Welcome to Siach Shalom! I’m Avinoam Rosenak, professor of Jewish Thought and Jewish Education at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. My inspiration for Siach Shalom stems from the concept of ‘unity of opposites’ which I discovered in the writings of Rabbi Kook and the Maharal of Prague. This important idea in
Jewish thought encourages a perspective that embraces and reconciles contradictions. I first
encountered this concept during my doctoral research, which led me to explore new dimensions beyond the liberal-Western discourse I was familiar with. I developed these ideas further through my engagement with the facilitation techniques introduced by Sharon Leshem-Zinger.
‘Unity of opposites’ transcends traditional notions of tolerance, pluralism, and diversity. It involves embracing contradictions and requires deep listening to a range of identities. This concept asserts that every aspect of the world holds a purpose, place, and role within the greater balance of peace. This vision has profoundly impacted many areas of my life.
Avinoam Rosenak is a professor in the Department of Jewish Thought at the Hebrew University,
where he also served as department chair. He is the head of the Jewish Education Philosophy
Cluster at the Melton Centre for Jewish Education, Seymour Fox School of Education, Hebrew
University. He holds the Mandel Chair in Jewish Education and is a Senior Research Fellow at the
Van Leer Jerusalem Institute. Avinoam is a distinguished scholar in modern Jewish thought, exploring the intersections between theology and politics, the philosophy of halakha, and Jewish education philosophy.
Prior to his current positions, he worked at the Israeli Democracy Institute, where he co-
managed the Jewish Thought and Human Rights program. Avinoam has authored six books, edited ten, and published over one hundred articles. He resides in Jerusalem with his wife, Bitya (an artist), and they have four children and grandchildren.
