Founding chief rabbi of West Bank's Efrat receives lifetime achievement award

Rabbi Shlomo Riskin, founder of the Ohr Torah Stone, and the founding Chief Rabbi of Efrat, received a lifetime achievement award at the Saad Conference on August 1. 

The conference, hosted by the Religious Kibbutz Movement and Makor Rishon, presented the awards via a Zoom ceremony attended by Israeli leaders, educators, and key figures in the Religious Zionist movement.

Rabbi Riskin was acknowledged for his “immense impact on individuals, programs, and institutions of the Religious Zionist movement and Israeli society.”

Riskin became known for his unique approach to the landscape of Modern Orthodox Judaism, combining his love of Torah learning with efforts to improve social justice.

Riskin, who founded Lincoln Square Synagogue in New York before making aliyah in 1983, became the founding Chief Rabbi of Efrat, a settlement in the West Bank now home to over 12,000 people.

“From the bottom of my heart, thank you very much,” Rabbi Riskin said upon receiving the award. “I’d like to emphasize that if I meant something to the Religious Kibbutz Movement,  it is nothing compared to what the Kibbutz gave us. The Religious Kibbutz Movement represents true Zionism as it should be, a lot of people truly together. The most important thing is love: love of humanity, love of Israel, and love of Torah. Love is the most important thing to have - we got it from the Kibbutz, and it is what I feel I am feeling from you right now.”

Rabbi Dr. Benny Lau, Dr. Sarah Evron, the Secretary General of the Religious Kibbutz Movement, and Elad Tene, the Editor-in-Chief of Makor Rishon, presented the award.

“When I was a young Nachal soldier in Ein Tzurim in the early 1980s, I went to hear Rabbi Riskin’s shiur, and when we needed Torah and Halakhik advice, we were suddenly asked to consider “How does it concern you? Why is it important to you?” said Dr. Sarah Evron, Secretary General of the Religious Kibbutz Movement, when presenting Rabbi Riskin with the award. “Women would not have been in religious leadership if not for Rabbi Riskin, and we owe him a debt of gratitude. He is an honorary member of both Ein Tzurim and the entire Religious Kibbutz Movement.”

The early days of Efrat

Riskin, upon arriving in Efrat, founded a high school for boys, Neve Shmuel. The school, over the last 40 years since its founding, evolved into Ohr Torah Stone. 

Now a network of 32 educational institutions, the classes have expanded to offer women’s empowerment programs, innovative leadership training, bridge-building outreach initiatives, and proactive social action projects to some 3,000 students from Israel and the Diaspora.

The age of the students has also expanded, with classes now being offered from elementary school to post-graduate programs for both men and women.

"This award recognizes Rabbi Riskin as a pivotal figure who revitalized Judaism for countless individuals and communities, conveying the beauty and relevance of Jewish tradition without compromising halachic principles," said Rabbi Dr. Kenneth Brander, President and Rosh HaYeshiva of Ohr Torah Stone. "He understood early on that for Judaism to thrive, it must speak to people in the here and now, ensuring that our rich tradition remains a living, breathing legacy rather than becoming an empty relic. His legacy continues to inspire and shape our mission at Ohr Torah Stone, guiding us daily toward a more inclusive, compassionate, and Torah-centered future."