Vision
Research and cultivation of the heritage of all Jewish communities and their Integration into educational and social systems, while emphasizing the sense of belonging and partnership of each and every community.
Activity
The goal of the project is to advance and make known the character and unique contribution of Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz.
In the conference, a special emphasis will be placed on the revolution that he conducted in the study of Talmud. Before his translation of the Talmud, Talmudic study was confined to those who could manage to read Aramaic and navigate the special tongue and style of the Talmud. In this conference, we will expose Rabbi Steinsaltz’s teaching and philosophy,and courageous spirit in making the Talmud approachable to all.
The first to dare to make such a revolution, Rabbi Steinsaltz was an example for other talmidei chachamim (Jewish scholars) who, following in his footsteps, translated the Talmud to make it understandable to modern Hebrew speakers.
Thus, today, not only yeshiva students study the Gemara, but also people who are interested in Jewish culture. This includes secular frameworks, which have become exposed to Talmudic work due to the translation enterprise. Rabbi Steinsaltz also made a great number of other spiritual writings accessible to the public.
Participating in the conference will be rabbis, academic researchers, and representatives of various circles, who will uncover the philosophy and teachings of Steinsaltz, focusing on his methodologic and interpretive approach in learning
the Talmud. The rationale is to present his life work and pioneering activity in making many Jewish spiritual writings accessible to a wide public and thus to further his contribution to Jewish life and thought.