Special: Rabbi Jonathan Sacks

Before this podcast ever launched, the person I most wanted to interview was Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks, who unfortunately passed in November 2020. As a member of the House of Lords and Chief Rabbi of the UK, he stood as a pillar of Judaism, politics, philosophy, and morality. While Rabbi Sacks is no longer with us, I felt it critical to still have an episode to assist in better relating to and learning from him. This special episode has three parts:

Mrs. Joanna Benarroch was the Director of the Office of Rabbi Sacks and worked closely with him for countless years. She discusses her first interactions with Rabbi Sacks and provides insight into Rabbi Sacks’s personality, how he led and managed a team, and what she learned from working with him. She concludes by highlighting how she believes Rabbi Sacks most exemplified leadership. 

Dr. Daniel Rynhold is the Dean of Revel, Yeshiva University’s Graduate School of Jewish Studies. He had the privilege of studying under and learning from Rabbi Sacks. He discusses their relationship, what he learned from Rabbi Sacks, and brings to light Rabbi Sacks’s unique role in the world of Jewish philosophy. He concludes by mentioning what he believes Rabbi Sacks’s vision for how a person, and Jew in particular, should view their role in the world. 

I humbly close the episode with a lesson on both leadership and humanity that I learned from Rabbi Sacks and that has had a profound impact on my life.