The light of the world has dimmed now with the loss of Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks, former Chief Rabbi of the United Kingdom. Rabbi Sacks was a teacher to many, and while I never met the Rav myself, his writings had a major influence on my life and philosophy since I was in my teens. His time as Chief Rabbi was not the only period in which was notable though. He was in fact a proponent of Jewish values throughout his entire life. He contributed much to Jewish thinking and many have called him the modern day Maimonides.
When I was attending a yeshiva for secondary school in Canada, one of my classmates was the son of an Irish Rabbi who let me read some of Rabbi Sacks’s books. I had been someone who had been seeking a form of guidance. I had just been unable to obtain until that point, and that was life changing for me. In his writings, Rabbi Sacks spoke of how Judaism was a universalising voice and how Jewish teachings were able to be applied to issues present in the modern day world. As I read his books, I felt a sense of understanding and connection to Judaism in a way I had not before. I felt I understood more of what I was expected to do as a Jew and what the importance was, for what I was doing. After this time, I began listening to speeches by Rabbi Sacks whenever I could. His talks on BBC Radio would always give a new perspective on things and he had a way of melding the Torah to modern day life like no other. He had thoughts on what made Judaism stand out and what we, as Jews were meant to do in the world, that could be understood by all.
Even though I never met the Rav myself, many of my teacher throughout the years did and they spoke highly of him. He was someone who left an impression on you long after your time with him. He would often share stories of people who made an impact in his eyes, for good or for bad. If it was a negative story, he would leave out the person’s name so as not to embarrass them, for that would go against the teachings of the Torah. If the impact was a positive one however, then the Rabbi would mention the person’s name so that they could be honored for having done something good. One story I had heard was about an event Rabbi Sacks went to, where HRH Prince Charles was present. Rabbi Sacks noted that Prince Charles spoke to each member of the staff at the event to thanks them for their time and service, and that he did not think anything less of them despite their different social status. The purpose of sharing this story was to show that no matter important your position is, you must never look down on others and always show your appreciation.
The Rabbi was known for being kind and courteous to those who came to him for who came to him with questions or for advice, and this included those who came up to him to ask questions after his speeches in synagogues throughout the world. He would take the time to talk to these people and listen to their issues and questions and give honest answers that many felt touched by. He understood that the role of a teacher was never ending, and he felt he had a duty to help those who came to him as well as those who felt lost spiritually speaking.
More importantly, Rabbi Sacks was also a proponent of the outreach to Jewish communities that had been separated from the rest of the Jewish communities or distant in some form from other Jews. In many ways, this applies to the work we do at Tribe Herald to show the diversity of the Jewish people. The idea of Jewish outreach also led Rabbi Sacks to write commentaries on the Siddur, many of which are read constantly by those who are still new to Jewish tradition, whether they be converts or those rediscovering their heritage. He made things accessible to the community and allowed them to understand why things are done in terms of prayer and rituals. He also strived to make Judaism in general more understandable and that no doubt helped many other Jews like me, who were confused as teenagers.
As a member of the House of Lords, Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks was a strong proponent of the Jewish people and raised concerns many times about the growing resurgence of anti-Semitism in Europe. He made a point about how there were no countries left on that continent where Jews could feel safe, not even in the United Kingdom itself. Even until his last days, the Rabbi was there to speak for Jews and to raise awareness of causes that mattered. He taught in a way that could be understood and explored a philosophy that allowed many to reconcile their issues with tradition versus the modern world. He was a teacher for all Jews, not just those in the Commonwealth and we are all sadly poorer now for having lost him. May his memory be a blessing and may his lessons never be forgotten.