Nearly eighty years ago, Rabbi Harry Jacobi met Rabbi Meir Elk at a World Union for Progressive Judaism conference and learnt about his work in setting up a Progressive Jewish day school in Haifa. It was the start of a long relationship with the school, now the Leo Baeck Education Center. So Rabbi Ofek Meir, the Principal of the Center, was a fitting choice to give the Memorial lecture for Rabbi Jacobi this year.
The lecture was attended by forty people in person and nearly twenty more on Zoom, from as far afield as Israel. Rabbi Harry Jacobi’s children, Rabbis Margaret and Richard Jacobi, participated by offering an opening prayer and giving warm thanks to Rabbi Meir. Also present were the Mayor of Barnet, our own Cllr Rabbi Danny Rich of Southgate Progressive Synagogue, Cllr Margaret Greer, Mayor of Enfield, and Sir Bernard and Lady Cynthia Zissman and two of Harry’s grandchildren, as well as a number of rabbis.
The title of the lecture was: In Memory of Harry Jacobi: Liberal Jewish Education in Action. Through talking about the principles underlying his educational philosophy, Rabbi Meir gave an inspiring talk about the unique education that the Center offers. He drew on texts which were familiar to many in the audience, several of whom were rabbis, but in each text he found new meaning.
Rabbi Meir began with the first principle, ‘Human dignity: created in the Image of God’, and took us through eleven other principles including love for others and God; singing a new song; the ability to disagree respectfully and the need to cherish and use with care the Hebrew language. Each felt timely and important. Each slide showing the value was also illustrated with a photograph of Rabbi Harry Jacobi, a moving accompaniment to the talk.
The lecture showed what an innovative educator and teacher Rabbi Meir is, and he is clearly an inspiration to his students. The values he spoke of are much needed in Israel, and indeed in Britain and around the world, and his lecture was a wonderful tribute to the life of Rabbi Harry Jacobi.
The next Rabbi Harry Martin Jacobi lecture will be on Sunday 11 April next year. Please look out for details nearer the time.