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Future Tense
Jonathan Sacks takes a timely look at the ambiguous position of Judaism in the world today.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published October 1, 2009
59 people are currently reading
362 people want to read
About the author
Jonathan Sacks
227 books444 followersRabbi Lord Jonathan Henry Sacks was the Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth. His Hebrew name was Yaakov Zvi.
Serving as the chief rabbi in the United Kingdom from 1991 to 2013, Sacks gained fame both in the secular world and in Jewish circles. He was a sought-after voice on issues of war and peace, religious fundamentalism, ethics, and the relationship between science and religion, among other topics. Sacks wrote more than 20 books.
Rabbi Sacks died November 2020 after a short bout with cancer. He was 72.
Serving as the chief rabbi in the United Kingdom from 1991 to 2013, Sacks gained fame both in the secular world and in Jewish circles. He was a sought-after voice on issues of war and peace, religious fundamentalism, ethics, and the relationship between science and religion, among other topics. Sacks wrote more than 20 books.
Rabbi Sacks died November 2020 after a short bout with cancer. He was 72.
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
March 12, 2011
The specifics of Rabbi Sacks's presentation of Judaism as a particularist religion of hope and complexity is, by itself, marvelous. But it is Sacks himself that I'm enamored of most; he is living proof that an orthodox Rabbi can be an open minded, sophisticated thinker. Sacks knows his literature, philosophy, science, and Torah and sees them complimenting each other rather than competing for truth.
April 2, 2012
I rarely read books twice, but i am reading this one for a second time. There is such depth to it and it is so beautifully written. Elegant and eloquent.
I love how Rabbi Sachs integrates the universal and particular elements of Torah, how he lays out an approach requiring both adherence to Torah and involvement in society. He sets a high standard.
I recommend this book to anyone seeking a sophisticated, but demanding, perspective on Torah in our complex world.
I love how Rabbi Sachs integrates the universal and particular elements of Torah, how he lays out an approach requiring both adherence to Torah and involvement in society. He sets a high standard.
I recommend this book to anyone seeking a sophisticated, but demanding, perspective on Torah in our complex world.
June 1, 2020
(4.5) The brilliant mind and writing of Jonathan Sacks was again most impressive in this plea to the Jews of the world that they "need to turn outwards." The research compiled - Biblical, historical, philosophical and social - built to a thunderous drumroll by the end of his meticulously structured argument that "Jews were and are still called on to be the voice of hope in the conversation of humankind." Sacks proposed that as a people of faith, Jews have always believed that the world can be a better place and that this belief in a "future tense" must be shared with the rest of the world. Sacks proposed that the means of this betterment lay in the renewal of a "covenant" rather than in the "contracts" that are entered into by our current societies and governments. In this discussion, I could see the seeds of his most recent publication, "Morality". Sacks presented a masterful set of premises and examples, in the ancient world through to modern times, of how Jews had managed to survive, perhaps losing their religious faith (as after the Holocaust), but NEVER losing their faith in LIFE itself.
"Jews must take a stand, not motivated by fear, not driven by paranoia or a sense of victimhood, but a postive stand on the basis of the values by which our ancestors lived and for which they were prepared to die..." Although I often found the frequency and length of the Biblical references somewhat difficult to navigate, I could appreciate the scholarship of these references and their pertinence to his solid argument. Reading the text in COVID19 lockdown and watching on TV the frightening images of an imploding America, I felt his message to be even more relevant in 2020 than in the year of the publication of this text (2009).
"Jews must take a stand, not motivated by fear, not driven by paranoia or a sense of victimhood, but a postive stand on the basis of the values by which our ancestors lived and for which they were prepared to die..." Although I often found the frequency and length of the Biblical references somewhat difficult to navigate, I could appreciate the scholarship of these references and their pertinence to his solid argument. Reading the text in COVID19 lockdown and watching on TV the frightening images of an imploding America, I felt his message to be even more relevant in 2020 than in the year of the publication of this text (2009).
August 2, 2021
Deep understanding of the Jewish faith combined with philosophical insights of the first order are to be found in this book. The title 'Future Tense' of course refers a little bit also to the tension the presence always has with the future. But there is a more important insight related to this, for details please read the book (and keep reading it to the end).
Major opposites are tackled here: there is the contrast between universalism and peculiar thought, the related contrast between secular and religious Judaism, the contrast between ancient Greek philosophy and Jewish thought, the contrast between Israel as the people which dwells alone and Elokim the god for all humanity, covenants and contracts to name just a few.
The paradox of the US constitution being a covenant, but Israel's constitution being a contract is analysed in depth. As is of course the difference between a contract and a covenant. Don't forget the bible mentions covenants a lot...
Underlying all is the sorrow about the present state of Jewish affairs in this world of political correctness. But there is always hope in keeping communication to the outside world going and the general idea that Judaism is about hope, and not about despair.
A very thoughtful book. A must read for everybody who has an interest in religion and in the concourse between philosophy of religion and philosophy of science (the universal).
Major opposites are tackled here: there is the contrast between universalism and peculiar thought, the related contrast between secular and religious Judaism, the contrast between ancient Greek philosophy and Jewish thought, the contrast between Israel as the people which dwells alone and Elokim the god for all humanity, covenants and contracts to name just a few.
The paradox of the US constitution being a covenant, but Israel's constitution being a contract is analysed in depth. As is of course the difference between a contract and a covenant. Don't forget the bible mentions covenants a lot...
Underlying all is the sorrow about the present state of Jewish affairs in this world of political correctness. But there is always hope in keeping communication to the outside world going and the general idea that Judaism is about hope, and not about despair.
A very thoughtful book. A must read for everybody who has an interest in religion and in the concourse between philosophy of religion and philosophy of science (the universal).
March 7, 2024
Very interesting read. If I had read this years ago, I wouldn’t have been so shocked by the new antisemitism that’s become particularly vocal since Oct 7, 2023 that claims that Israelis are Nazis who have been committing genocide against Palestinians for decades. Rabbi Sacks saw that lie in its infancy and covers many other important topics as well. (Quick facts for the uninformed about why the charge of genocide is bogus: there are millions more Palestinians in Israel with full citizenship than there were in 1948 when Israel was created and the Palestinian state that was to be created at the same time was rejected by Muslim Arabs. Likewise, there are millions more Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza than when Jordan and Egypt gave up control of those areas in 1967.)
I don’t always agree with Rabbi Sacks, for instance his hand-wringing about out-marriage in the Jewish community (how many other Jews, like me, have out-married yet brought someone new into Judaism?), but there was much that was thoughtful, educational, or interesting in this book. Non-Jews will also find it interesting if they are curious about Jews’ place in the world and history. For instance, unlike many other religions, Jews don’t think their way is the only path to g-d. Jews respect other religions as expressions of the divine, while also wanting to follow our own unique path. He explains this and many other topics very well in this book.
I don’t always agree with Rabbi Sacks, for instance his hand-wringing about out-marriage in the Jewish community (how many other Jews, like me, have out-married yet brought someone new into Judaism?), but there was much that was thoughtful, educational, or interesting in this book. Non-Jews will also find it interesting if they are curious about Jews’ place in the world and history. For instance, unlike many other religions, Jews don’t think their way is the only path to g-d. Jews respect other religions as expressions of the divine, while also wanting to follow our own unique path. He explains this and many other topics very well in this book.
August 13, 2021
In very lucid writing, Rabbi Sacks clarifies many key points about Jewish peoplehood in the past, present and future.
Most of the ideas are based on other traditional sources, but the strength of the book is its conceptual clarity and the breadth of sources--Jewish and general--upon which it works. Rabbi Sacks is exceptionally gifted at zooming out and developing the big picture of Jewish theology, history and politics. He is also gifted at writing for a popular lay audience without sacrificing much of relying on scholarship. His non-scholarly synopses of Jewish history are particularly impressive in this regard.
It's interesting how much of his view of Judaism is colored by his experiences as a European. The question of how Jews integrate national identity in the modern world finds a very different approach when tackled by a rabbi who sits in House of Lords than you'd find with a rabbi raised in America, I think.
The chapters read as though they were all written independently, and repetitions of the same examples become a bit grating in later chapters. I also find that the later chapters on civil society are less interesting than the early ones on the Jewish future and Jewish particularism.
In all, a very fine summary of some Jewish theology with great insight and a low bar of entry.
Most of the ideas are based on other traditional sources, but the strength of the book is its conceptual clarity and the breadth of sources--Jewish and general--upon which it works. Rabbi Sacks is exceptionally gifted at zooming out and developing the big picture of Jewish theology, history and politics. He is also gifted at writing for a popular lay audience without sacrificing much of relying on scholarship. His non-scholarly synopses of Jewish history are particularly impressive in this regard.
It's interesting how much of his view of Judaism is colored by his experiences as a European. The question of how Jews integrate national identity in the modern world finds a very different approach when tackled by a rabbi who sits in House of Lords than you'd find with a rabbi raised in America, I think.
The chapters read as though they were all written independently, and repetitions of the same examples become a bit grating in later chapters. I also find that the later chapters on civil society are less interesting than the early ones on the Jewish future and Jewish particularism.
In all, a very fine summary of some Jewish theology with great insight and a low bar of entry.
November 30, 2024
Wow that took me Forever. But don't be fooled! Rabbi Jonathan Sacks packs a Ton of cool stuff into his book on what Judaism "needs" moving forward. The first few chapters are a little slow, at least for a reader with some Jewish background, but once it gets going it explores so many interesting angles. Much to be learned from this one.
Tone is generally engaging and uses lots of punchy examples. He sometimes spells it out a Little too much (especially in the initial introductory chapters), but not a major critique.
I suspect RJS would be displeased at much of what I took from this work – his epilogue includes the line "Judaism is patriotism, not nationalism," and I don't think he thought too hard about that sentence. But I was truly invigorated by this book, and am grateful to have stuck it out.
Tone is generally engaging and uses lots of punchy examples. He sometimes spells it out a Little too much (especially in the initial introductory chapters), but not a major critique.
I suspect RJS would be displeased at much of what I took from this work – his epilogue includes the line "Judaism is patriotism, not nationalism," and I don't think he thought too hard about that sentence. But I was truly invigorated by this book, and am grateful to have stuck it out.
December 5, 2025
Written in 2009 and reading it in 2025 Rabbi Sacks seems prophetic in his description of a future of terrorism and anti-Semitism. It is hard to remember that this was also prevalent in 2009 and 10/7/23 and its aftermath were "only" an order of magnitude greater. Rabbi Sacks' philosophy is the God is universal and that each religion and individual has their own, and should keep, their own identity. Thus tense future or not, Rabbi Sacks makes a compelling argument why Jews should neither see themselves as victims and turn inward disengaging from the world, nor assimilate and lose their particular identity. Instead his call is to continue to engage with the world, living up to the Jewish mission of "tikun olam."
April 26, 2024
I read this book with a pen in my hand so I could write and underline the golden nuggets hidden throughout. There is something in the way Rabbi Sacks writes that is unique and special. He’s able to so succinctly explain and summarize complex ideas and theologies. This idea struggles with the concept of Jews: how we survived 2,000 years in exile, what our purpose in this world is. How can we relate our particularity to the world’s universality. We are a beacon of hope in a world strife with darkness. We are the otherness of the imperialists conquest. We exist to remind humanity of what’s important. Kindness, compassion, conversation, wisdom through Torah. It is Tikun Haolam.
October 19, 2025
I wanted to be underwhelmed by R' Sacks. So many people quote him and hold by him and revere him and those are all red flags to my Gen X, "if everyone likes a thing it is therefore terrible" default ethos.
But now I get it. R' Sacks is pithy, and he distills challenging concepts into clear, concise ideas. He's pluralistic (especially so for an Orthodox rabbi) and it doesn't hurt that, as a Brit, he's coming with an external voice to the American Jewish conversation.
OK fine. I, too, really like R' Sacks. (I feel like this is my version of becoming a Swiftie.)
But now I get it. R' Sacks is pithy, and he distills challenging concepts into clear, concise ideas. He's pluralistic (especially so for an Orthodox rabbi) and it doesn't hurt that, as a Brit, he's coming with an external voice to the American Jewish conversation.
OK fine. I, too, really like R' Sacks. (I feel like this is my version of becoming a Swiftie.)
November 15, 2025
Judaism can, but must not fall into a self-fulfilling vision of עם לבדו ישכון. Its message is hopeful and universal, though antisemitism can make Jews forget it.
Shares a lot of themes with Not in God's Name: Confronting Religious Violence
Worth reading, and revisiting.
Shares a lot of themes with Not in God's Name: Confronting Religious Violence
Worth reading, and revisiting.
December 6, 2019
As he always is, Rabbi Sacks writes beautifully and poetically. He has a lot of great insights into Torah and the Jewish people, especially in a big picture way. What he advocates for in this book is wise and true--I'm just left unsure about it's practicality however, given the lack of suggestions in that vein.
December 29, 2019
Teaches us lovely things! I'm not Jewish, but learned many good things from it. From universal to particular, and so forth. Sacks even quotes John Milton, a brilliant seventeenth-century English poet, who Al Pacino lived superbly 22 years ago on the big screen.
September 21, 2025
Worth reading now, more than ever.
If the events of October 7 and its long aftermath disturb and disorient you, and you want to understand it, and the Jewish peoples’ place in history and their future better, please read this.
If the events of October 7 and its long aftermath disturb and disorient you, and you want to understand it, and the Jewish peoples’ place in history and their future better, please read this.
June 27, 2019
An insightful book connecting Jewish history with current events informing predictions for the future. It was hard to get into, but worth the effort
September 16, 2021
A good read for YK.
In very lucid writing, Rabbi Sacks clarifies many key points about Jewish peoplehood in the past, present and future.
In very lucid writing, Rabbi Sacks clarifies many key points about Jewish peoplehood in the past, present and future.
May 26, 2024
Another brilliant read.
December 26, 2025
I probably should have given this 5 stars. Rabbi Sacks is a brilliant intellect. Maybe the book was over my head very dense with ideas and explication.
October 1, 2019
Rabbi Sacks is one of the most important theologians in the world today. I find his thoughts and works extremely inspiring and thought provoking. That said, I have difficulties with books such as "Future Tense." Rabbi Sacks puts together an amazing argument built on layer after layer of brilliant thought and he offers a visionary outlook of how Jews and Israel facing Antisemitism and Anti-Zionism, aka the new Antisemitism, can approach the world in order to address these very difficult challenges. However, the real issues are in the details. When Theodore Herzl wrote "The Jewish State" he thought about the real challenges that Jews were going to encounter and started proposing solutions to address them. A person who has never read the book would be surprised after laying out his argument on why a Jewish State is needed, he goes into some amazing technocratic detail on how to implement it.
This is what I find lacking in Rabbi Sack's latest work. For example, he talks about the need to integrate Judaism into Israeli society. A similar point was made by Daniel Gordis in his book "Saving Israel." Both Rabbi Sacks and Daniel Gordis make very strong arguments of why more Jewish content should be integrated into Israeli education and society; however, none provide a blueprint on how to implement it. Israel is a highly stratified society. These challenges can be seen in the 2019 Israeli Elections between the Haredim (Ultra-Orthodox) and Hiloniem (Secular).
Rabbi Sack's makes a brilliant religious argument on why all Jews MUST engage in the entire world and become educated in all subjects. He further posits that for Jews to fulfill their role that Hashem (G-d) has set out for them they must not isolate themselves, but integrate with society at large. Today the Haredim do not want to serve in the Israeli Defense Force for fear of mixing with secular and even non-Jewish soldiers who might lead them astray. The modus operandi of the Haredim is to isolate themselves from outside influences which according to Rabbi Sack's defeats the objectives laid out in the Torah.
The challenge is how to get the Haredim to engage. Rabbi Sack's offers a Jewish perspective of hope; however, little in the way of pragmatic suggestions. He does emphasize to engage we must listen and show empathy. Again these are brilliant insights; however, very hard to bring from the general to the specific.
And Rabbi Sack's does not single out the Haredim. He talks about how the need to bring more Judaism into the secular Israeli Society. He talks about forging alliances with other Religions to fight hate. These are just examples of one of the arguments he builds with little resolution.
That said, I still thoroughly enjoyed the book. And I also must admit I believe part of his reason for writing the book is not to offer specifics, but to challenge people to think and do what they believe can achieve the objectives of the "Future" driven by "Hope." He did refer to a portion of Pirke Avot in the book; however, I believe his purposes is laid out in Chapter 2 versus 15 & 16.
רַבִּי טַרְפוֹן אוֹמֵר, הַיּוֹם קָצָר וְהַמְּלָאכָה מְרֻבָּה, וְהַפּוֹעֲלִים עֲצֵלִים, וְהַשָּׂכָר הַרְבֵּה, וּבַעַל הַבַּיִת דּוֹחֵק:
Rabbi Tarfon said: the day is short, and the work is plentiful, and the laborers are indolent, and the reward is great, and the master of the house is insistent.
הוּא הָיָה אוֹמֵר, לֹא עָלֶיךָ הַמְּלָאכָה לִגְמֹר, וְלֹא אַתָּה בֶן חוֹרִין לִבָּטֵל מִמֶּנָּה. אִם לָמַדְתָּ תוֹרָה הַרְבֵּה, נוֹתְנִים לְךָ שָׂכָר הַרְבֵּה. וְנֶאֱמָן הוּא בַעַל מְלַאכְתְּךָ שֶׁיְּשַׁלֵּם לְךָ שְׂכַר פְּעֻלָּתֶךָ. וְדַע מַתַּן שְׂכָרָן שֶׁל צַדִּיקִים לֶעָתִיד לָבֹא:
He [Rabbi Tarfon] used to say: It is not your duty to finish the work, but neither are you at liberty to neglect it; If you have studied much Torah, you shall be given much reward. Faithful is your employer to pay you the reward of your labor; And know that the grant of reward unto the righteous is in the age to come.
This is what I find lacking in Rabbi Sack's latest work. For example, he talks about the need to integrate Judaism into Israeli society. A similar point was made by Daniel Gordis in his book "Saving Israel." Both Rabbi Sacks and Daniel Gordis make very strong arguments of why more Jewish content should be integrated into Israeli education and society; however, none provide a blueprint on how to implement it. Israel is a highly stratified society. These challenges can be seen in the 2019 Israeli Elections between the Haredim (Ultra-Orthodox) and Hiloniem (Secular).
Rabbi Sack's makes a brilliant religious argument on why all Jews MUST engage in the entire world and become educated in all subjects. He further posits that for Jews to fulfill their role that Hashem (G-d) has set out for them they must not isolate themselves, but integrate with society at large. Today the Haredim do not want to serve in the Israeli Defense Force for fear of mixing with secular and even non-Jewish soldiers who might lead them astray. The modus operandi of the Haredim is to isolate themselves from outside influences which according to Rabbi Sack's defeats the objectives laid out in the Torah.
The challenge is how to get the Haredim to engage. Rabbi Sack's offers a Jewish perspective of hope; however, little in the way of pragmatic suggestions. He does emphasize to engage we must listen and show empathy. Again these are brilliant insights; however, very hard to bring from the general to the specific.
And Rabbi Sack's does not single out the Haredim. He talks about how the need to bring more Judaism into the secular Israeli Society. He talks about forging alliances with other Religions to fight hate. These are just examples of one of the arguments he builds with little resolution.
That said, I still thoroughly enjoyed the book. And I also must admit I believe part of his reason for writing the book is not to offer specifics, but to challenge people to think and do what they believe can achieve the objectives of the "Future" driven by "Hope." He did refer to a portion of Pirke Avot in the book; however, I believe his purposes is laid out in Chapter 2 versus 15 & 16.
רַבִּי טַרְפוֹן אוֹמֵר, הַיּוֹם קָצָר וְהַמְּלָאכָה מְרֻבָּה, וְהַפּוֹעֲלִים עֲצֵלִים, וְהַשָּׂכָר הַרְבֵּה, וּבַעַל הַבַּיִת דּוֹחֵק:
Rabbi Tarfon said: the day is short, and the work is plentiful, and the laborers are indolent, and the reward is great, and the master of the house is insistent.
הוּא הָיָה אוֹמֵר, לֹא עָלֶיךָ הַמְּלָאכָה לִגְמֹר, וְלֹא אַתָּה בֶן חוֹרִין לִבָּטֵל מִמֶּנָּה. אִם לָמַדְתָּ תוֹרָה הַרְבֵּה, נוֹתְנִים לְךָ שָׂכָר הַרְבֵּה. וְנֶאֱמָן הוּא בַעַל מְלַאכְתְּךָ שֶׁיְּשַׁלֵּם לְךָ שְׂכַר פְּעֻלָּתֶךָ. וְדַע מַתַּן שְׂכָרָן שֶׁל צַדִּיקִים לֶעָתִיד לָבֹא:
He [Rabbi Tarfon] used to say: It is not your duty to finish the work, but neither are you at liberty to neglect it; If you have studied much Torah, you shall be given much reward. Faithful is your employer to pay you the reward of your labor; And know that the grant of reward unto the righteous is in the age to come.
November 20, 2010
Sacks is an incredible writer and his analysis of the form of contemporary rabbinic Judaism is really interesting. My major misgiving is his tendency to generalize and to speak in terms that are not clearly defined.
For those looking for an interesting, accessible approach to understanding rabbinic Judaism, Sacks is an amazing writer and presents wonderful ideas, it's well worth the read. The problem is that it's not really rigorous in its researching, so those with substantial backgrounds might be frustrated by some of the less established claims.
For those looking for an interesting, accessible approach to understanding rabbinic Judaism, Sacks is an amazing writer and presents wonderful ideas, it's well worth the read. The problem is that it's not really rigorous in its researching, so those with substantial backgrounds might be frustrated by some of the less established claims.
January 2, 2020
Rabbi Sacks brilliantly identifies the core challenges of being Jewish in the west in the 21st century. I think one must be weary of Rabbi Sacks' position in the UK. His status there has lead to some problematic conclusions certainly. In discussing some movements in Jewish history, he seems to deliberately ignore the role the Jews had in ousting the British Empire and when listing the foreign occupations of Palestine, only the British- the most foreign of all- is ignored. This is not two paragraphs only but an embodiment of what makes his conclusions problematic.
July 26, 2016
Rabbi Jonathan Sacks envisions a world in which Jewish people look outward rather than inward, to make the world a better place. As the book states, Rabbi Sacks "believes that the Jewish people have lost their way, that they need to recommit themselves to the task of creating a just world in which the divine presence can dwell among us."
December 25, 2011
I liked his premise, but it could have been said in a short essay...Jews have to stop living in the past and being victims --- and several good thoughts on Jewish identity and anti-semitism. Hate to say this, but really, only worth skimming, in my opinion.
June 22, 2014
As a secular chap who's somewhat ignorant about Judaism, I feel like I learnt a lot about the issues in modern Judaism and what it is like to be a Jew today. I'd recommend it to fellow secular people who've not had much exposure to the faith but would like to learn more.
June 4, 2015
This book clearly explained modern questions for Jews to ask themselves and others about religion, politics and identify in the 21st century. I sought a book on this topic and found it with Future Tense, very good read.
September 21, 2017
I am a big fan of Rabbi Sacks. This is one of is best. Although published in 2009, it is very timely today. He messages of a universal God, tolerance of the other, and the historical relevance of Judaism are well worth considering by people of all faiths.
January 4, 2016
Essential reading for anybody who wants to comment intelligently on th future of the Jews
Optimistic and informative
Optimistic and informative
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews