Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks, the former U.K Chief Rabbi, has died at the age of 72, The Jewish Chronicle reported. He had been diagnosed with cancer last month, having been treated twice previously.
Rabbi Lord Sacks was Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth for 22 years, between 1991 and 2013 and was the author of over 30 books.
Rabbi Sacks was knighted in 2005 and made a Life Peer in 2009.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he was “deeply saddened by the passing of Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks. His leadership had a profound impact on our whole country and across the world. My sincere condolences to his family, friends and the Jewish community. May his memory be a blessing.”
Incumbrnt Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis said the world had “lost a Torah luminary and intellectual giant who had a transformative global impact”.
Rabbi Sacks was “an extraordinary ambassador for Judaism, helping many to understand and be proud of their heritage. He will be deeply missed, not just within the Jewish world, which benefited immeasurably from his teachings, but far more widely, by all those whose lives he enlightened with his wisdom, profundity and inspiration.”
Marie van der Zyl, president of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, said “We are distraught at the news… Rabbi Sacks was a giant of both the Jewish community and wider society. His astounding intellect and courageous moral voice were a blessing to all who encountered hin in person, in writing or in broadcast.
Israel’s President Reuven Rivlin said : “I was deeply saddened to hear of the loss of Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks ז”ל, a man of thought and a man of words, an original teacher and of creativity, a man of truth, whose generosity and compassion built bridges between people.”
”Rabbi Sacks bravely faced difficult questions and always found the right words to illuminate the Torah and explain its paths. We will always remember his warnings against violence in the name of God, and his belief that we have the power to heal a fractured world,” Rivlin stated.
”My condolences to his family, to British Jewry, and to his many students. May his memory be a blessing.”
The World Jewish Congress said it mourns one of the spiritual and intellectual giants of contemporary Judaism.
WJC President Ronald S. Lauder declared: “The World Jewish Congress and the entire Jewish world are profoundly saddened by the passing of former British Chief Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks. A theologian of extraordinary intellectual depth and moral conviction, Rabbi Sacks was a riveting orator and brilliant author who brought the timeless teachings of Jewish scripture to both Jews and non-Jews alike, fusing Jewish tradition with modern thought. His writings, including – and perhaps especially – his commentaries on the weekly Torah portion will be cherished by future generations. He was also a pillar of integrity who inspired Jews and non-Jews alike.
“We extend our deepest condolences to Lord Sacks’ wife Elaine and their family. May they —and the whole house of Israel – be comforted among the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem, and may his memory be an everlasting blessing and source of inspiration.”