Jewish groups around the world are expressing their condolences over the passing of former British Chief Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks, who died early Saturday morning at the age of 72 after recently being diagnosed with cancer.

"Rabbi Sacks was a towering figure of great intellect, principle and moral clarity, whose legacy will forever live on as an inspiration to future generations," the American Jewish Committee tweeted on Saturday.

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In a statement, the Orthodox Union said that Sacks had been "an intellectual giant whose unique blend of Torah scholarship, academic achievement, human sensitivity and social awareness allowed him to speak to the issues of our times to the broadest of audiences, and he did so with courage, clarity and optimism."

Eric Goldstein, CEO of the UJA-Federation of New York, said in a statement that Sacks was "one of the great Jewish leaders of our time – and a truly kind and gentle soul."

We are heartbroken to learn of the passing of our dear friend @RabbiSacks.

Rabbi Sacks was a towering figure of great intellect, principle, and moral clarity, whose legacy will forever live on as an inspiration to future generations.

May his memory be a blessing.

— American Jewish Committee (@AJCGlobal) November 7, 2020

"At the core of his vast contributions to public life and discourse was his remarkable ability to create and communicate a compelling narrative, rooted in Torah and Jewish law, of tolerance, compassion and understanding," Goldstein said.

The Florence Melton School of Adult Learning's faculty, board and supporters expressed great sadness on learning of the passing of Sacks. "One of the world's foremost Jewish scholars, his lifetime of work has had an incredible effect on Jewish communities around the world," they said. "He led by example in using any means possible to spread Jewish knowledge – in person, online, on television, over the phone, via email and through his publications."

The Melton School, which for 40 years has helped connect Jews globally through education, said it was honored to have had the rabbi's support. "When we introduced our Yesod Leadership program, a joint project with the Jewish Federations of North America, Rabbi Sacks introduced the event and spoke warmly of the work of the Melton School, and its mission and vision for the Jewish world."

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In a statement, the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations said the rabbi had been "among the great Jewish theologians and spokespeople of our time. Rabbi Sacks was a unique, brilliant and courageous voice in world Jewry."

"His many writings and presentations will always be treasured by the Jewish people and others of all faiths," continued the Conference of Presidents. "His ability to thoughtfully explicate complex and deep issues to audiences of all kinds gained him a devoted worldwide following among Jews and non-Jews alike, with political and religious leaders, in the media and on college campuses."

In a statement shared on Twitter, the Board of Deputies of British Jews said Sacks's "astounding intellect and courageous moral voice were a blessing to all who encountered him in person, in writing or in broadcast. His outstanding tenure as chief rabbi led to a revolution in Jewish life and learning which has ensured his legacy will pass not just through his own beloved family, but through generations of our community's young people, too."

Leaders from around the world, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Reuven Rivlin, also mourned his passing and offered condolences to his family, his students and to British Jewry.

Sacks is survived by his wife, Elaine, and their three children.

Reprinted with permission from JNS.org

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Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks, the former chief rabbi in the UK who reached beyond the Jewish community with his regular broadcasts on radio, has died at 72.

A statement on his Twitter page said he died early Saturday.

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Sacks served as the chief rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth, the figurehead of British Jews, for 22 years, stepping down in 2013.

He was succeeded by the current chief rabbi, Ephraim Mirvis, who said the world had lost an "intellectual giant who had a transformative global impact."

President Reuven Rivlin issued a statement saying Israel was "mourning the loss of Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks.
We will always remember his warning against violence in the name of God and his belief that we can heal a fractured world. Condolences to his family, to British Jewry and to his students. May his memory be a blessing."

For many people in the UK, Sacks was best known for his regular broadcasts on the "Thought of the Day" fixture on BBC Radio 4's "Today" program, the network's flagship morning news program.

Mohit Bakaya, the controller of the radio channel, said Sacks was a man of "great intellect, humanity and warmth," whose contributions to the "Thought of the Day" segment were "some of the most erudite."

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson joined in the tributes to Sacks, saying his leadership had a "profound impact on our whole country and across the world."

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Rabbi Sacks was a tireless crusader against anti-Semitism, particularly in the ranks of Britain's Labour Party.

In 2018, he warned that many of Britain's Jews were considering leaving the country because of anti-Semitism.

Sacks told the BBC that for the first time in the 362 years Jews have been in Britain, many questioned whether it was safe to raise children there.

He singled out then-Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn − who last week was suspended from the party − for failing to address anti-Semitic attitudes in the main opposition party, saying Corbyn would pose a danger as prime minister unless he expressed "clear remorse" for past statements.

Sacks said, "When people hear the kind of language that has been coming out of Labour, that's been brought to the surface among Jeremy Corbyn's earlier speeches, they cannot help but feel an existential threat."

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