Fifty thousand soldiers on the frontlines, including those serving in Gaza and on the northern borders, will receive a copy of a special edition booklet of “Why I Am a Jew,” a chapter from one of Rabbi Jonathan Sacks’ seminal works.

The Rabbi Sacks Legacy, in partnership with Koren Jerusalem, has published a booklet, especially for IDF soldiers, that includes a chapter from Rabbi Sacks’ book, “Radical Then, Radical Now,” originally published in 2001.

The initiative aims to provide strength and inspiration to those serving in the Israel Defense Forces.

IDF soldiers holding special booklet by Rabbi Sacks (Credit: The Rabbi Sacks Legacy)
IDF soldiers holding special booklet by Rabbi Sacks (Credit: The Rabbi Sacks Legacy)
In the booklet, which has been translated into Hebrew, Rabbi Sacks reflects on the indomitable spirit of the Jewish people: “Jewry survived while every empire that sought its destruction has ceased to be. The State of Israel has achieved things for which there is no comparison in any of the hundred or more new states that have come into being in the United Nations since the end of the Second World War. To be part of that history is a rare and precious heritage, and one of which I am proud.”

Sergeant Tal A., a reserve soldier in the 810th brigade stationed on the Lebanese border, expressed his excitement upon receiving the booklet: “During this critical period, every word takes on meaning, and this book empowers and strengthens us. Rabbi Sacks’ messages connect our past, present, and future as Jews, underlining the significance of succeeding in our mission. For a moment, it feels like Rabbi Sacks is here with us, giving us support and blessings for the journey ahead.”

The project is in memory of Sgt. Maj. (res.) Yossi Hershkovitz, who fell in battle in Gaza. Yossi was the beloved principal of the ORT Pelech Boys School in Jerusalem. In a video message sent to his students from the frontlines, he quoted Rabbi Sacks with a message of faith during times of crisis and our power to bring light to the world.

PDF versions of the booklets in Hebrew and English can be downloaded at www.rabbisacks.org.