Acharonim Period

The Acharonim, meaning “the later ones,” are the rabbinic authorities from around 1500 until the modern day. This period begins after the Rishonim and is closely connected with the rise of the Shulchan Aruch, written by Rabbi Yosef Karo, which became one of the most important codes of Jewish law. Other major figures include the Arizal, Vilna Gaon, Baal Shem Tov, Chafetz Chaim, and Rav Kook.

This period includes many different Jewish movements and communities: Sephardic, Ashkenazi, Hasidic, Lithuanian, Yemenite, modern Zionist, and others. For your timeline, the Acharonim show how Jewish law and thought continued developing through exile, return to the Land of Israel, modernity, and the creation of the modern State of Israel.