Chief Rabbi Lord Sacks addressed the Board’s Plenary for the final time in Euston on Sunday, which was a great honour for the Honorary Officers and Deputies. Lord Sacks was given a standing ovation after his inspiring half hour speech, in which he extolled the virtues of the Board, describing it as having “ represented the Jewish community with force and clarity during my 22 years in office”.
Lord Sacks outlined the major challenges that he faced when taking over from the erstwhile Chief Rabbi Lord Jakobovits in 1991, which included expanding Jewish day schools, something which he described as the great “legacy” of this generation; since 1993 the number of children attending Jewish primary schools in the UK has risen from 25 per cent to 70 per cent. Lord Sacks praised Pikuach, created by the Board, which is our community’s equivalent of Ofsted, and has helped to ensure that all Jewish schools are as rigorously monitored as non-Jewish counterparts. He also proudly spoke of the “higher profile” that Judaism has in public life today.
Examples include magnificent public Chanukah lightings, including in Trafalgar Square, and the Board’s Chanukah Reception at Westminster, attended by senior Ministers and Lords, including Chief Rabbi Sacks. He also praised Mitzva Day, founded by the Board’s Senior Vice President Laura Marks, which he said was now being “embraced by all faiths as a great way of bringing people together both within our community and the outside world, as a joyous occasion.”
He emphasised that “UK Jewry needs a strong Board”, thanking present and past leaders and chief executives, including Vivian Wineman, Henry Grunwald, Lord Greville Janner, Dr Lionel Kopelowicz ,Judge Israel Finestein, Jon Benjamin and Neville Nagler. Lord Sacks said that among the areas that the Board play a crucial role in was bringing all sectors of the community together on the many issues of mutual importance, standing up to resurgent anti-Semitism and virulent anti-Israel campaigning (he called anti-zionism the anti- Semitism of the 21st century) , representing a strong community that is confident in looking outwards and engaging fully in public life, and further improving the educational standards in the Jewish community.
Lord Sacks outlined the major challenges that he faced when taking over from the erstwhile Chief Rabbi Lord Jakobovits in 1991, which included expanding Jewish day schools, something which he described as the great “legacy” of this generation; since 1993 the number of children attending Jewish primary schools in the UK has risen from 25 per cent to 70 per cent. Lord Sacks praised Pikuach, created by the Board, which is our community’s equivalent of Ofsted, and has helped to ensure that all Jewish schools are as rigorously monitored as non-Jewish counterparts. He also proudly spoke of the “higher profile” that Judaism has in public life today.
Examples include magnificent public Chanukah lightings, including in Trafalgar Square, and the Board’s Chanukah Reception at Westminster, attended by senior Ministers and Lords, including Chief Rabbi Sacks. He also praised Mitzva Day, founded by the Board’s Senior Vice President Laura Marks, which he said was now being “embraced by all faiths as a great way of bringing people together both within our community and the outside world, as a joyous occasion.”
That unashamed confidence and pride dovetails with his final legacy: the community’s cultural renaissance; the growth in adult Jewish education and social and cultural events, which shows UK Jewry is thriving and “showing immense creativity”. Jewish Book Week is one example. Institutions like the Jewish Cultural Centre and the soon to open JW3 are two more.
He emphasised that “UK Jewry needs a strong Board”, thanking present and past leaders and chief executives, including Vivian Wineman, Henry Grunwald, Lord Greville Janner, Dr Lionel Kopelowicz ,Judge Israel Finestein, Jon Benjamin and Neville Nagler. Lord Sacks said that among the areas that the Board play a crucial role in was bringing all sectors of the community together on the many issues of mutual importance, standing up to resurgent anti-Semitism and virulent anti-Israel campaigning (he called anti-zionism the anti- Semitism of the 21st century) , representing a strong community that is confident in looking outwards and engaging fully in public life, and further improving the educational standards in the Jewish community.
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