(Feb 8, 1878, Vienna – Jun 13, 1965, Jerusalem) was one of the most important philosophers and theologians of the 20th century. He was a theoretician of Zionism, a biblical scholar, and a pioneer of research into Hasidism, and indeed into religion as a whole.
In the field of Jewish studies, Buber was the first “western Jew” to discover the inherent strength and vitality of Hasidism, which he regarded as a great example of the power of religion to renew life. He published several books on Hasidism: theoretical works, collections of Hasidic narratives, and the novel Gog and Ma…