At a moving ceremony held Sunday at the Israeli President’s Residence in Jerusalem, the national educational initiative “Lihiot Yeudi” (To Be Purposeful) was formally recognized for its impact on youth across the country. The program, inspired by the thought and writings of the late Rabbi Lord Professor Jonathan Sacks, reached over 67,000 students this year and sparked more than 4,700 student-led community projects.
President Isaac Herzog and his wife Michal attended the event and presented awards to three outstanding schools for their innovative integration of values-based education.
“You are turning his teachings into platforms that resonate with today’s youth,” Herzog told the students.
Jewish Ideas That Bridge Tradition and Relevance
The program’s core goal is to make Rabbi Sacks’s ideas accessible and relevant to young Israelis. Each school year focuses on a central theme drawn from his writings—this year’s focus was “Renewal in Judaism”, encouraging students to step outside the classroom, encounter diversity, and explore how Jewish values apply to real-life challenges.
The initiative is currently implemented in hundreds of schools nationwide, promoting a version of Judaism that is inclusive, community-oriented, and deeply connected to social responsibility.
From Debate to Action
One highlight of the event was a live debate by students from Ramon High School on the question: “Does social change begin with personal change?”—part of a rhetorical training course taken by 700 teens this year.
Other student-led projects included, a memorial soccer tournament for a fallen IDF soldier, cooking and food delivery for troops near the Gaza border, and renovation of bomb shelters in northern communities
Honoring the Legacy of Rabbi Sacks
President Herzog emphasized that Rabbi Sacks’s moral vision “should live in every home in Israel.” Rabbi Sacks’s brother Alan Sacks recalled the original dream: “That every Jewish child would know his teachings.”
Former Israeli Ambassador to the UK Daniel Taub, who studied with Rabbi Sacks, called the project “a continuation of what he began.”
Awards for Outstanding Schools
Three schools received special recognition for exceptional engagement with the program: The Ehad Ha’Am School in Petah Tikva, Rodman School in Kiryat Yam, and Ort Yoveli in Ariel.
The initiative was presented as a model for building social resilience, offering a values-driven counterbalance to division in Israeli public discourse.
