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Eight Lessons in

Rabbi Sacks’ Leadership

by Rabbi Benji Levy

Chief Executive, Mosaic United

eflecting on the life of Rabbi was a true servant of the L-rd and a
Sacks, I would like to share one servant of the people.
Rlesson for each night of Chanu-
kah, adding one to his ‘Seven Principles 2. Leadership begins by
1
of Jewish Leadership’ through which taking responsibility
his light continues to shine:
Weaving this message throughout his
1. Leadership is service teachings, and allowing it to animate
the experience of learning Torah and
Moshe Rabbeinu’s achievements the journey of prayer through his 3. Leadership is
were vast and transformational and Koren commentaries, Rabbi Sacks vision-driven
he received many titles throughout seemed obsessed with taking respon-
the ages, from the greatest prophet to sibility: “When we see something Influencers usually have a platform
the teacher par excellence. Yet Rabbi wrong, we can complain or we can such as heading a large institution,
Sacks highlights only one label as his act. Complaining does not change the holding a significant office, leading
‘highest accolade,’ namely: “a servant world. Acting does.” a company or representing an orga-
of the L-rd.” Here Rabbi Sacks reveals nization. The greater the platform,
the value he sees as most important, His theology was one of practice and the louder the voice. Yet, in the last
“a leader does not stand above the he did not shy away from dealing with years of Rabbi Sacks’ life – by far
people. He serves the people and issues of the day, openly defending his most influential – he had none
serves G-d.” Israel’s right to defend herself and of that. I know of no Jewish leader
calling out antisemitism for what today that achieved close to what he
I had the honor of accompanying it is, fighting those that hated any did regarding broad authority. Part
Rabbi Sacks when he visited Austra- group, broadening his defense of the of what enlivened all he did was his
lia and I was surprised when (in more defenseless, and indeed calling on all tremendous vision, his capacity to
than one shul) he sat among us rather of humanity to make space for one invite others to share that vision and
than in the special area reserved for another. He publicly debated some of of course, to deliver: “Leaders are led
the Rabbi. Like Moshe, his humility his greatest philosophical detractors, by their vision of the future, and it is
was real. He truly saw himself as a like Richard Dawkins, and took on this that inspires others.”
mere messenger of a greater message. those that presented a real danger, like
He quoted C.S. Lewis, who defined British Prime Ministerial candidate From our birth as a nation to our
humility not as thinking less of your- Jeremy Corbyn. rebirth in our nation-state, our his-
self but as thinking of yourself less. toric perspective always beckons
Rabbi Sacks was so occupied with In short, Rabbis Sacks’ responsibility us one step further because “His-
thinking about others that he thought lay in his ability to respond – some- tory does not give rise to hope; hope
of himself less. And through this, he thing he did with distinction. gives rise to history.” Rabbi Sacks was

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