The Demoralisation of Discourse', Dr Jonathan Sacks focuses on how modern morals are founded in faith. It is his belief that without the objective standards of religion we would have no coherent language of ethics.

The Demoralisation of Discourse - BBC Reith Lectures 1990: The Persistence of Faith - Lecture 2

Dr Jonathan Sacks, Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth, lectures in his first Reith Lecture on the 'The Persistence of Faith'. Explaining how he believes that the moral framework provided by religion is still the best alternative to the personalised, free-market ethics which prevail today.

In this lecture entitled 'The Environment of Faith', Dr Jonathan Sacks considers the state of Britain's religions. He asks; have modern cultures forgotten their faith forever?

The Environment of Faith - BBC Reith Lectures 1990: The Persistence of Faith - Lecture 1

Here is the audio recording of Rabbi Sacks' Covenant & Conversation commentary essay on this week's double Torah portion of Eikev 5780.

You can download a PDF of this commentary, as well as an accompanying Family Edition, from rabbisacks.org/eikev-5780/

The Covenant and the Love (Eikev 5780)

Here is the audio recording of Rabbi Sacks' Covenant & Conversation commentary essay on this week's Torah portion of Re'eh 5780.

You can download a PDF of this commentary, as well as an accompanying Family Edition, from rabbisacks.org/reeh-5780/

The Good Society (Re'eh 5780)

Here is the audio recording of Rabbi Sacks' Covenant & Conversation commentary essay on this week's Torah portion of Shoftim 5780.

You can download a PDF of this commentary, as well as an accompanying Family Edition, from rabbisacks.org/shoftim-5780/

A Sage is Greater than a Prophet (Shoftim 5780)

Here is the audio recording of Rabbi Sacks' Covenant & Conversation commentary essay on this week's Torah portion of Ki Teitse 5780.

You can download a PDF of this commentary, as well as an accompanying Family Edition, from rabbisacks.org/ki-teitse-5780/

Does Love Conquer All? (Ki Teitse 5780)

Here is the audio recording of Rabbi Sacks' Covenant & Conversation commentary essay on this week's Torah portion of Ki Tavo 5780.

You can download a PDF of this commentary, as well as an accompanying Family Edition, from rabbisacks.org/ki-tavo-5780/

Be Silent and Listen (Ki Tavo 5780)

With thanks to our friends at the Unorthodox podcast produced by Tablet Magazine, here is Rabbi Sacks' interview from last week show. This interview was first released on Thursday 3rd September 2020.  

Description from Unorthodox: "Our Jewish guest is Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks, former Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth, who returns to the show to talk about his latest book, Morality: Restoring the Common Good in Divided Times. Listen for Rabbi Sacks' advice for how we can build a more moral society, plus why he thinks the themes of the High Holidays have never been more relevant, and his take on the Queen's corgis."

To listen to the Unorthodox episode in full, please click here: https://www.tabletmag.com/podcasts/unorthodox/episode-241-rabbi-lord-jonathan-sacks-holly-huffnagle-anti-semitism.

To purchase a copy of 'Morality: Restoring the Common Good in Divided Times' please click here: https://www.basicbooks.com/titles/jonathan-sacks/morality/9781541675315/.

Unorthodox podcast interview with Rabbi Sacks (3rd September 2020)

Here is the audio recording of Rabbi Sacks' Covenant & Conversation commentary essay on this week's Torah portion of Nitzavim - Vayelech 5780.

You can download a PDF of this commentary, as well as an accompanying Family Edition, from https://rabbisacks.org/nitzavim-vayelech-5780/.

How to Renew a Nation (Nitzavim - Vayelech 5780)

Here is the first of three drashot (short talks)I have recorded as we prepare to celebrate Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur in the midst of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. 

This series has been generously sponsored by Lundy and Fred Reynolds.

Wishing you all a shana tova u'metukah. May 5781 be a year of blessing, peace, prosperity and health for us and for the world.

"Faith & Insecurity" (Pt 1 of 3 | Elul 5780 Lecture Series)

Here is the second of three drashot (short talks) I have recorded as we prepare to celebrate Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur in the midst of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. 

This series has been generously sponsored by Lundy and Fred Reynolds.

Wishing you all a shana tova u'metukah. May 5781 be a year of blessing, peace, prosperity and health for us and for the world.

"Rethinking Failure" (Pt 2 of 3 | Elul 5780 Lecture Series)

Here is the third of three drashot (short talks)I have recorded as we prepare to celebrate Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur in the midst of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. 

This series has been generously sponsored by Lundy and Fred Reynolds.

Wishing you all a shana tova u'metukah. May 5781 be a year of blessing, peace, prosperity and health for us and for the world.

"Building the Future" (Pt 3 of 3 | Elul 5780 Lecture Series)

Covenant & Conversation is Rabbi Sacks' weekly commentary on the Torah portion. All his Covenant & Conversation essays for 5781 are themed around the concept of Leadership and what lessons the Torah can teach us about it. 

You can download the essays from the website for free. For more articles, videos & other material from Rabbi Sacks, please visit www.rabbisacks.org or follow @RabbiSacks.

Bereishit 5781 - Taking Responsibility (Covenant & Conversation)

Covenant & Conversation is Rabbi Sacks' weekly commentary on the Torah portion. All his Covenant & Conversation essays for 5781 are themed around the concept of Leadership and the lessons we can learn from the leaders in the Torah.

“Lessons in Leadership” was originally written and recorded in 5774 (2014).

You can also download the full weekly essays from the website for free. For more articles, videos & other material from Rabbi Sacks, please visit www.rabbisacks.org or follow @RabbiSacks.

Noach 5781- Righteousness Is Not Leadership

Covenant & Conversation is Rabbi Sacks' weekly commentary on the Torah portion. All his Covenant & Conversation pieces for 5781 are themed around the concept of Leadership and the lessons we can learn from the leaders in the Torah.

“Lessons in Leadership” was originally written and recorded in 5774 (2014).

You can also download the full weekly essays from the website for free. For more articles, videos & other material from Rabbi Sacks, please visit www.rabbisacks.org or follow @RabbiSacks.

Lech Lecha 5781 - The Courage not to Conform

Covenant & Conversation is Rabbi Sacks' weekly commentary on the Torah portion. All his Covenant & Conversation pieces for 5781 are themed around the concept of Leadership and the lessons we can learn from the leaders in the Torah.

“Lessons in Leadership” was originally written and recorded in 5774 (2013-2014).

You can also download the full weekly essays from the website for free. For more articles, videos & other material from Rabbi Sacks, please visit www.rabbisacks.org or follow @RabbiSacks.

Rabbi Sacks

Maria Yakubovich