JERUSALEM — The City of Jerusalem has inaugurated a new walking path named after Rabbi Adin Even-Israel Steinsaltz, honoring one of the most influential Jewish thinkers of the modern era. The trail, located at 6 Jabotinsky Street, was unveiled Wednesday in a ceremony attended by family members, city officials, and residents.
A Scholar Who Brought the Talmud to the People
Born in Jerusalem in 1937 to a secular family, Steinsaltz embraced observant Judaism in his youth, combining traditional Torah study with academic pursuits. At the age of only 23, he became the youngest principal of a school in Israel.
In the 1960s, with encouragement from figures like Prime Minister Levi Eshkol and Knesset Speaker Kadish Luz, Steinsaltz launched the Institute for Talmudic Publications. His mission: to make the Talmud accessible to the modern reader.
The result was a landmark series of Talmud volumes translated and elucidated in contemporary Hebrew—later also published in English, French, and Russian—now used widely in Jewish study halls and homes around the world.
A Lasting Legacy in Education and Jewish Thought
In addition to his Talmudic works, Rabbi Steinsaltz published commentaries on foundational Jewish texts, including the Tanya of Chabad philosophy. He also founded educational institutions in Jerusalem, Gush Etzion, and even Moscow, all focused on bridging religious tradition with intellectual openness.
Over his lifetime, Rabbi Steinsaltz was awarded the Israel Prize for Jewish Studies, the President’s Medal of Honor, and was named an Honorary Citizen of Jerusalem.
He Opened a Window into the Talmud
At the dedication ceremony, Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Lion paid tribute: “Rabbi Adin Even-Israel was a man of vision. With extraordinary talent, he opened a window into the Talmud for so many who otherwise would not have had access.”
Today, his legacy continues through the Steinsaltz Center, a thriving educational and spiritual hub in Jerusalem dedicated to preserving and expanding his life’s work.
