The JEP Jakobovits Prize

To Make a Difference, to Change the World

JEP draws on the depth and creativity of Orthodox Jewish ethical traditions and brings them into dialogue with today’s moral challenges.

To this end, JEP presents the Rabbi Lord Immanuel Jakobovits זצ״ל Prize for Jewish Ethics to school pupils, university, yeshiva and sem students. Rabbi Jakobovits, Chief Rabbi of the United Kingdom from 1967 to 1991, was a pioneer of Jewish medical ethics and a leading moral voice in public life.

Entries should show originality, clarity, and grounding in Jewish sources, with attention to human well-being, practical application, and how ethical challenges facing the Jewish community can be resolved in accordance with Jewish values. Through these prizes, JEP hopes to help nurture a new generation of thinkers who can bring the richness of Jewish ethics into schools, universities, yeshivas, sems, our communities and the wider world.

ILLUSTRATIVE ETHICAL TOPICS

Competitors will analyse and evaluate issues arising from topics such as:

• Noncombatant civilians during war

• Climate change

• Human migration

• Social justice as a universal value

• Collective and communal responsibility

The aim is not to produce legal rulings or political arguments, but to explore how timeless Jewish values can inspire fresh approaches to modern dilemmas.

Outstanding entries will be recognised with prizes and publication on the JEP website, and, where appropriate, in other publications. All participants will receive a certificate of participation.

JEWISH ETHICS PROJECT HIGH SCHOOL COMPETITION

1. 1,000 to 5000-word academic essay (collaborations encouraged)

2. Focus: a creative Orthodox Jewish approach to a selected contemporary ethical issue

JEP UNIVERSITY, YESHIVA AND SEM COMPETITION

1. 3,000 to 5000-word academic essay (collaborations encouraged)

2. Focus: Jewish ethics and global debates

BOTH COMPETITIONS OFFER

• Both competitions offer a £500 prize for the winner and three runner-up prizes of £100 each

• 20% Koren vouchers for all entrants

• Shortlisted entrants will defend their work before a judging panel of senior judicial, legal and scholarly authorities

HOW TO ENTER

• Please register by sending us your name, age, institution and contact email, to:  competition@jewishethicsproject.org, as soon as possible.

• Full instructions will be published on the JEP website shortly after Succot and sent to registered applicants.

• Submission deadline: 23rd January 2026

EVALUATION CRITERIA

  • Coherence and eloquence of argument (25%)

  • Authentic deployment of Torah resources (25%)

  • Originality (25%)

  • Practical importance to modern life (25%)

COMPETITION RULES

  • Entries must be written in English

  • Group submissions are allowed

  • Both the initial sift and the final judging will be conducted blind

  • Use of AI tools is prohibited: authors must be able to explain and defend their work in person (judges will test understanding)

PUBLICATION NOTE

This will be a competition showcase, not a formal academic publication, and does not prevent later submission, in revised form, to peer-reviewed journals or other outlets. Entrants retain full copyright in their work.

We are looking forward to your entries.

PANEL JUDGES

A distinguished panel of senior judges, legal experts, academics, and religious leaders bringing together deep expertise in law, ethics, and Jewish thought.

Panel Judges

  • Rt Hon Lord Neuberger of Abbotsbury

    The Rt Hon Lord Neuberger of Abbotsbury is a former President of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom, serving from 2012 to 2017. A distinguished barrister and judge, he previously held senior judicial roles including Master of the Rolls and Lord Justice of Appeal, and has written and spoken widely on constitutional law, the rule of law, judicial independence, and the ethical responsibilities of courts within a constitutional democracy.

  • Baroness Deech DBE KC

    Baroness Ruth Deech DBE KC is a British academic, lawyer, bioethicist and politician, most noted for chairing the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA), from 1994 to 2002, and as the former Principal of St Anne's College, Oxford. She has sat as a Crossbench peer in the House of Lords since 2005 and chaired the Bar Standards Board from 2009 to 2014.

  • Sir Clive Freedman KC

    Sir Clive Freedman KC has been a Judge of the King’s Bench Division of the High Court of England and Wales since 2018. Formerly a leading commercial barrister, he was appointed Queen’s Counsel in 1997 and practised in international commercial fraud, banking, professional negligence, and complex financial disputes, appearing regularly in UK and international arbitrations. He has lectured widely on commercial law, comparative English law, and Jewish law, and has been actively involved in legal education and communal institutions, including serving as joint Chair of the UJIA Bench and Bar Committee.

  • Dr Tamra Wright

    Dr Tamra Wright has a PhD in Philosophy and has published academic books and articles on Martin Buber, Franz Rosenzweig and Emmanuel Levinas. She has held visiting research fellowships and lectureships at the University of Oxford, the University of Cambridge, King’s College London, the School of Oriental and African Studies, and the London School of Jewish Studies. She is currently a Senior Adjunct Professor at Yeshiva University, where she lectures on modern Jewish philosophy.

  • Dr Yoel (Julian) Jakobovits

    Dr Yoel (Julian) Jakobovits MD has built on the legacy of his father as a prominent voice in exploring how halakhic and moral principles inform modern medicine.

  • Rabbi Rashi Simon

    Rabbi Rashi Simon is a British rabbi, educator, and communal leader, best known as the founder of JLE (Jewish Learning Exchange) and Kesher, two initiatives focused on Jewish education, engagement, and ethical development. His work centres on Jewish law, values, and leadership, with a strong emphasis on making serious Jewish learning accessible and relevant to contemporary communal life.

  • Daniel Greenberg CB – Chair

    Daniel Greenberg CB is a lawyer specialising in legislative drafting and constitutional law. He has served as Parliamentary Counsel (UK) and as Counsel for Domestic Legislation in the House of Commons, has been the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards since January 2023, and is General Editor of Westlaw UK. He writes and speaks on legislation and public law topics, as well as on Jewish law and philosophy.