Religious Figure. He was Chief Rabbi of Britain and the British commonwealth from 1948 to 1965. Born the son of Lithuanian emigrants, he was the first native‐born British chief rabbi since the early 19th century. He was educated in England, but his studies at Balliol College at Oxford College were interrupted by service as a British Army chaplain in France in 1917 to 1919. In 1926 he published the first of several editions of "English Prayers and Readings" and had a long bibliography by the end of his career. He was given an assignment in 1923 to serve in Australia, where he established the Zionist Federation of Australia. He remained a close colleague of the Australian Jewish community, visiting often throughout his life as several of his siblings had settled there. During World War II, he served as an army chaplain in France and was one of the last evacuees from the Battle of Dunkirk in June of 1940. He subsequently became a chaplain in the Royal Air Force in the Middle East and in 1944 was made senior Jewish chaplain to the British forces. He played a significant part in rebuilding the religious life of European Jewry after the Holocaust. After attending Rutherford College of Technology in Newcastle and graduating with honors with a BA Degree in 1915 from Jews' College, he was appointed principal of Jews' College on June 30, 1946 at the Great Synagogue of London. He retired in 1965 and was knighted in 1969 "for services to British Jewry." Sir Israel Brodie was the first Chief Rabbi to be given this honor. He married a Polish school teacher and the couple were childless. He received a BA Litt Degree in 1921 from Balliol College at Oxford College.
Religious Figure. He was Chief Rabbi of Britain and the British commonwealth from 1948 to 1965. Born the son of Lithuanian emigrants, he was the first native‐born British chief rabbi since the early 19th century. He was educated in England, but his studies at Balliol College at Oxford College were interrupted by service as a British Army chaplain in France in 1917 to 1919. In 1926 he published the first of several editions of "English Prayers and Readings" and had a long bibliography by the end of his career. He was given an assignment in 1923 to serve in Australia, where he established the Zionist Federation of Australia. He remained a close colleague of the Australian Jewish community, visiting often throughout his life as several of his siblings had settled there. During World War II, he served as an army chaplain in France and was one of the last evacuees from the Battle of Dunkirk in June of 1940. He subsequently became a chaplain in the Royal Air Force in the Middle East and in 1944 was made senior Jewish chaplain to the British forces. He played a significant part in rebuilding the religious life of European Jewry after the Holocaust. After attending Rutherford College of Technology in Newcastle and graduating with honors with a BA Degree in 1915 from Jews' College, he was appointed principal of Jews' College on June 30, 1946 at the Great Synagogue of London. He retired in 1965 and was knighted in 1969 "for services to British Jewry." Sir Israel Brodie was the first Chief Rabbi to be given this honor. He married a Polish school teacher and the couple were childless. He received a BA Litt Degree in 1921 from Balliol College at Oxford College.
Bio by: Linda Davis
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