Dear Friends –

When I shared the news that I would become the Director of The Jewish Publication Society and leave my position as the Director of the Program in Jewish Studies at the University of Colorado Boulder, I invariably received two responses: excitement and curiosity. Again and again, friends and colleagues told me how happy they were that I’d be joining one of American Jewry’s most storied institutions. And again and again, friends and colleagues asked me how I had made the decision to leave a tenured professorship at a research university.

The answer is simple, and it’s the same one that stands at the heart of the remarks by JPS’s outgoing Director, Rabbi Barry Schwartz, in this newsletter: a desire to make a difference.

Now more than ever, I believe that it’s crucial that we build bridges between scholars, Jewish communities, and the public at large. For more than a century, The Jewish Publication Society has stood at the forefront of this vital work by promoting accessible scholarship on the Jewish tradition, and I’m honored and humbled to play a role in the next chapter of JPS’s history. JPS is entrusted with the sacred task of allowing Jewish sources to speak in an ever-changing world, and I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to be part of the work of empowering individuals and communities to engage with the great books of the Jewish tradition, of broadening and reimagining our vision of what those great books are, and of bringing the diverse voices of Judaism, past and present, to the conversations at the heart of contemporary life.

The Jewish tradition teaches that we live l’dor v’dor, from generation to generation - that we are indebted to those who came before us, and that we have an obligation to those who come after us. As I step into this new role, I want to thank Rabbi Schwartz for his vision and passion. He has led JPS with wisdom, creativity, integrity, and dedication, and I’m so very grateful to him for all that he has done. I’m also excited to join with JPS President Gittel Hilibrand, the JPS Board of Trustees, all my new colleagues, and our partners at the University of Nebraska Press, Gratz College, and Sefaria to ensure that our world will be shaped by Judaism’s newest great books, including the groundbreaking revision of our iconic Bible translation, The JPS Tanakh: Gender-Sensitive Edition, which will be available over the coming year.

For more than one hundred and thirty years, JPS has helped drive the conversations central to Jewish life. I’m looking forward to continuing that work, and to learning, thinking, and growing with all of you. I invite you to reach out to me at the number or email below so that we can build JPS’s future together.

With excitement and gratitude,

Dr. Elias Sacks

Incoming Director
esacks@jps.org
(215) 832-0607

Dear Friends,

We hope that this year has been full of health and happiness for you, our beloved readers.  For JPS, it has been a year of preparation for transition.  We profusely thank our beloved and esteemed Rabbi Barry Schwartz for his tireless dedication to the Jewish Publication Society.  We also prepare to welcome our new and highly accomplished Director, Dr. Elias Sacks.  

We are so grateful to Rabbi Schwartz for his many years as our Director.  Through his vision, business acumen, and love of Torah, we have thrived.  His warm manner inspired our Board, our partners, our authors, and our friends.  From the first Dvar Torah he gave to his tireless efforts to bring on a new Director who will usher JPS into the future, Rabbi Schwartz has always selflessly prioritized JPS.  We wish him and his wife Debbie well earned relaxation and much naches in their children and grandchildren as they enjoy life’s next chapter.  On behalf of the Board, I express our tremendous gratitude for Rabbi Schwartz’s work and dedication. 

Going “from strength to strength” as Jews often say, we invite our readers to join us for the next chapter of our journey as we welcome our new Director, Dr. Elias Sacks.  Our incoming Director’s illustrious resume shines with many accomplishments and degrees from America’s top universities.  He is a talented educator, a skilled writer, and an articulate speaker.  He is steeped in the love and knowledge of Judaism and its meaningful texts.  We look forward to working with Dr. Sacks to bring forth new works which will add to the rich tapestry of Jewish intellectual scholarship.

My family were observant Jews in the former Soviet Union and for generations had to learn Torah in secret, at the risk of being caught and punished by the authorities.  Like my parents, I too was born in the former Soviet Union, but my family was able to flee thanks to the amazing Americans who lobbied for Soviet Jews to be released from behind the Iron Curtain. In America, one of the many beautiful aspects of freedom is that everyone is free to choose what moves them, including in their Judaism.  And that is where JPS shines, by making Jewish learning accessible and inspiring.

I ask you, our dear readers, to join me by supporting JPS through challenges ahead.  Book sales are declining across the nation, and JPS needs your help to gain the financial ability to create meaningful works for our readers and for future generations. We publish books readers keep and treasure.  We work with authors to bring Torah insights to modern day readers.  We publish books that move people, and help them reach their best potential in spirituality and intellect.  But we cannot create and publish these books without your help. 

Please remember JPS as you plan your charitable donations this year and help us with our important work.  Please join me in wishing a loving farewell to our Director Rabbi Schwartz and a heartfelt welcome to our new Director Dr. Sacks.

Warmest wishes,

Gittel Hilibrand, Esq.

Learn about our giving history: 
https://jps.org/our-giving-history/

Learn about our donors: 
https://jps.org/support/our-donors/

Learn about giving opportunities: 
https://jps.org/support/donor-opportunities-and-benefits/

Learn about book dedications: 
https://jps.org/support/dedicate-a-book/

To donate: 
https://jps.org/support/donate/