Famous Jews in History: Rabbi Akiva (c. 50–135 CE)

Rabbi Akiva is revered as one of the central architects of rabbinic Judaism. Living in Roman-ruled Judea, he only began to study Torah late in life, at around forty years of age. Until then, he was uneducated and worked as a labourer. He had time to make up and he knew it.

He went on to become one of the most influential teachers in Jewish history. Thousands of students learned from him. According to rabbinic tradition, those students later died in a devastating plague, leaving Rabbi Akiva to rebuild Jewish learning almost from nothing.

Rabbi Akiva began again, teaching a small group who would go on to shape Judaism for generations. Those students became the core voices through whom Jewish law and learning were carried into the next generations.

Rabbi Akiva believed that learning, action, and commitment to the Jewish people belonged together. He is still important today, not because he was loud, but because he lived what he believed.

He did not talk about resilience. He practised it, and kept going.

Learn more: Jewish Virtual Library – Rabbi Akiva