Scienceמאיר בוזגלו

Meir Buzaglo

Meir Buzaglo is an Israeli philosopher at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, known for his thinking on Jewish traditionalism and for reviving the piyyut tradition in Israel.

born 1959Philosophy of Jewish traditionalismReviving the piyyut traditionPhilosophy of mathematicsThe Kinneret Covenant

Occupation: philosopher
Education: Hebrew University of Jerusalem

Meir Buzaglo was born in 1959 in Casablanca

Meir Buzaglo was born in 1959 in Casablanca, Morocco. His father was Rabbi David Buzaglo, a poet and liturgical composer. He came to Israel with his family as a child and grew up in Kiryat Yam.

At the Hebrew University he earned a bachelor's degree in mathematics, physics and philosophy of science, and a master's degree in mathematics under Menachem Magidor. He then wrote a doctorate in philosophy on the philosophy of mathematics of Salomon Maimon. After it, he was a guest of the philosopher Hilary Putnam at Harvard.

He is an associate professor of philosophy at the Hebrew University, working on logic, philosophy of mathematics and language, and Jewish philosophy. A central project of his is a positive definition of Jewish traditionalism, set out in his 2008 book on tradition. In 2022 he published a work that tries to restore the position of Maimonides for today.

He helped start projects to revive piyyut in Israel, led the Tikkun movement, and was a founding member of the Kedma association. He founded the Maayanot institute for teaching mathematics and helped draft the Kinneret Covenant. He has served on national committees for culture and education.

Milestones in Meir Buzaglo's life

1959
Born in Casablanca, Morocco.
2008
Published a book on the philosophy of traditionalism.
2013
Lit a torch at the central Independence Day ceremony.
2022
Published a metaphysical study of the Shema in light of the sources.
2023
Received the Israeli Presidential Medal of Honor for his contribution to Israeli thought.