Global Learning Campaign Honors Rabbi Adin Even-Israel (Steinsaltz) on Fifth Yahrzeit

Monday marks five years since the passing of Rabbi Adin Even-Israel (Steinsaltz), the world-famous Talmudist, Kabbalist, educator, community rabbi, philosopher, prolific author—and, above all, devoted Chassid—whose scholarship opened the gates of Jewish learning to millions worldwide. Born in Jerusalem to avowed Marxists, Rabbi Even-Israel was guided by the Rebbe, of righteous memory, to become a towering beacon of Torah scholarship and Jewish thought. With tenacity and brilliance, he toiled mightily to bring Jewish teachings to every sector of the Jewish world and beyond.

Most famously, he blazed a path for aspiring students of Torah to access even obscure passages of Talmud and other parts of Torah, by exposing them to the cumulative works of generations of scholars and teachers, all contextualized in a way that could be grasped by the modern mind. He is best remembered for translating and elucidating the entire Talmud in modern Hebrew and then English—an unrivaled solo feat he began around the time of his marriage and completed decades later.

His classic introduction to Kabbalah, The Thirteen Petalled Rose, was published in 1980 and has been reprinted in eight languages. He published multivolume works on the Tanach, Mishna, Jerusalem Talmud, Maimonides’s Mishneh Torah and Tanya. In all, Rabbi Even-Israel authored more than 200 books and hundreds of articles, including groundbreaking translations.

Even when he felt his burden was too great and the cumulative challenges were too daunting, Rabbi Even-Israel was encouraged by the Rebbe to add even more to his dizzying workload, resulting in an outsized lifetime contribution to Jewish life and learning.

To honor the milestone, the Steinsaltz Center and Shalhevet-The Steinsaltz Yeshiva Learning Community are launching “One People One Vision,” an ambitious year-long campaign that will unite Jewish communities across the globe in comprehensive study of the Torah texts translated and elucidated by Rabbi Even-Israel. The campaign officially begins Monday, Aug. 11 (17 Menachem Av, 5785), the rabbi’s yahrzeit.

“The rabbi believed that Torah knowledge should be available to every Jew, regardless of their background or level of learning,” said Rabbi Meni Even-Israel, director of the Steinsaltz Center and son of the late scholar. “This campaign embodies his vision by bringing together our entire people in a shared journey of discovery and growth.”

In 2024, a groundbreaking collaboration between Chabad.org and the Steinsaltz Center made many Rabbi Even-Israel’s teachings accessible and available online, with the incorporation of the Steinsaltz Center’s release of its new Steinsaltz Portal, onto Chabad.org’s Torah Texts platform.

A cohort of Rabbi Even-Israel’s works have long been available on Chabad.org. After years of planning and creating together – punctuated by the immense investment into digitization efforts and architecting and expanding our content delivery systems – the partnership made available the full bilingual texts of the Neviim (Prophets), Ketuvim (Scriptures), Mishnah, Talmud and the Rambam’s Mishneh Torah – all with the rabbi’s signature interpolated translation and commentary.

In the months ahead, this growing online treasure trove will include Rabbi Even-Israel’s vaunted commentary to Tanya, the foundational work of Jewish philosophy and indispensable guide to G‑d-centered spiritual living; many more original books and essays by the rabbi; and a plethora of his famed audio and video classes.

“This partnership is the natural extension of my father’s 70+ years of selfless devotion to the mandate of ‘Let my people know,'” Rabbi Meni Even-Israel said at the time. “Chabad.org’s impressive and trailblazing implementation of the Rebbe’s vision to make Torah available to millions worldwide made it a natural partner for my father of blessed memory and the Steinsaltz Center. Our partnership with Chabad.org brought him much joy during his lifetime, and reassured him that his work would continue to bear fruit for all time to come.”

The “One People One Vision” campaign will provide structured learning materials and digital resources to participants worldwide. Communities are encouraged to form study groups, organize lectures, and participate in virtual learning sessions connecting learners across continents. The campaign expects participation from Jewish communities across North America, Europe, Israel, and beyond, with synagogues, Jewish community centers, universities, individuals and study groups worldwide invited to join.

“This is more than just a learning campaign—it’s a testament to the enduring power of Rabbi Even-Israel’s vision,” said Ariel Wilchfort, Director of Shalhevet. “By learning his teachings together, we’re not just honoring his memory, but actively fulfilling his dream of an educated, connected Jewish people. Studying Torah in someone’s memory brings great comfort to their soul. That is compounded when it is their own Torah contribution that people are studying.”