More than 150 communities across the globe united in remembering Rabbi Sacks, zt”l, on second yahrzeit.

(Courtesy of The Rabbi Sacks Legacy) To mark the second anniversary of the passing of Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks, zt”l, more than 150 Jewish communities and day schools from six continents joined together in a global day of learning and Torah conversation on November 13 and 14. The intercontinental commemoration, called “Communities in Conversation,” was inspired by the renowned leader’s teachings and his passion for learning through dialogue.

“As we mark the second anniversary of the passing of our dear Rabbi Sacks, zt”l, his words and his mission to inspire deeper conversations on what Judaism means to the individual remain just as relevant on his second yahrzeit as they were when he first spoke them,” said Rabbi Sacks Legacy Chief Executive Joanna Benarroch. “In his memory, we brought communities and schools together to learn and to discuss, sharing his wisdom and his teachings with each other and with the world.”

Communities and Jewish day schools across Israel, the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Austria, Australia, Bahrain, Indonesia, Kuwait, The Netherlands, Mexico, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have registered to host communal learning sessions around this year’s yahrzeit.

The event, this year themed “From Optimism to Hope,” offers participants the opportunity to discuss the writings and philosophy of Rabbi Sacks on the subject. Through curated videos and source sheets designed to prompt conversation, individuals and groups learned more about Rabbi Sacks’ philosophy of the differences between optimism and hope and understood its application to their own Torah-filled lives. Much like the presentations given by Rabbi Sacks, the multifaceted lesson plan was geared toward spurring discussion among learners of all ages and all religious backgrounds.

“My father learned from books, from text, from laws, history, and from world events. But mainly, he learned from people,” said Gila Sacks, explaining the inspiration for the event. “He would seek out people to learn from, from every possible path of life, and he would do this through conversation—through talking and listening. For him, conversation was a defining and spiritual act, a way of opening ourselves up to something beyond the individual, a training perhaps, for opening ourselves up to God.” 

For more information or to participate, visit: www.rabbisacks.org/yahrzeit.