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Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth

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Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of Great Britain and the Commonwealth
since 2013
United Synagogue
TypeReligious leader
Inaugural holderAaron Hart
Websitechiefrabbi.org

The Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of Great Britain and the Commonwealth is the senior rabbi of the United Synagogue, a union of British Orthodox Jewish synagogues. The Chief Rabbi is considered to be one of the more, if not the most prominent Jewish spiritual leader in the UK. They often represent the larger Jewish community of the UK to the government and the Crown.[1] The Chief Rabbi's full title is the "Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth", previously "... of the British Empire". His title and position has historically, since 1758, been considered to be Britain's equivalent of the Archbishop of Canterbury for the Orthodox Jewish community.[2]

Two Chief Rabbis have been ennobled and entered the House of Lords: Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks, and his predecessor, Rabbi Lord Immanuel Jakobovits. The current chief rabbi is Ephraim Mirvis.[3][4]

List

№ Image Name Term Title Notes Reason for termination
1 Aaron Hart 1704 – 1756 Rabbi of the Great Synagogue Died in office
2 Hirschel Levin 1758 – 1764 Rabbi of the Great Synagogue Resigned
3 Tevele Schiff 1765 – 1766 Chief Rabbi Rabbi appointed by
the Great Synagogue
4 Meshullam Solomon 1765 – 1780 Chief Rabbi Appointed in opposition
by Hambro and the
New Synagogues;
return to Hamburg
confirmed the primacy
of David Tevele Schiff
5 Tevele Schiff 1780 – 1791 Chief Rabbi Died in office
1791 – 1802 Post vacant
6 Solomon Hirschell 1802 – 1842 Chief Rabbi Died in office
7 Nathan Marcus Adler 1845 – 1890 Chief Rabbi
8 Hermann Adler 1891 – 1911 Chief Rabbi Appointed
delegate Chief Rabbi
in 1879 due to failing
health of his father		 Died in office
9 Joseph Hertz 1913 – 1946 Chief Rabbi Died in office
10 Israel Brodie 1948 – 1965 Chief Rabbi Knighted 1969 Retired
11 Immanuel Jakobovits 1966 – 1991 Chief Rabbi Knighted 1981
Life peer 1988		 Retired
12 Jonathan Sacks 1991 – 2013 Chief Rabbi Knighted 2005
Life peer 2009		 Retired
13 Ephraim Mirvis 2013 – present Chief Rabbi Knighted 2023 Currently serving

See also

References

Further reading