Jonathan David Magonet (born 2 August 1942) is a British

rabbi A rabbi (; ) is a spiritual leader or religious teacher in Judaism. One becomes a rabbi by being ordained by another rabbi—known as ''semikha''—following a course of study of Jewish history and texts such as the Talmud. The basic form of t ...

theologian Theology is the study of religious belief from a religious perspective, with a focus on the nature of divinity. It is taught as an academic discipline, typically in universities and seminaries. It occupies itself with the unique content of ...

, Vice-President of the

World Union for Progressive Judaism The World Union for Progressive Judaism (WUPJ) is the international umbrella organization for the various branches of Reform Judaism, Reform, Liberal and Progressive Judaism, as well as the separate Reconstructionist Judaism. The WUPJ is based i ...

, and a

biblical The Bible is a collection of religious texts that are central to Christianity and Judaism, and esteemed in other Abrahamic religions such as Islam. The Bible is an anthology (a compilation of texts of a variety of forms) biblical languages ...

scholar. He is highly active in

Christian A Christian () is a person who follows or adheres to Christianity, a Monotheism, monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus in Christianity, Jesus Christ. Christians form the largest religious community in the wo ...

Jewish Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of History of ancient Israel and Judah, ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, rel ...

dialogue, and in dialogue between Jews and

Muslim Muslims () are people who adhere to Islam, a Monotheism, monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God ...

s. He was the long-time Principal (Rector or academic director), now retired, of London's Leo Baeck College, the first Liberal Jewish seminary of all of

Europe Europe is a continent located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere. It is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Mediterranean Sea to the south, and Asia to the east ...

since

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

. He resides in

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

with his wife Dorothea. Magonet served on the rabbinic staff at West London Synagogue of British Jews. He has been part of the team constructing the new edition of the British Reform Prayer Book.

Career

Magonet was a trustee of the Maimonides Foundation, a charitable organisation promoting dialogue between

Jew Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, religion, and community are highly inte ...

s and

s. His 1992 book, ''Bible Lives'', presented a series of pen portraits of figures from the

Hebrew Bible The Hebrew Bible or Tanakh (;"Tanach"
. '' Jewish Chronicle ''The Jewish Chronicle'' (''The JC'') is a London-based Jewish weekly newspaper. Founded in 1841, it is the oldest continuously published Jewish newspaper in the world. Its editor () is Daniel Schwammenthal. The newspaper is published every Fri ...

'', they aimed to show that the Bible could still be a 'living' source of deep insight into human character. Magonet has described in the book's introduction the challenge of bringing to 'centre stage' characters like

Shiphrah Shiphrah ( ') and Puah ( ') were two midwives who briefly prevented a genocide of children by the Egyptians, according to Exodus, Book of, Exodus 1:15–21. According to the Exodus narrative, they were commanded by the Pharaohs in the Bible#In t ...

Puah Shiphrah ( ') and Puah ( ') were two midwives who briefly prevented a genocide of children by the Egyptians, according to Exodus 1:15–21. According to the Exodus narrative, they were commanded by the King of Egypt, or Pharaoh, to kill all ma ...

, Palti ben Laish and Ritzpah with only minimal information about them available from the text, and expressed the hope that readers would themselves go back to the texts to check out or challenge his interpretations.Magonet, Jonathan (1992) ''Bible Lives''. London: SCM, 1 - 4

Books

* ''A Rabbi Reads the Torah'' (2013) *''Talking to the Other: Jewish Interfaith Dialogue with Christians and Muslims'' (2003) *''A Rabbi reads the Psalms'', SCM-Canterbury Press Limited (1994, 2004) *''A Rabbi Reads the Bible'' (1991, 2004) *''Bible Lives'' (1992). London: SCM ()

Articles

* "Jonah, Book Of" ''Anchor Bible Dictionary'', 3:936-942

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Magonet, Jonathan 1942 births Living people 20th-century English rabbis 21st-century English rabbis British Reform rabbis Jewish British writers British Jewish theologians People educated at Westminster School, London English male non-fiction writers People associated with Leo Baeck College Rabbis from London