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Artificial insemination (AI) is the deliberate introduction of semen into a female for the purpose of fertilisation, by means other than ejaculation directly into the vagina or oviduct.

Artificial insemination is a fertility treatment for humans, and is a common practice in the breeding of dairy cattle and pigs. Artificial insemination may employ assisted reproductive technology, donated sperm, and/or animal husbandry techniques.

In humans[link]

Artificial insemination is a means for a woman to conceive when she either does not have a male partner, when she does not want a male partner, or when a male partner's sexual inhibition or physical limitation impedes his ability to impregnate her.

Preparations[link]

A sperm sample will be provided by the male partner of the woman undergoing artificial insemination, but sperm provided through sperm donation by a sperm donor may be used if, for example, the woman's partner produces too few motile sperm, or if he carries a genetic disorder, or if the woman has no male partner. Sperm is usually obtained through masturbation or the use of an electrical stimulator, although a special condom, known as a collection condom, may be used to collect the semen during intercourse.

Sperm provided by a sperm bank will always be produced by a donor attending at the sperm bank's premises in order to ascertain the donor's identity on every occasion. The donor masturbates to provide an ejaculate in a small container. The contents of the container are usually extended with chemicals in order to provide a number of vials for insemination. The sperm is thawed and quarantined for a period of usually six months and the donor re-tested prior to the sperm being used for artificial insemination.

The man providing the sperm is usually advised not to ejaculate for two to three days before providing the sample in order to increase the sperm count.

A woman's menstrual cycle is closely observed, by tracking basal body temperature and changes in vaginal mucus, or using ovulation kits, ultrasounds or blood tests.

When using intrauterine insemination (IUI), the sperm must have been “washed” in a laboratory and concentrated in Hams F10 media without L-glutamine, warmed to 37C.^[1] The process of “washing” the sperm increases the chances of fertilization and removes any mucus and non-motile sperm in the semen. Pre and post concentration of motile sperm is counted.

If sperm is provided by a sperm donor through a sperm bank, it will be frozen and quarantined for a particular period and the donor will be tested before and after production of the sample to ensure that he does not carry a transmissible disease. Sperm samples donated in this way are produced through masturbation by the sperm donor at the sperm bank. A chemical known as a cryoprotectant is added to the sperm to aid the freezing and thawing process. Further chemicals may be added which separate the most active sperm in the sample as well as extending or diluting the sample so that vials for a number of inseminations are produced. For fresh shipping, a semen extender is used.

If sperm is provided by a private donor, either directly or through a sperm agency, it is usually supplied fresh, not frozen, and it will not be quarantined. Donor sperm provided in this way may be given directly to the recipient woman or her partner, or it may be transported in specially insulated containers. Some donors have their own freezing apparatus to freeze and store their sperm. Private donor sperm is usually produced through masturbation, but some donors use a collection condom to obtain the sperm when having sexual intercourse with their own partners.

Procedure[link]

When an ovum is released, semen provided by the woman's male partner, or by a sperm donor, is inserted into the woman's vagina or uterus. The semen may be fresh or it may be frozen semen which has been thawed. Where donor sperm is supplied by a sperm bank, it will always be quarantined and frozen and will need to be thawed before use. Specially designed equipment is available for carrying out artificial inseminations.

In the case of vaginal artificial insemination, semen is usually placed in the vagina by way of a needleless syringe. A longer tube, called a tom cat, may be attached to the end of the syringe to facilitate deposit of the semen deeper into the vagina. The woman is generally advised to lie still for a half hour or so after the insemination to prevent seepage and to allow fertilization to take place.

A more efficient method of artificial insemination is to insert semen directly into the woman's uterus. Where this method is employed it is important that only 'washed' semen be used and this is inserted into the uterus by means of a catheter. Sperm banks and fertility clinics usually offer 'washed' semen for this purpose, but if partner sperm is used it must also be 'washed' by a medical practitioner to eliminate the risk of cramping.

Semen is occasionally inserted twice within a 'treatment cycle'. A double intrauterine insemination has been theorized to increase pregnancy rates by decreasing the risk of missing the fertile window during ovulation. However, a randomized trial of insemination after ovarian hyperstimulation found no difference in live birth rate between single and double intrauterine insemination.^[2]

An alternative method to the use of a needleless syringe or a catheter involves the placing of partner or donor sperm in the woman's vagina by means of a specially designed cervical cap, a conception device or conception cap. This holds the semen in place near to the entrance to the cervix for a period of time, usually for several hours, to allow fertilization to take place. Using this method, a woman may go about her usual activities while the cervical cap holds the semen in the vagina. One advantage with the conception device is that fresh, non-liquified semen may be used.

If the procedure is successful, the woman will conceive and carry to term a baby. The baby will be the woman's biological child, and the biological child of the man whose sperm was used to inseminate her, whether he is the woman's partner or a donor. A pregnancy resulting from artificial insemination will be no different from a pregnancy achieved by sexual intercourse. However, there may be a slight increased likelihood of multiple births if drugs are used by the woman for a 'stimulated' cycle.

Donor variations[link]

Either sperm provided by the woman's husband or partner (artificial insemination by husband, AIH) or sperm provided by a known or anonymous sperm donor (artificial insemination by donor, AID or DI) can be used.

Techniques[link]

Intracervical insemination[link]

Intracervical insemination, or 'ICI' is the easiest way to inseminate. This involves the deposit of raw fresh or frozen semen (which has been carefully thawed) and which has been provided by the woman's partner of by a sperm donor into the cervix usually by injecting it with a needle-less syringe. Where fresh semen is used this must be allowed to liquefy before inserting it into the syringe, or alternatively, the syringe may be back-loaded. After the syringe has been filled with semen, it should be raised slightly and any air bubbles removed by gently pressing the plunger forward before inserting the syringe into the vagina.

The syringe should be inserted carefully so that the tip is as close to the entrance to the cervix as possible, but the woman should be comfortable at all times. A vaginal speculum may be used to aid this process. The plunger is then pushed forward and the contents of the syringe emptied into the vagina. The syringe may be left in place for several minutes and the woman is advised to lie still for half-an-hour or so to assist fertilization.

A conception cap, which is a form of conception device may be inserted into the vagina following insemination and may be left in place for several hours in order to hold the semen close to the entrance to the cervix.

The process of intracervical insemination closely replicates the way in which fresh semen is directly deposited on to the neck of the cervix by the penis during vaginal intercourse. When the male ejaculates, sperm deposited this way will quickly swim into the cervix and toward the fallopian tubes where an ovum recently released by the ovary(s) hopefully awaits fertilization. It is the simplest method of artificial insemination and 'unwashed' or raw semen is normally used. It is probably therefore, the most popular method. It is commonly used home, self-insemination and practitioner insemination procedures, and for inseminations where semen is provided by private donors.

Alternative methods may be used to deposit the sperm in the vagina, such as by a conception cap, a form of conception device of which there are a number of variations available.

Timing is critical as the window and opportunity for fertilization, is little more than 12 hours from the release of the ovum. For each woman who goes through this process be it AI (artificial insemination) or NI (natural insemination); to increase chances for success, an understanding of her rhythm or natural cycle is very important. Home ovulation tests are now available. Doing and understanding Basal Temperature Tests over several cycles; there is a slight dip and quick rise at the time of ovulation. She should note the color and texture of her vaginal mucous discharge. At the time of ovulation the protective cervical plug is released giving the vaginal discharge a stringy texture with an egg white color. A woman may also be able check the softness of the nose of her cervix by inserting two fingers. It should be considerably softer and more pliable than normal.

Advanced technical (medical) procedures may be used to increase the chances of conception.

When performed at home without the presence of a professional this procedure is sometimes referred to as intravaginal insemination or IVI.^[3]

Intrauterine insemination[link]

'Washed sperm', that is, spermatozoa which have been removed from most other components of the seminal fluids, can be injected directly into a woman's uterus in a process called intrauterine insemination (IUI). If the semen is not washed it may elicit uterine cramping, expelling the semen and causing pain, due to content of prostaglandins. (Prostaglandins are also the compounds responsible for causing the myometrium to contract and expel the menses from the uterus, during menstruation.) The woman should rest on the table for 15 minutes after an IUI to optimize the pregnancy rate.^[4]

Unlike intracervical insemination, intrauterine insemination must normally be performed by a medical practitioner.

To have optimal chances with IUI, the female should be under 30 years of age, and the man should have a TMS of more than 5 million per ml.^[5] In practice, donor sperm will satisfy these criteria. A promising cycle is one that offers two follicles measuring more than 16 mm, and estrogen of more than 500 pg/mL on the day of hCG administration.^[5] A short period of ejaculatory abstinence before intrauterine insemination is associated with higher pregnancy rates.^[6] However, GnRH agonist administration at the time of implantation does not improve pregnancy outcome in intrauterine insemination cycles according to a randomized controlled trial.^[7]

It can be used in conjunction with ovarian hyperstimulation. Still, advanced maternal age causes decreased success rates; Women aged 38–39 years appear to have reasonable success during the first two cycles of ovarian hyperstimulation and IUI. However, for women aged ≥40 years, there appears to be no benefit after a single cycle of COH/IUI.^[8] It is therefore recommended to consider in vitro fertilization after one failed COH/IUI cycle for women aged ≥40 years.^[8]

Intrauterine tuboperitoneal insemination[link]

Intrauterine tuboperitoneal insemination (IUTPI) is insemination where both the uterus and fallopian tubes are filled with insemination fluid. The cervix is clamped to prevent leakage to the vagina, best achieved with the specially designed Double Nut Bivalve (DNB) speculum. The sperm is mixed to create a volume of 10 ml, sufficient enough to fill the uterine cavity, pass through the interstitial part of the tubes and the ampulla, finally reaching the peritoneal cavity and the Pouch of Douglas where it would be mixed with the peritoneal and follicular fluid. IUTPI can be useful in unexplained infertility, mild or moderate male infertility, and mild or moderate endometriosis.^[9]. In non-tubal sub fertility, fallopian tube sperm perfusion may be the preferred technique over intrauterine insemination.^[10].

Intratubal insemination[link]

IUI can furthermore be combined with intratubal insemination (ITI), into the Fallopian tube although this procedure is no longer generally regarded as having any beneficial effect compared with IUI.^[11] ITI however, should not be confused with gamete intrafallopian transfer, where both eggs and sperm are mixed outside the woman's body and then immediately inserted into the Fallopian tube where fertilization takes place.

Pregnancy rate[link]

Success rates, or pregnancy rates for artificial insemination may be very misleading, since many factors including the age and health of the recipient have to be included to give a meaningful answer, e.g. definition of success and calculation of the total population.^[12] For couples with unexplained infertility, unstimulated IUI is no more effective than natural means of conception.^[13][14]

Approximate pregnancy rate as a function of total sperm count (may be twice as large as total motile sperm count). Values are for intrauterine insemination. (Old data, rates are likely higher today)^{[citation needed]}

Generally, it is 10 to 15% per menstrual cycle using ICI, and^[15] and 15-20% per cycle for IUI.^{[15][unreliable source?]} In IUI, about 60 to 70% have achieved pregnancy after 6 cycles.^[16]

As seen on the graph, the pregnancy rate also depends on the total sperm count, or, more specifically, the total motile sperm count (TMSC), used in a cycle. It increases with increasing TMSC, but only up to a certain count, when other factors become limiting to success. The summed pregnancy rate of two cycles using a TMSC of 5 million (may be a TSC of ~10 million on graph) in each cycle is substantially higher than one single cycle using a TMSC of 10 million. However, although more cost-efficient, using a lower TMSC also increases the average time taken before getting pregnant. Women whose age is becoming a major factor in fertility may not want to spend that extra time.

Samples per child[link]

How many samples (ejaculates) that are required give rise to a child varies substantially from person to person, as well as from clinic to clinic.

However, the following equations generalize the main factors involved:

For intracervical insemination:

Failed to parse (Missing texvc executable; please see math/README to configure.): N = \frac{V_s \times c \times r_s}{n_r}

• N is how many children a single sample can give rise to.
• V_s is the volume of a sample (ejaculate), usually between 1.0 mL and 6.5 mL^[17]
• c is the concentration of motile sperm in a sample after freezing and thawing, approximately 5-20 million per ml but varies substantially
• r_s is the pregnancy rate per cycle, between 10% to 35% ^[15][18]
• n_r is the total motile sperm count recommended for vaginal insemination (VI) or intra-cervical insemination (ICI), approximately 20 million pr. ml.^[19]

The pregnancy rate increases with increasing number of motile sperm used, but only up to a certain degree, when other factors become limiting instead.

In the simplest form, the equation reads:

Approximate live birth rate (r_s) among infertile couples as a function of total motile sperm count (n_r). Values are for intrauterine insemination.^{[citation needed]}

With these numbers, one sample would on average help giving rise to 0.1-0.6 children, that is, it actually takes on average 2-5 samples to make a child.

For intrauterine insemination (IUI), a centrifugation fraction (f_c) may be added to the equation:

f_c is the fraction of the volume that remains after centrifugation of the sample, which may be about half (0.5) to a third (0.33).

Failed to parse (Missing texvc executable; please see math/README to configure.): N = \frac{V_s \times f_c \times c \times r_s}{n_r}

On the other hand, only 5 million motile sperm may be needed per cycle with IUI (n_r=5 million)^[18]

Thus, only 1-3 samples may be needed for a child if used for IUI.

History[link]

In the 1980s, direct intraperitoneal insemination (DIPI) was occasionally used, where doctors injected sperm into the lower abdomen through a surgical hole or incision, with the intention of letting them find the oocyte at the ovary or after entering the genital tract through the ostium of the fallopian tube.^[20][21]

Artificial insemination in livestock and pets[link]

A breeding mount with built-in artificial vagina used in semen collection from horses for use in artificial insemination

Pioneering AI begun in Russia in 1899 by Ivanoff. In 1935 Suffolk sheep diluted semen was sent from Cambridge by plane to Krakoiv Poland, in and international research joint (Prawochenki from Poland, Milovanoff from URSS, Hammond from Cambridge, Walton from Scotland, and Thomasset from Uruguay). Artificial insemination is used in many non-human animals, including sheep, horses, cattle, pigs, dogs, pedigree animals generally, zoo animals, turkeys and even honeybees. It may be used for many reasons, including to allow a male to inseminate a much larger number of females, to allow use of genetic material from males separated by distance or time, to overcome physical breeding difficulties, to control the paternity of offspring, to synchronise births, to avoid injury incurred during natural mating, and to avoid the need to keep a male at all (such as for small numbers of females or in species whose fertile males may be difficult to manage).

IA tools brought from the URSS by Dr. Ing. Luis Thomasset in 1935 to work at Cambridge Laboratories and South America.

Semen is collected, extended, then cooled or frozen. It can be used on site or shipped to the female's location. If frozen, the small plastic tube holding the semen is referred to as a straw. To allow the sperm to remain viable during the time before and after it is frozen, the semen is mixed with a solution containing glycerol or other cryoprotectants. An extender is a solution that allows the semen from a donor to impregnate more females by making insemination possible with fewer sperm. Antibiotics, such as streptomycin, are sometimes added to the sperm to control some bacterial venereal diseases. Before the actual insemination, estrus may be induced through the use of progestogen and another hormone (usually PMSG or Prostaglandin F2α).

Artificial insemination of farm animals is very common in today's agriculture industry in the developed world, especially for breeding dairy cattle. (75% of all inseminations^{[clarification needed]}) Swine are also bred using this method (up to 85% of all inseminations). It provides an economical means for a livestock breeder to improve their herds utilizing males having very desirable traits.

Although common with cattle and swine, AI is not as widely practised in the breeding of horses. A small number of equine associations in North America accept only horses that have been conceived by "natural cover" or "natural service" – the actual physical mating of a mare to a stallion - the Jockey Club being the most notable of these, as no AI is allowed in Thoroughbred breeding.^[22] Other registries such as the AQHA and warmblood registries allow registration of foals created through AI, and the process is widely used allowing the breeding of mares to stallions not resident at the same facility - or even in the same country - through the use of transported frozen or cooled semen.

Modern Artificial Insemination was pioneered by Dr. John O. Almquist of the Pennsylvania State University. His improvement of breeding efficiency by the use of antibiotics (first proven with penicillin in 1946) to control bacterial growth, decreasing embrionic mortality and increase fertiilty, and various new techniques for processing, freezing and thawing of frozen semen significantly enhanced the practical utilization of AI in the livestock industry, and earned him the ^[23] 1981 Wolf Foundation Prize in Agriculture. Many techniques developed by him have since been applied to other species, including that of the human male.

The,^[24] John O. Almquist Dairy Breeding Research Center, at Penn State University, is a unique facility for research on reproduction in farm animals. It is one of only three centers worldwide providing substantial housing for mature bulls. The Center has a long-standing working relationship with the artificial insemination industry. Today we have a new methodology named "Barceló Method for Artificial Insemination" patented by Carlos Alberto Barceló Rojas from Villahermosa, Tabasco, México. It's a revolutionary method for impregnanting cows. Some cattleman are using it successfully in their farms located in the south of México with percentages over 90%. Patent Application WO/2011/034411

See also[link]

• Semen extender
• Embryo transfer
• Ex-situ conservation
• Intracytoplasmic sperm injection
• Sperm bank
• Sperm donation
• Accidental incest
• Sperm sorting
• Donor conceived people
• Surrogacy
• Frozen zoo
• Wildlife
• Conception device
• Ejaculation

Notes[link]

References[link]

• Hammond, John, et al., The Artificial Insemination of Cattle (Cambridge, Heffer, 1947, 61pp)

External links[link]

• Detailed description of the different fertility treatment options available
• A history of artificial insemination
• What are the Ethical Considerations for Sperm Donation?
• United States state court rules sperm donor is not liable for children
• UK Sperm Donors Lose Anonymity
• AI technique in the equine
• IntraUterine TuboPeritoneal Insemination (IUTPI)
• The Hastings Center's Bioethics Briefing Book entry on assisted reproduction

Wesley Eric Weston, Jr.^[1][2] (born March 3, 1981),^[1] better known by his stage name Lil' Flip, is an American multi-platinum hiphop artist best known for his singles Sunshine, "Game Over", "The Way We Ball", "I Can Do Dat" and Rollin on 20's from the 2 Fast 2 Furious Soundtrack.

Early life[link]

Weston began rhyming at a very young age. After receiving an "A" on a 6th grade English oral exam, Weston chuckled, stating "After that I was hooked". Lil' Flip chose this pseudonym because of his ability to use one's words against them, known in the hip-hop and rap culture as "flipping the script".

Music career[link]

[edit] 1999–2000: The Leprechaun

Lil' Flip, amid the growing underground rap scene in Houston, Texas, quickly rose to fame after independently releasing the 2000 album titled, The Leprechaun, which broke through to a national audience. Flip, as a teenager won the attention of the highly respected DJ Screw, who added the rapper into his loose-knit rap group called the Screwed Up Click, an affiliation that brought instant respect for Flip throughout Texas as well as the greater South. Later on before his untimely death, DJ Screw pronounced Lil Flip, "The Freestyle King."^[3]

[edit] 2001–02: Undaground Legend

In 2002 Columbia Records offered Flip a contract and Suckafree a distribution deal. Flip stated "We felt that they not only respected what we'd already accomplished on our own, but they also saw the big picture of what me as an artist, and Hump and I as Suckafree's CEOs were all about." Lil Flip released his debut studio album Undaground Legend on August 27, 2002. The album was certified Platinum in December 2002. It contained his hit single "The Way We Ball". In 2003 Lil' Flip was also featured in David Banner single "Like A Pimp". Then he also made featured appearance on Yung Wun's charting single "Tear It Up". He also made another appearance on Three 6 Mafia single "Ridin' Spinners" that made the charts. In 2003, he also did a track with Ludacris called "Screwed Up".^[3]

[edit] 2003–04: U Gotta Feel Me

In 2004 Flip released his second album U Gotta Feel Me it was his most successful album to date. Lil' Flip's label Columbia restructured Flip ended up at Sony Urban Music which could promote his work better. The first single from the album was "Game Over (Flip)". After that he quickly released his second single, "Sunshine" featuring Lea. This album sold 198,000 domestic copies in its first week and was certified double Platinum by August, 2004. Lil' Flip also made an appearance on the "Naughty Girl (Remix)" with Beyoncé in 2004. He was also featured on Chingy's Powerballin' on the remix of Chingy's successful hit single "Balla Baby". In 2004 he also made a remix to his hit single "Game Over (Flip)" which featured Young Buck and Bun B. He also made a guest appearance on Nelly's successful 2004 album "Sweat". He also collaborated with Jim Jones and The Game on the "Certified Gangstas (Remix)" in 2004. In 2005 Lil' Flip & Z-Ro made a collaboration album entitled Kings of the South. Also in 2005 Lil' Flip was featured in Chamillionaire's first single "Turn It Up". He was also featured in the remix of Bun B's single "Draped Up".^[3]

[edit] 2005–07: I Need Mine

On March 27 Lil' Flip released his third studio album I Need Mine. It consist of 2 discs containg 37 songs. The album also debuted at #15 on the Billboard 200 with 43,400 copies sold in the first week released. and has since sold 120,000 copies. In 2006 Lil' Flip collaborated with Mr. Capone-E and made an album entitled Connected. Also In 2007 Lil' Flip collaborated with Mr. Capone-E again on their sequel album, Still Connected it peaked at #68 on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop albums. Then in 2008 Lil' Flip made another collaboration album with Young Noble entitled All Eyez on Us.^[3] Lil Flip recorded a tribute song for the victims of the Virginia Tech Massacre shortly after it occurred.

[edit] 2008–present: Ahead of My Time 1.5

Ahead of My Time was originally set to be released as early as 2007, but was pushed back many times and was finally released on July 6, 2010. Lil' Flip released two "album-before-the-album's" in 2009 to help promote the release of Ahead of My Time. The two albums were: Respect Me^[4] and Underground Legend 2.^[5] Despite the album's promotion, the album only sold 205 copies when it was released. ^[6] Sources States Lil Flip Has Partnered With EMI Distributed Label: Twenty Two Recordings An Arkansas Label Ran By Arthur AJ Burton III, & James Giddeon Jr Which Currently Operates Under Capitol Music Group To Release His New Album "Ahead Of My Time 1.5" Which Is Due Out Spring 2012 Along With His New Book, A New Movie, & New Line Of Alcohol.^[7]

Discography[link]

Rabbi Adin Even-Israel (Steinsaltz) (2010)

Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz (Hebrew: עדין שטיינזלץ) or Adin Even Yisrael (Hebrew: עדין אבן ישראל) (born 1937) is a teacher, philosopher, social critic, and spiritual mentor, who has been hailed by Time magazine as a "once-in-a-millennium scholar".^[1] He has devoted his life to making the Talmud accessible to all Jews.^[2] Originally published in modern Hebrew, with a running commentary to facilitate learning, his Steinzaltz edition of the Talmud has also been translated into English, French, Russian and Spanish. The first four volumes of the complete English edition appear in May 2012.^[3]

Biography[link]

Born in Jerusalem in 1937 to secular parents, Steinsaltz studied mathematics,^[4] physics, and chemistry at the Hebrew University,^[5] in addition to rabbinical studies. Following graduation, he established several experimental schools after an unsuccessful attempt to start a neo-Hassidic community in the Negev desert,^[6] and, at the age of 23, became Israel’s youngest school principal.^[4]

In 1965, he founded the Israel Institute for Talmudic Publications and began his monumental work on the Talmud, including translation into Hebrew, English, Russian, and various other languages. The Steinsaltz editions of the Talmud include translation from the original Aramaic and a comprehensive commentary. Steinsaltz completed his Hebrew edition of the entire Babylonian Talmud in November 2010, at which time Koren Publishers Jerusalem became the publisher of all of his works, including the Talmud. While not without criticism (e.g. by Neusner, 1998), the Steinsaltz edition is widely used throughout Israel, the United States and the world. Over 2 million volumes of the Steinsaltz Talmud have been distributed to date. The out of print Random House publication of The Talmud: The Steinsaltz Edition is widely regarded as the most accurate and least redacted of any English language edition and is sought after on that basis by scholars and collectors. Controversial Talmud passages previously obscured, omitted entirely or confined to footnotes in English translations like the Soncino Talmud, receive full exposition in the Steinsaltz Talmud. Random House halted publication of the Steinsaltz Talmud after less than one-third of the English translation had been published.^{[citation needed]}

The Steinsaltz editions of the Talmud have opened up the world of Talmud study to thousands of people outside the walls of the traditional yeshiva, including women, who traditionally were not taught Talmud. Regarding the access that his work provides, Rabbi Steinsaltz says:

“I never thought that spreading ignorance has any advantage, except for those who are in a position of power and want to deprive others of their rights and spread ignorance in order to keep them underlings.”

Rabbi Steinsaltz's classic work of Kabbalah, The Thirteen Petalled Rose, was first published in 1980 and now appears in eight languages. In all, Steinsaltz has authored some 60 books and hundreds of articles on subjects including Talmud, Jewish mysticism, Jewish philosophy, sociology, historical biography, and philosophy. Many of these works have been translated into English by his close personal friend, now deceased, Yehuda Hanegbi. All are published by Koren Publishers Jerusalem.

Continuing his work as a teacher and spiritual mentor, Steinsaltz established a network of schools and educational institutions in Israel and the former Soviet Union. He has served as scholar in residence at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington, D.C. and the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton. His honorary degrees include doctorates from Yeshiva University, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Bar Ilan University, Brandeis University, and Florida International University. Steinsaltz is also Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshivat Hesder Tekoa.

Being a follower of Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson of Chabad-Lubavitch, he went to help Jews in the Soviet Union assisting Chabad's shluchim (propagators) network. Deeply involved in the future of the Jews in the former Soviet Union, Steinsaltz serves as the region's Duchovny Ravin (Spiritual Rabbi), a historic Russian title which indicates that he is the spiritual mentor of Russian Jewry. In this capacity, Steinsaltz travelled to Russia and the Republics once each month from his home in Jerusalem. During his time in the former Soviet Union he founded the Jewish University, both in Moscow and Saint Petersburg. The Jewish University is the first degree-granting institution of Jewish studies in the former Soviet Union.^[7]

Steinsaltz is sceptical about interfaith work. During a visit of a delegation of Roman Catholic cardinals in Manhattan in January 2004, he said that “a meeting like this doesn't signify in itself a breakthrough”,^[8] and called for “a theological dialogue that asks the tough questions, such as whether Catholicism allows for Jews to enter eternal paradise.”^[9]

Steinsaltz and his wife live in Jerusalem, and have three children and more than ten grandchildren. His son, Rabbi Menachem Even-Israel, is the Director of Educational Programs at the Steinsaltz Center in the Nachlaot neighborhood of Jerusalem.

Head of the new Sanhedrin[link]

Rabbi Steinsaltz accepted the position as Nasi (President) of the 2004 attempt to revive the Sanhedrin.^[10] In 2008 he resigned from this position due to differences of opinion.^[11]

As a speaker[link]

Steinsaltz is a popular University and radio commentator. He has been invited to speak at the Aspen Institute for Humanistic Studies at Yale University in 1979. In Jerusalem, he gives evening seminars, which according to Newsweek usually last till 2 in the morning, and have attracted prominent politicians as the former Prime Minister Levi Eshkol and former Finance Minister Pinhas Sapir.^[6]

This section requires expansion.

Awards and critical reception[link]

Rabbi Steinsaltz has received many awards and prizes, among them the Israel Prize for Jewish studies in 1988.^[12]

On 9 February 2012, Steinsaltz was honored by Israeli President Shimon Peres with Israel's first President's Prize for his scholarship in Talmud.^[13]

However not all reception of Steinsaltz' studies have been wholly positive. In the relatively calm academic world Jacob Neusner's combatively titled How Adin Steinsaltz Misrepresents the Talmud. Four False Propositions from his "Reference Guide." (1998) displays strong disagreement.^[14]

See also[link]

Biography portal

• List of Israel Prize recipients
• Modern attempts to revive the Sanhedrin

References[link]

External links[link]

• Steinsaltz.org – The website of The Aleph Society and Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz
• Steinsaltz's lecture in winter 2005 at Florida International University
• Rabbi Steinsaltz talks about the Torah to BBC (sound file)
• Some articles written by Rabbi Adin Even-Yisrael Steinsaltz
• korenpub.com – The website of Koren Publishers Jerusalem
• hashefa.co.il -Rabbi Steinsaltz's center in Israel