If we cannot settle the God question, why live a life of faith? Honest theology may be a never-ending inquiry, yet there is a rational path to attaining a stable religious life. This lecture explored such a path, which can move an agnostic to start (or continue!) a lifelong religious quest – to be part… Continue Reading ➨
Videos
Teachings of Rabbi Louis Jacobs
The majority of these videos were taken during the last year of Rabbi Jacobs life. They are full length videos previously only available to purchase but now made available on-line. If you are new to the work and background of Rabbi Jacobs you will find the video titled - 'Britain's Greatest Jew Q & A' an excellent start.
Continuing the QUEST
The discussion continues! The videos that you can access from this page are recordings of seminars and lectures mostly directly on the subject of Jewish Theology as posed in the thoughts of Rabbi Jacobs. They are unedited full length videos and in some cases there is more than one video from a session.
Please let us know about any comments of feedback about the videos, by contacting us via our Contact page.
Ben Fromson – “You Want It Darker” Valuing life with(out) Faith – Lecture 5
Most people believe that life is worth living and perpetuating, despite the ways in which one may suffer. But what justifies this outlook? This lecture will propose that the answer does not lie in intuition or pleasure, but in either a secular or religious faith. With Leonard Cohen’s final song in hand, we will ask… Continue Reading ➨
Ben Fromson – The Problem of Evil and the Cost of the Solution – Lecture 4
Horrendous things happen to decent people. Despite this fact, monotheists insist that their beliefs and practices are reasonable. Unfortunately, many Jewish educators think that it is enough to raise the issue, note the tension, and move on. This lecture aims to do better, and calls on other educators to do so too. We will explore… Continue Reading ➨
Ben Fromson – God of the Philosophers – Lecture 3
Many philosophers have tried to demonstrate that God exists. Say that they are right – so what? This lecture will argue that the “God of the Philosophers” is far from indifferent, and even worthy of worship. We will focus on two things God might do for us, concerning morality and religious experience. ...
Why God (Probably) Exists: An Introduction – Lecture 2
Presented by Ben Fromson Simon Eder in the Chair Sunday 26th July at 5.30 – 7.00pm Arguments for God’s existence are frequently associated with organisations miss-selling religious certainty. Also, most progressive religious people don’t see why they’re needed. This talk provides an argument for God’s existence, explains why such arguments are necessary and how they… Continue Reading ➨
Does a Real God Really Matter? Should Jews do Theology – Lecture 1
Continuing the quest with Ben Winton Fromson Simon Eder in the Chair We were delighted to introduce Ben Winton Fromson who, following a much applauded presentation at the new books of Louis Jacobs site launch at JW3, lead an important on-line session. Sunday 26th July at 5.30 – 7.00pm Should Jews do theology? Why not…...
Being Jewish Today
Event took place 15th December 2019 Simon Eder Interviews Rabbi Tony Bayfield Q&A ...
Rabbi Francis Nataf and Rabbi Chaim Weiner
Event took place 7th November 2019 ...
Jewish Attitude to Jesus
Nov 94 Jacobs New London Synagogue Lunch Talk....
Dr Louis Jacobs ‘Spertus College Commencement Address’
Late 60’s (?) address to Spertus College in Cincinnati by video, recorded in London....
Own Books
Having written almost 50 books Louis Jacobs looks at them all....
Karen Armstrong interviews Louis Jacobs – November 1984
Karen Armstrong interviewing Rabbi Louis Jacobs for Paths of Faiths in November 1984. Karen Armstrong formulates her questions so as to emphasize the unique features of the Jewish faith, attempting to discern the dynamics inherent to Judaism, the variety of experiences and movements which characterize contemporary Jewish practice, and the ways in which these differ from other…...
Variety in Modern Judaism
Rabbi Jacobs discusses the various Jewish groups which make up the contemporary world. He begins with a discussion of the charedim. He points out that their approach to religious matters, for example dress, is uncompromising, although the term ultra-orthodox is misleading. Turning to the orthodox he considers their interaction with and differences from the charedim…....
English Judaism as a Religious Outlook
Rabbi Louis Jacobs reflects in this video upon his past appointments, starting from his early steps as assistant Rabbi in Eli Munk’s Beit Midrash in Golders Green, and concluding with the creation of the New London synagogue and the instigation of the Masorti movement. He offers intimate descriptions of his experience in these communities, each…...
Time and Eternity
Rabbi Jacobs reflects, in this video, on the Jewish notions of time and eternity. Faithful to his own convictions, he subjects both concepts to careful scrutiny – examining the biblical and rabbinic understandings of the terms – and draws out the implications of such considerations on a wide variety of theological motifs, including Creation and…...
We Have Reason To Believe in Torah Min Hashamayim
This video made available on this site – December 2015 Lecture from 5th February 1995 This video dates from 1995 and records an open lecture at the time of the 30th anniversary of the New London Synagogue. Rabbi Jacobs starts by recalling the background which led to the publication of his controversial book We Have…...
Variety in Traditional Judaism
Rabbi Jacobs offers some historical and religious reflections, in this video, on the variety of religious movements which compose the contemporary Jewish world since the Enlightenment. He starts with the Sephardim, noting that their communities display far greater uniformity than their Ashkenazi peers (in spite of some influence from the European Haskalah movement). He then…...
50 Years of Inquiry: A Retrospect
Rabbi Jacobs published close to 50 books, on subjects spanning between theology and religious practice, mysticism and hasidism, and talmudic studies. In his video, he presents his bibliography, with a number of comments concerning the thesis of each work, their successive republications, and their impact on his career....
Masorti
Rabbi Jacobs shares his thoughts, in this video (shot on two separate days), on the Masorti movement in England – its history, its ideology, and its goals. He starts his account with the establishment of the New London and New North London Synagogues, founded in the aftermath of the Jacobs Affair as traditional, English Orthodox…...
Maimonides Lecture Two
In this video Rabbi Jacobs discusses Maimonides system of thought, his philosophy, his view of the cosmos and his attitudes to the commandments. He considers Maimonides’s supreme idea, that Judaism as God’s law has purpose and that a state of intellectual perfection is the supreme achievement. However it is a mistake to think of Maimonides…...