Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks, the former chief rabbi of Great Britain, the prolific author and Jewish intellectual has died at the age of 72. His funeral took place on Monday.
“When I die I don’t want to be remembered as the man who wrote lots of books. I don’t want to be remembered as the man who was chief rabbi of the British Commonwealth. I want to be remembered as the man who gave out sweets to children in shul,” Lord Rabbi Sacks said during his lifetime.
Dayan Ivan Binstock, who gave a eulogy at his funeral, said, “Jonathan, in a sense, we are all your children to whom you gave sweets. You made Torah sweet for us, whether we were your listeners in shul or followers of your broadcasts and writings, you made even the most challenging of subjects palatable, even sweet.”
A number of prominent individuals gave eulogies to Rabbi Sacks, including the current UK Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis and Prince Charles.
Below are the first of five videos of hespeidim (eulogies) delivered at the levaya (funeral) of HaRav Ya’akov Zvi ben David Arieh z”l, Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks, on 21st MarCheshvan 5781 / 8th November 2020.
The first video is of a hesped (eulogy) by Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis who was unable to attend in person due to UK Government COVID restrictions. The text was read by Rabbi Mordechai Ginsbury of Hendon United Synagogue.
This video is of Dayan Ivan Binstock, Dayan of the London Beit Din and Senior Rabbi of the St John’s Wood Synagogue.
This video is of Rabbi Lionel Rosenfeld of the Western Marble Arch Synagogue.
This video is of Rabbi Dr Harvey Belovski of the Golders Green Synagogue.
This video is of Gila Sacks, Rabbi Sacks’ youngest daughter.
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