Ephraim Mirvis facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ephraim Mirvis |
|
|---|---|
Mirvis in 2015
|
|
| Religion | Judaism |
| Denomination | Orthodox |
| Alma mater | University of South Africa |
| Personal | |
| Nationality | British |
| Born | Ephraim Yitzchak Mirvis 7 September 1956 Johannesburg, South Africa |
| Spouse | Valerie Kaplan Mirvis |
| Children | 5 |
| Senior posting | |
| Title | Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth |
| Predecessor | Jonathan, Lord Sacks |
| Position | Chief Rabbi |
| Organisation | United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth |
| Began | 1 September 2013 |
| Residence | London, England |
| Semicha | Machon Ariel, Jerusalem |
Sir Ephraim Yitzchak Mirvis (born on September 7, 1956) is a British Orthodox rabbi. He holds an important role as the Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth. This means he is the main religious leader for many Jewish communities across the Commonwealth. Before this, he was the Chief Rabbi of Ireland from 1985 to 1992.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Mirvis was born in Johannesburg, South Africa, in 1956. His father, Lionel Mirvis, was also a rabbi. His mother, Freida Mirvis, was a principal at a college that trained teachers.
Mirvis's father spoke out against apartheid, which was a system of racial separation in South Africa. He even visited political prisoners. His mother helped train black pre-school teachers.
Mirvis went to Herzlia High School in Cape Town. After finishing school, he moved to Israel in 1973. There, he studied at several special Jewish schools called yeshivas. He received his rabbinic ordination in Jerusalem. This means he was officially qualified as a rabbi.
He also earned a degree in education and classical Hebrew. He became certified as a high school teacher. Mirvis is also trained in Jewish cantorial music. He can also perform special Jewish rituals as a shochet and mohel. He is a fan of the Tottenham Hotspur football team.
Rabbinical Career
Mirvis began his career leading services in South Africa. In 1982, he became the Rabbi of Adelaide Road Synagogue in Dublin. He then became the Chief Rabbi of Ireland in 1985. He held this position until 1992.
From 1992 to 1996, he served as a rabbi in London. He worked at the Western Marble Arch Synagogue. In 1996, Mirvis became the rabbi at the Finchley United Synagogue in London.
At Finchley, he started the Kinloss Learning Centre. This program offers adult education and has been very popular. It has also inspired other communities. He also helped start the Morasha Jewish Primary School.
Other Important Roles
Mirvis has held many other important positions. While in Ireland, he chaired the Board of Governors for Stratford Jewish Schools. He has been part of the Steering Committee for the Conference of European Rabbis since 1986. He became its Associate President in 2013.
He has also been a Religious Advisor to the Jewish Marriage Council since 1997. He served as Chairman of the Rabbinical Council of the United Synagogue. As Chief Rabbi, he is also the President of the London School of Jewish Studies. He supports Prisoners Abroad, a charity that helps people in prison overseas.
Working with Other Faiths
Mirvis believes in building good relationships with people of different faiths.
With Christians
He was President of the Irish Council of Christians and Jews (CCJ). He has met with Christian leaders in the UK. In 2016, he started a program called ‘In Good Faith’. This program helps Anglican and Jewish clergy work together. They encourage their communities to do interfaith projects.
With Muslims
Mirvis was the first United Synagogue rabbi to host an imam (a Muslim religious leader) in his synagogue. He also led a group from his synagogue to the Finchley Mosque. They started a joint project for a Jewish-Muslim public service day.
Becoming Chief Rabbi of the UK
In 2012, Mirvis was chosen as the next Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth. He took office on September 1, 2013.
Many people welcomed his appointment. The Conference of European Rabbis was pleased. The chief executive of the Jewish Leadership Council called it “immensely popular.” Even leaders from other Jewish movements welcomed him.
His Views and Actions
Mirvis has always supported important causes. He worked for the freedom of Soviet Jews from 1984 to 1992. He also successfully stopped a Nazi war criminal from living in Ireland. He has worked to make synagogues safer in the UK.
He was the first Chief Rabbi to attend the annual Limmud Conference. This was seen as a big step, as his predecessor had not attended.
On Israel
As Chief Rabbi of Ireland, he represented Israel's interests before Israel had an embassy there. He has led trips to Israel to show support. He defends Israel's right to protect itself from attacks. He also believes that criticism of Israel should not be used to spread anti-Jewish hatred.
Women's Role in Judaism
Mirvis supports expanding the roles of women in Orthodox Judaism. In 2012, he appointed Britain's first Orthodox female adviser on Jewish law. He also supports prayer groups for Orthodox women. He encourages women to become leaders in synagogues.
In 2016, he launched a new training course for women. This course helps them become advisers on Jewish law and educators. He also created events called Neshama to encourage women in Jewish learning. However, he follows traditional Orthodox views on female rabbis and same-sex marriages.
Supporting LGBT+ Pupils
In 2018, Mirvis released a guide for LGBT+ students in Orthodox Jewish schools. This guide was the first of its kind. It emphasized that Jewish law demands "sensitivity to the feelings of everyone, including LGBT+ people." It also stated that bullying or ignoring the well-being of LGBT+ students is not allowed.
He noted that young LGBT+ people often feel alone. They might fear being rejected by family or friends. He stressed the importance of making them feel accepted in the Jewish community.
On British Politics
.jpg)
In 2019, Mirvis made a rare public statement about British politics. He wrote in The Times newspaper that the Labour Party leader, Jeremy Corbyn, was not fit for a high office. He said that many British Jews were worried about anti-Jewish racism in the Labour Party. He felt this racism went against British values.
He urged voters to make a "conscience vote." The Archbishop of Canterbury supported Mirvis's concerns. A Labour Party spokesperson said that Jeremy Corbyn had always fought against antisemitism.
Achievements and Recognition
After becoming Chief Rabbi, he created the ‘Centre for Community Excellence’. This department helps Jewish communities with new ideas and programs. One of his successful projects is ‘Shabbat UK’. This campaign encourages Jews to connect more with Shabbat (the Sabbath). It reaches many thousands of people.
In 2017, there was a disagreement within the Sephardi Jewish community. Mirvis helped to calm the situation. He allowed Rabbi Joseph Dweck to keep his position, even though some rabbis disagreed.
Awards and Honours
Mirvis has received several awards. In 1990, he received the Jerusalem Prize for Education. This was given by the President of Israel. In 2015, he was given the Freedom of the London Borough of Barnet. He also has honorary doctorates from two universities.
In 2023, he was made a Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE). This honor was for his work for the Jewish community, interfaith relations, and education.
Family Life
Mirvis is married to Valerie Kaplan Mirvis, who was born in Zimbabwe. They have four sons: Hillel, Daniel, Noam, and Eitan. They also have twelve grandchildren. Sadly, their eldest child, Liora Graham, passed away in 2011. Valerie Mirvis is a published author and healthcare expert. Mirvis's cousin, Tova Mirvis, is an American novelist. His nephew's wife, Shira Marili Mirvis, is the first woman to be a spiritual leader in an Orthodox synagogue in Israel.
Images for kids
-
Mirvis in 2015
-
Ephraim Mirvis in London, Feb 2015
-
Mirvis speaking at a Holocaust Memorial Day event on January 23, 2018, in London.
