Hail to the chief rabbi

The chief rabbi of the British Commonwealth, Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks, will address several Los Angeles gatherings Feb. 3-5 in a scholar-in-residence program sponsored by a consortium of Modern Orthodox organizations.

Sacks, who became chief rabbi in 1991 and retires next year, has established himself as one of the leading voices of Modern Orthodoxy, offering his views in more than 20 books and numerous articles. As the official representative of British Jewry, he has the ear of political and religious leaders worldwide.

Sacks advocates for Jewish responsibility in the broader world, Jewish unity, and an intellectual and open approach to Jewish tradition. His commentary on the daily and High Holy Day prayer books, published by Koren, have become widely popular in the Orthodox world.

Sacks will spend Shabbat in the Pico-Robertson neighborhood. He will deliver a short sermon on Friday night at Congregation B’nai David-Judea, where Great Britain’s Shabbaton Choir will lead services. On Shabbat morning, the rabbi will deliver a sermon at Beth Jacob Congregation, and on Shabbat afternoon he will deliver a D’var Torah at Young Israel of Century City. Shabbat lunch with the rabbi, at Beth Jacob Congregation, is sold out, but seats are still available for Friday night dinner, also at The Mark.

Sacks will be the keynote speaker at the Westin Bonaventure on Feb. 5 at the annual gala for Harkham Hillel Hebrew Academy, a Modern Orthodox preschool-8th grade day school in Beverly Hills.

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