Alon Goshen-Gottstein

Alon Goshen-Gottstein (; born November 4, 1956, England) is founder of the Elijah Interfaith Institute, a scholar of Jewish studies, theologian, theoretician activist in the domain of interfaith dialogue and interpreter of Hassidic music. Within the field of interfaith relations, he specializes in bridging the theological and academic dimension with a variety of practical initiatives, especially involving world religious leadership.

Education and academic career

Goshen-Gottstein attended Hebrew University of Jerusalem with a concentration in the fields of Talmud and Jewish Thought. He also studied at Harvard University Christianity and religions. He received a PhD from Hebrew University in Jerusalem in 1986. His thesis was on the subject "God and Israel as Father and Son in Tannaitic Literature. His PhD was supervised by Ephraim Urbach. He has taught at a variety of Israeli universities, especially Tel Aviv University.

Interfaith work

His personal experience led him to found in 1997 the Elijah Interfaith Institute, initially as a consortium of 13 Jerusalem-based academic theological schools. The Institute evolved into a global gathering of premier religious figures (Elijah Board of World Religious Leaders) and scholars.

Publications

The following list of his book publications is divided into three areas: Jewish thought and spirituality, Jewish Theology of Religions, Interfaith Studies.

Jewish Thought and Spirituality Goshen-Gottstein, Alon (2025). In God's Presence: A Theological Reintroduction to Judaism. Michigan, United States: Baker Publishing Group (published Oct 21, 2025). .

Goshen-Gottstein, Alon (Ed.) (2018), Rabbinic Thought: Shifting Ideals and Values in Dialogue with Scripture and Tradition, Da'at 86, 2018, Bar Ilan University Press (Hebrew)

Goshen-Gottstein, Alon (2000). The Sinner and the Amnesiac: The Rabbinic Invention of Elisha ben Abuya and Eleazar ben Arach. Palo Alto: Stanford University Press. 2000.

Unpublished Hebrew Phd, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, available on Academia website page.

Jewish Theology of Religions

Goshen-Gottstein, Alon, ed. (2022) | Judaism and Hinduism Contemporary Jewry (vol. 41,3)

Interfaith Studies

Goshen-Gottstein, Alon (2018) Luther the Anti-Semite: A Contemporary Jewish Perspective. Fortress Press. 2018

Goshen-Gottstein, Alon and Reis Habito, Maria (2008). Die Krise Des Heiligen Herausgegeben (German). EOS. 2008. German language version of The Crisis of the Holy, 2014.

Hassidic Music Alongside his academic and interfaith work, Goshen-Gottstein is also a contemporary interpreter of Hassidic music. He has recorded five albums of Hassidic music, with special arrangements for voice and piano, introducing a “lieder” approach to this music, with a musical orientation drawing on Jazz and classical music, as accompaniment. His musical explorations have covered two Hassidic traditions, Breslav and Modzhitz.

Recordings: Meditations of the Heart, the Breslav Tradition, vol.1, with Israel Edelson. Available on Spotify . Meditations of the Heart, the Breslav Tradition, vol. 2, with Israel Edelson. Available on Spotify . Fire and Praise, (Hallel based on Modzhitz nigunim), recorded with Kenny Werner. Available on Spotify . Shabbat, songs of R. Israel Taub of Modzhitz, Recorded with Kenny Werner, forthcoming. Niggunim, songs of R. Israel Taub of Modzhitz, Recorded with Kenny werner, forthcoming.