Ephraim Mirvis, chief rabbi since 2013, is often referred to as the spiritual leader of British Jewry.
He represents the largest body of religious Jews, the orthodox United Hebrew Congregations. But there are other groups within Judaism – including Reform, Liberal and some ultra-Orthodox – as well as secular Jews who say the chief rabbi does not speak for them.
Mirvis, who took over from Jonathan Sacks, was born and brought up in South Africa and later studied in Israel. He was chief rabbi of Ireland from 1985 to 1992.
He has been outspoken on the issue of refugees, saying “every human soul is precious and it is central to our Jewish ethos for us to reach out and assist whoever we can”. In 2015, he led a delegation of orthodox rabbis to a refugee camp on Greece’s northern border.
Last year, Mirvis caused controversy with guidance for orthodox Jewish schools, calling for a zero-tolerance approach to homophobic or transphobic bullying.
He said there was a religious obligation to provide support and guidance to LGBT+ students. Failure to meet the challenge “amounts to an abrogation of our responsibility to the Almighty and to our children”.
However, he is opposed to same-sex marriage and female rabbis, putting him at odds with leaders of the Reform and Liberal traditions.
Mirvis has enthusiastically promoted Mitzvah Day, an annual event in which synagogues take part in interfaith charitable activities.
He is a close friend of the archbishop of Canterbury. He and Justin Welby prayed together at the Western Wall in Jerusalem in 2017, which Mirvis described as a “moment of deep, symbolic importance”.
He was the first rabbi of the United Synagogue in Finchley to invite an imam to address his congregation and lead a visit by synagogue members to a local mosque.
Mirvis, who has four sons and nine grandchildren, is a staunch supporter of Tottenham Hotspur football club.
