Abraham Levy (rabbi) explained

Honorific-Prefix:Rabbi
Abraham Levy
Honorific-Suffix:OBE
Organisationposition:Spiritual head of the British Spanish and Portuguese Congregation
Began:1 September 1962
Ended:1 September 2012
Birth Date:16 July 1939
Birth Place:Gibraltar
Death Place:London, England
Burial Place:Golders Green Jewish Cemetery
Alma Mater:University of London
Semicha:Jews' College

Abraham Levy (Hebrew: אברהם די יצחק הלוי|translit=Abraham de Yitzḥak ha-Levi; 16 July 1939 – 25 December 2022) was an English Orthodox rabbi, theologian, and author. He served as spiritual head of the Spanish and Portuguese Jewish community in Britain from 1962 to 2012, and was a founding member of Naima Jewish Preparatory School. Levy was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for services on inter-faith co-operation in the 2004 New Year Honours.[1]

Biography

Abraham Levy was born on 16 July 1939 in Gibraltar.[2] [3] His uncle was Sir Joshua Hassan, former Chief Minister of Gibraltar.[2] His siblings were the former Mayor of Gibraltar Solomon Levy, Nita Corre, Loli Berisch and James Levy.[4] Rabbi Abraham Levy is also a relative to Fleur Hassan-Nahoum, deputy mayor of Jerusalem.[5] [6]

Levy moved to the United Kingdom in 1951 to study at Carmel College, and received his ordaination from Jews' College and a PhD from the University of London.[1] He became spiritual head of the Britain Spanish and Portuguese Jewish community in 1962, a position he held until 2012.[7] Levy served as rabbi of the Bevis Marks Synagogue and Lauderdale Road in London. He was also Honorary Deputy President of London School of Jewish Studies, founder and Honorary Principal of Naima Jewish Preparatory School, and an ecclesiastical authority for the Board of Deputies of British Jews.[1]

Levy died in London on 25 December 2022, at the age of 83.[8] He had one son.[9] He is buried at Hoop Lane Sephardi Cemetery in Golders Green.[10] King Charles paid tribute to him, describing him as a "kind and towering figure" and said he knew him "as a greatly respected and admired teacher across communities."[11]

Awards and honours

Publications

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Rabbi Dr - Abraham - Levy OBE | London School of Jewish Studies. www.lsjs.ac.uk. 25 December 2022. 25 December 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20221225003658/https://www.lsjs.ac.uk/rabbi-dr-abraham-levy-obe-485.php. dead.
  2. https://www.jgsgb.org.uk/JGSGBOct2012ConfNLA5Ver1-3.pdf The Jewish Genealogical Society of Great Britain
  3. Autobiography of Abraham Levy, "A Rocky Road" (Halban, 2017)
  4. https://www.jewishchronicle.org/2018/05/29/nita-corre-matriarch-to-jewish-home-dies-at-80/ Wisconsin Jewish Chronicle, May 29, 2018
  5. https://www.chronicle.gi/the-memoirs-of-rabbi-levy/ Gibraltar Chronicles
  6. https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/tributes-to-towering-former-leader-of-spanish-and-portuguese-jewry-in-uk/ Jewish News
  7. https://www.thejc.com/judaism/features/abraham-levy-i-ve-no-resentment-over-the-decision-to-retire-early-1.32935 The Jewish Chronicle
  8. News: Rabbi Dr Abraham Levy obituary . 27 January 2023 . The Times . 27 January 2023.
  9. https://www.thejc.com/news/news/limmud-mourns-leading-british-sephardi-rabbi-dr-abraham-levy-1Lu8BGwYhqyBf8vu1Kpu7e Limmud mourns leading British Sephardi rabbi, Dr Abraham Levy
  10. https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/tributes-to-towering-former-leader-of-spanish-and-portuguese-jewry-in-uk/ Jewish News
  11. News: King pays tribute to Rabbi Abraham Levy for his 'message of tolerance' . 18 January 2023 . The Jewish Chronicle . 29 December 2022.
  12. United Kingdom: