46 | DECEMBER 3 • 2020 

R

abbi Lord Jonathan Sacks, Baron Sacks 
of Aldgate, died Nov. 7, 2020, at age 
72. Sacks was chief rabbi of the United 
Kingdom, 1990-2013, the tenth rabbi to hold 
that position. He was also a lord of the realm, 
knighted by Queen Elizabeth in 2009. 
The passing of Rabbi Sacks was noteworthy. 
Condolences were offered by British Prime 
Minister Boris Johnson and Israeli Prime 
Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. 
News media around the world 
– Jewish and non-Jewish – car-
ried obituaries and personal 
reminisces regarding Sacks. In 
the Jewish Telegraphic Agency 
obituary in the Nov. 12 issue of 
the JN, former Prime Minister 
of Great Britain Tony Blair 
declared Sacks “
An Intellectual 
Giant.”
As a highly visible chief rabbi, the 
Cambridge-educated Sacks was a global voice 
for Orthodox Judaism. He spoke clearly and 
loudly against antisemitism, no matter its 
origins, and decried anti-Zionism as a form 
of antisemitism. Some of his positions on 
women, marriage and rabbinical courts were 
very controversial. In 2012, for example, Sacks 
was criticized by prominent British Jews for 
opposing civil marriage for gay couples. 
Overall, Sacks generated more good reviews 
than bad for his work. As he stated with a 
bit of tongue-in-cheek: “There are many 
great Jewish leaders. There are very few great 
Jewish followers. So, leading the Jewish peo-
ple turns out to be very difficult.” 
I wondered what I would find about Sacks 
and other chief rabbis of England in the 
William Davidson Digital Archive of Jewish 
Detroit History. 
The Chief Rabbinate of England was first 
established in 1704. It initially emanated from 
the Great Synagogue of London. Some histo-
rians find the roots of the concept of a chief 
rabbi with Oliver Cromwell, who successfully 
reopened England to Jews in 1656. 
The chief rabbi developed as a secular, 
non-governmental position, and eventually 

extended its influence over the nations of the 
British Commonwealth. The position is also 
a global bully pulpit for Judaism. Sacks was, 
perhaps, the most influential chief rabbi in 
history.
The Archive holds a few interesting 
reports about the chief 
rabbi. The first mention of a 
chief rabbi was in the Sept. 
23, 1921, issue of the Detroit 
Jewish Chronicle, that cited 
Rabbi Joseph H. Hertz. The 
chief rabbi had arrived in 
London after raising 60,000 
pounds for a Jewish War 
Memorial Fund. The only visit 
of a chief rabbit to Detroit was 
noted in the Nov. 11, 1969, JN
when Sacks’ immediate prede-
cessor, Immanuel Jakobovits, 
visited Congregation Shaarey 
Zedek. 
Sacks was introduced to JN
readers as chief rabbi in the 
Jun. 1, 1990 issue: “British Jews’ 
New Chief Rabbi Not From The 
Traditional Mold.” 
Sacks was a prolific and influential writer. 
Many references in the JN related to dis-
cussions of his work such as a “Lunch and 
Learn” about his book “Not In God’s Name: 
Confronting Religious Violence” at Adat 
Shalom on Sep 27, 2016, or a video lecture by 
Sacks on Oct 11, 2017, at Congregation Beth 
Ahm.
Perhaps the most fit-
ting tribute to Chief Rabbi 
Sacks was the High Holiday 
greeting from the Jewish 
Federation of Metro Detroit 
for 2018 that used his 
words: “I don’t need you to 
agree with me; I need you 
to care about me.” 

Want to learn more? Go to the 
DJN Foundation archives, avail-
able for free at www.djnfounda-
tion.org.

Looking Back

Remembering Rabbi Sacks

The Archive holds a few interesting 

Memorial Fund. The only visit 
of a chief rabbit to Detroit was 

JN

when Sacks’ immediate prede-

visited Congregation Shaarey 

JN

Jun. 1, 1990 issue: “British Jews’ 
New Chief Rabbi Not From The 

Sacks was a prolific and influential writer. 

Mike Smith
Alene and 
Graham Landau 
Archivist Chair

extended its influence over the nations of the 
British Commonwealth. The position is also 
a global bully pulpit for Judaism. Sacks was, 

Remembering Rabbi Sacks

Jonathan Sacks,

former chief rabbi of the

United Kingdom, in 2000.

JOHN DOWNING/GETTY IMAGES VIA JTA

From the William Davidson Digital Archive of Jewish Detroit History

accessible at www.djnfoundation.org

