I hope you had a good break. Everyone connected with the United Synagogue is thrilled that the Chief Rabbi is to receive a Knighthood in the New Year Honours List for services to the Jewish community, to interfaith relations and to education.
Since taking office in 2013, the Chief Rabbi has led our community from the front, engaging thousands of Jews through initiatives like Shabbat UK and launching the Ben Azzai social responsibility programme for young leaders.
The Chief Rabbi’s friendship with senior faith leaders in this country and indeed around the world has deepened understanding between faith communities, culminating in the Chief Rabbi’s groundbreaking visit to the United Arab Emirates in November.
In the education sphere, the Chief Rabbi created the Ma’ayan programme to provide a high-level qualification for female leaders and issued a guide for Orthodox Jewish schools on the well-being of LGBT+ pupils.
At a national level, the Chief Rabbi guided our community through the pandemic with clear leadership as he did during the recent antisemitism crisis which engulfed the Labour party under its previous leader.
We wish the Chief Rabbi a hearty mazal tov on this achievement and pray that he will go m’chayil el chayil, from strength to strength, in his role as Chief Rabbi.
May I also take this opportunity to congratulate a number of United Synagogue members who have also received Honours from His Majesty the King, including Mill Hill's Marie van der Zyl, President of the Board of Deputies, Borehamwood and Elstree's Jonathan Arkush, Past President of the Board of Deputies, Mill Hill's Harry Olmer, Holocaust survivor and educator, and Highgate's Linda Rosenblatt, World Jewish Relief's Honorary Vice-President, and a number of our other precious Holocaust survivors and hardworking communal leaders. Mazal tov to you all and thank you for what you do for our community.
If you or a member of your US community have received an Honour please just reply to this email and we'd be delighted to wish you mazal tov next week!
