Martin H. van den Bergh

Torah Thoughts

Abraham sought out guests to welcome to his tent, a quality which Judaism promotes to this day, and like many Jews around the world my family has also welcomed guests in our home. Their presence has always been a delight and have enhanced our lives. We were also privileged to host Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks, together with Lady Sacks on several occasions when we lived in Wembley and in Hong Kong. His visits gave us the opportunity to learn from him and to witness his great humility at first-hand.

Rabbi Sacks possessed a deep and wide knowledge together with his profound insights and understandings of world issues, and he earned the respect from many both within the Jewish community and beyond, which emanated from his own respect for others, a principle he promoted throughout his life. When Rabbi Sacks became Chief Rabbi, I interviewed him for Hakshiva, the journal of the Rabbinical Council of the Provinces in the UK, of which I was the editor. He described his approach as “inclusivism,” that of speaking to and with many different people and promoting Jewish values which he held so close to him. He also encouraged many learning opportunities for both young and old, as well as showing respect for others.

He was an inspiration in his lifetime, and through his writings he continues to enrich our lives, and which continue to address the issues of the day. May the memory of Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks always be a blessing to his family and to us all.