Jewish Quest
Each week, join us on an adventure as we deconstruct that week’s parasha, exploring new insights and meaning in the Torah. Hosted by Simon Eder and sponsored by the Louis Jacobs Foundation, Jewish Quest aims to honour the statement of R' Jacobs z"l who said: 'The quest for Torah is itself Torah.' Welcome to that Quest.
Find out more about our work at louisjacobs.org
Jewish Quest
Jewish Quest 2005 3rd SPECIAL - The Elliot Cosgrove Interview with Louis Jacobs z'l
On a visit to London, Rabbi Dr Elliot Cosgrove of the Park Avenue Synagogue in New York took the opportunity to interview Rabbi Jacobs. They first discuss the influences on Rabbi Jacobs’s thought, particularly the differences between his yeshiva and university experiences and his teachers. Rabbi Cosgrove then asks Rabbi Jacobs how he would characterise his intellectual legacy, and how he may have changed over the years.
Rabbi Cosgrove then asks Rabbi Jacobs how to reconcile a sense of being commanded with an intellectual approach to Judaism. Rabbi Jacobs responds that one cannot master the Talmud unless one believes in it. Yet not everything in the tradition is valuable.
Other questions include whether he has seen a change in theological issues during his career, inter-faith dialogue, the challenges of Jewish life today, surprisingly liberal views in the charedi world and the points in his career of which Rabbi Jacobs is most proud.
Comments greatly welcome please via www.louisjacobs.org