Geoffrey Wigoder
Geoffrey Wigoder | |
|---|---|
| Born | August 3, 1922 |
| Died | April 9, 1999 (aged 76) |
| Nationality | Israeli |
| Occupation(s) | Editor, Broadcaster, Writer, Academic |
Geoffrey Wigoder (3 August 1922 – 9 April 1999) was a British-born scholar, writer and broadcaster who spent most of his career in Jerusalem. He was editor of the Encyclopaedia Judaica, a voice in Israeli broadcasting, and an advocate for Jewish-Christian dialogue.[1][2][3]
Early life and education
[edit]Wigoder was born in Leeds, England, in 1922 into a Jewish family with cultural and religious ties. He studied at Trinity College Dublin, and later at Oxford, earning a doctorate in Jewish philosophy. During rabbinical training in New York City he met his future wife. After marrying the couple moved in 1949 to the newly established State of Israel.[1]
Broadcasting and editorial career
[edit]In Israel, Wigoder soon became English-language director of the Voice of Zion to the Diaspora, which broadcast cultural and political programming to Jewish communities abroad. He later worked as a BBC correspondent in Jerusalem, notably covering the trial of Adolf Eichmann. From 1960 to 1967, he led Israel’s official international broadcasting services.[1][2]
His most influential role was as editor of the 16-volume Encyclopaedia Judaica in the early 1970s. He guided the work into a major reference project and later oversaw electronic and updated editions. He also produced reference works on Zionism, Judaism, art and Jewish-Christian relations, making scholarship widely accessible.[1][3]
Academic and communal work
[edit]Beyond publishing, Wigoder was active in academic and cultural institutions. He lectured internationally, including as a visiting professor of Modern Jewish Studies at the University of Manchester in 1991. He also worked on oral history and film archiving at the Hebrew University’s Institute of Contemporary Jewry, and was involved with the Diaspora Museum in Tel Aviv and the Steven Spielberg Film Center.[1]
Personal life and death
[edit]Wigoder and his wife, Devorah, had two sons. Known for his interests in archaeology and the arts, he remained active until his final years. He died in Jerusalem on 9 April 1999 at the age of 76.[2]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e Joffé, Lawrence (12 May 1999). "Geoffrey Wigoder". The Guardian. Retrieved 19 September 2025.
- ^ a b c Altman, Lawrence K. (16 May 1999). "Geoffrey Wigoder, 76, Editor and Broadcaster in Jerusalem". The New York Times. Retrieved 19 September 2025.
- ^ a b "Geoffrey Wigoder". Encyclopedia.com. 1999. Retrieved 19 September 2025.
