Has Europe [and the U.S.] lost its soul?--Rabbi Jonathan Sachs

I send this essay/speech by Rabbi Sachs along to a range of people with whom I feel it is important to share it--either because it addresses common Judeo-Christian faith values and understandings, or because it provides understanding of why and how my faith as well as my humanism informs my economic, political and social values and my sense of social responsibility. Rabbi Sachs is thoughtful, insightful and authoritative in his reflections and admonitions. I share fully his understandings and views. I hope you find them informative and worthy, if not affirming of your own.

Please read it. To do so, just click here.

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This piece was sent to me by old friend, David Greenhalgh, professor of education and director of the Ph.D program in organizational development at Eastern University, a Christian university in Eastern Pennsylvania. Thank you, David.

Jonathan Sacks has been Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth since September 1991. Educated at Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge, where he obtained first class honours in Philosophy, Jonathan Sacks pursued postgraduate studies at New College, Oxford, and King's College London, gaining his PH. D in 1981 and rabbinic ordination from Jews' College and Yeshiva Etz Chaim. The Chief Rabbi has been a visiting professor at several universities in Britain, the United States and Israel, and is currently Visiting Professor of Theology at Kings' College London. He holds many honorary degrees, including a Doctor of Divinity conferred to mark his first ten years in office, by the Archbishop of Canterbury.

The Chief Rabbi received the Jerusalem Prize 1995 for his contribution to diaspora Jewish life, and was knighted by Her Majesty The Queen in 2005. He was made a Life Peer and took his seat in the House of Lords on 27th October 2009, where he sits on the cross benches as Baron Sacks of Aldgate in the City of London.

Many of his books have been translated into French, Italian, Dutch, German, Portuguese, Korean and Hebrew. Those of his titles currently in print in English, include: The Great Partnership: God, Science and the Search for Meaning, The Persistence of Faith, Dignity of Difference: How to Avoid the Clash of Civilizations, Covenant and Conversation: Exodus, Covenant and Conversation: Genesis, Future Tense, and From Optimism to Hope.