Alon Goshen-Gottstein
Encyclopedia
Alon Goshen-Gottstein (born 1956, England) is founder and director of The Elijah Interfaith Institute
as well as a rabbi
, writer, teacher, lecturer, and musician.
– a professor of Jewish studies, linguist, Bible scholar, and theologian – and Esther Goshen-Gottstein, a clinical psychologist. The Jerusalem home in which Goshen-Gottstein grew up was open to students of various religions, as well as to visiting clergy. Coupled with extensive travel in early childhood, Goshen-Gottstein was raised to have an open and expansive perspective on the world, seen through the lens of academia.
Goshen-Gottstein attended Hebrew University of Jerusalem with a concentration in the fields of Talmud
and Jewish Thought. He received a Ph. D. in 1986; his thesis was on the subject "God and Israel as Father and Son in Tannaitic Literature." His specialization in rabbinic theology, of the literature of Talmud and Midrash
, made him one of the few experts in the Jewish theology of that period. He has taught at a variety of Israeli universities and published extensively in this field.
For a decade Goshen-Gottstein was a member of the Shalom Hartman Institute
of Advanced Studies. Here, he engaged with contemporary existential issues and became versed in public interfaith conversations, for which he was in charge for several years on behalf of the Hartman Institute.
Goshen-Gottstein's spiritual education has included formative relations with non-Jewish spiritual masters and in–depth relations with a broad range of Christian monastic communities. He has shared in the spiritual lives of Christian and Hindu communities and enjoyed the friendship, wisdom, and counsel of teachers from the Buddhist and Muslim traditions. There is probably no other Orthodox Rabbi who has such inside knowledge of the life, thought and spirituality of so many diverse religious communities.
Goshen-Gottstein has eighty publications (books and articles), concentrated in three main areas: Rabbinic theology, Jewish thought, and spirituality and interfaith relations. As a consequence of his work with the Elijah Interfaith Institute, his later writing has concentrated more in the third category. He is a much sought after lecturer and writer.
While most of his energies are invested in developing the Elijah Interfaith Institute, he maintains his interest and creative work in the field of Rabbinic Thought. He has, for the past decade, been the director of the Institute for the Study of Rabbinic Thought at Bet Morasha, a small seminary-type college in Jerusalem.
Goshen-Gottstein's two sons, Elisha and Nerya, follow in his footsteps in the pursuit of religious knowledge, spiritual wisdom, and an expansive worldview.
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The Elijah Interfaith Institute
The Elijah Interfaith Institute is a nonprofit, international, interfaith organization which was founded by Rabbi Alon Goshen-Gottstein in 1997. Its mission is to foster peace between the world's diverse faith communities through interfaith dialogue, education, research and dissemination...
as well as a rabbi
Rabbi
In Judaism, a rabbi is a teacher of Torah. This title derives from the Hebrew word רבי , meaning "My Master" , which is the way a student would address a master of Torah...
, writer, teacher, lecturer, and musician.
Early life
Goshen-Gottstein is the son of Moshe Goshen-GottsteinMoshe Goshen-Gottstein
Moshe Goshen-Gottstein was a German-born professor of Semitic linguistics and biblical philology at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and director of the lexicographical institute and Biblical research institute of Bar-Ilan University.-Biography:Moshe Goshen-Gottstein was born in Berlin...
– a professor of Jewish studies, linguist, Bible scholar, and theologian – and Esther Goshen-Gottstein, a clinical psychologist. The Jerusalem home in which Goshen-Gottstein grew up was open to students of various religions, as well as to visiting clergy. Coupled with extensive travel in early childhood, Goshen-Gottstein was raised to have an open and expansive perspective on the world, seen through the lens of academia.
Academic career
Goshen-Gottstein's underwent religious training and was ordained a rabbi 1978. For the following thirty years he served as a reserve chaplain in the Israeli army, but he has never practiced as a communal rabbi.Goshen-Gottstein attended Hebrew University of Jerusalem with a concentration in the fields of Talmud
Talmud
The Talmud is a central text of mainstream Judaism. It takes the form of a record of rabbinic discussions pertaining to Jewish law, ethics, philosophy, customs and history....
and Jewish Thought. He received a Ph. D. in 1986; his thesis was on the subject "God and Israel as Father and Son in Tannaitic Literature." His specialization in rabbinic theology, of the literature of Talmud and Midrash
Midrash
The Hebrew term Midrash is a homiletic method of biblical exegesis. The term also refers to the whole compilation of homiletic teachings on the Bible....
, made him one of the few experts in the Jewish theology of that period. He has taught at a variety of Israeli universities and published extensively in this field.
For a decade Goshen-Gottstein was a member of the Shalom Hartman Institute
Shalom Hartman Institute
Shalom Hartman Institute is a Jewish research and education institute based in Jerusalem, Israel, that offers pluralistic Jewish thought and education to scholars, rabbis, educators, and Jewish community leaders in Israel and North America...
of Advanced Studies. Here, he engaged with contemporary existential issues and became versed in public interfaith conversations, for which he was in charge for several years on behalf of the Hartman Institute.
Interfaith Work
Besides his academic training, Goshen-Gottstein has drawn from other Jewish and non-Jewish resources. He is affiliated with several hassidic communities and has been deeply influenced by hassidic teaching and spirituality.Goshen-Gottstein's spiritual education has included formative relations with non-Jewish spiritual masters and in–depth relations with a broad range of Christian monastic communities. He has shared in the spiritual lives of Christian and Hindu communities and enjoyed the friendship, wisdom, and counsel of teachers from the Buddhist and Muslim traditions. There is probably no other Orthodox Rabbi who has such inside knowledge of the life, thought and spirituality of so many diverse religious communities.
Goshen-Gottstein has eighty publications (books and articles), concentrated in three main areas: Rabbinic theology, Jewish thought, and spirituality and interfaith relations. As a consequence of his work with the Elijah Interfaith Institute, his later writing has concentrated more in the third category. He is a much sought after lecturer and writer.
While most of his energies are invested in developing the Elijah Interfaith Institute, he maintains his interest and creative work in the field of Rabbinic Thought. He has, for the past decade, been the director of the Institute for the Study of Rabbinic Thought at Bet Morasha, a small seminary-type college in Jerusalem.
Goshen-Gottstein's two sons, Elisha and Nerya, follow in his footsteps in the pursuit of religious knowledge, spiritual wisdom, and an expansive worldview.
Musical career
Alongside his classical academic work, Goshen-Gottstein is also a singer. His work has been released on the Italian label Amiata RecordsAmiata Records
Amiata Records is an independent cross-cultural record label founded in 1992 by Matteo Silva and Marc Eagleton withheadquarters in the historic center of Florence and offices in London, Lugano and Rome. Amiata derives its name from the mountain in southern Tuscany, one of the most un-spoilt areas...
.