Rabbi Lionel Blue dies aged 86, Radio 4 Thought For The Day contributor

Rabbi Lionel Blue, the primary brazenly homosexual British rabbi who shot to fame on BBC Radio four's Thought For The Day, has died.

Rabbi Blue was a daily contributor to the programme and shocked listeners when he introduced he was gay. 

The 86-year-old, described as 'God's greatest PR man in Britain', had been unwell, in line with Rabbi Dr Jonathan Romain.

He mentioned: 'For a number of a long time Lionel Blue turned the indispensable Monday-morning wake-up name for hundreds of thousands in Britain, mixing spiritual insights with honesty and humour.

Rabbi Lionel Blue, who shot to fame on BBC Radio four's Thought For The Day, has died

'He by no means pretended that life was straightforward, or that faith solved all the things; as a substitute, he shared his personal failings and foibles, and confirmed how one can get by way of the remainder of the day.

'By way of the recognition of his broadcasts and e book, he made rabbis extra human, Judaism extra comprehensible, and religion normally extra user-friendly.

'It was a tribute to the way in which he bridged spiritual variations that it was typically quipped that Rabbi Blue would have been a beautiful alternative as the subsequent Archbishop of Canterbury.

'Doubtless, Lionel Blue was God's greatest PR man in Britain.'

Born in London's East Finish on 6 January 1930, he was the son of a tailor of Russian descent.

Throughout the Second World Struggle, he stayed in a number of locations throughout the UK as a part of the evacuation and would later go to a grammar faculty in North London.

The 86-year-old, described as 'God's greatest PR man in Britain', had been unwell, in line with Rabbi Dr Jonathan Romain

He struggled along with his sexuality by way of his teenagers and suffered a nervous breakdown whereas at college, throughout which era he tried to take his personal life. 

He would quickly obtain a level in historical past from Balliol School in Oxford, and have become all for turning into an Anglican monk.

Nevertheless he rediscovered his Jewish religion at a service in 1950 and have become ordained in 1960.

After turning into a rabbi, his mom joked that she had spent her life attempting to get him out of the ghetto just for him to leap again in. 

Labour chief Jeremy Corbyn mentioned: 'It is with nice disappointment that we hear of the passing of Rabbi Lionel Blue.

'He was not solely a revered rabbi, trainer and mentor for the Jewish group, Rabbi Lionel Blue was additionally a smart and good-natured voice of cause for us all.

The favored rabbi Lionel Blue (left) is picured right here laughing with the Rev Roger Royle (proper)

'He all the time made us assume and chuckle on Thought For The Day.

'His legacy shall be that his widespread sense and nice humour will stay in our ideas every day.' 

Rabbi Laura Janner-Klausner, senior rabbi to Reform Judaism, mentioned: 'Rabbi Lionel, as a trainer, author and much-loved nationwide broadcaster, reworked how Britain considered Jews, Judaism and, most significantly, ourselves.

'Could his reminiscence be a blessing.'

Gwyneth Williams, controller of BBC Radio four, mentioned: 'We now have misplaced the large heat and humanity of Lionel's immediately recognisable voice with its attraction and irreverence.

'He appeared to know and welcome all human foibles and through his 'Ideas' he smiled on us, making the times that adopted just a bit simpler, just a bit richer.' 

A publish on the Fb web page of Beit Klal Yisrael, the Jewish group affiliated to Liberal Judaism, mentioned: 'It's with nice disappointment that we announce the dying of Rabbi Lionel Blue OBE, who died within the early hours of this morning.

Rabbi Lionel Blue, Lesley Joseph and Rabbi Julia Neuburger pictured within the tv programme Ps and Qs

'Lionel was a beautiful and inspirational man, who spoke with such knowledge and humour and whose phrases reached out far past the Jewish Group.

'He was a good friend and mentor to many and his braveness in popping out as homosexual within the 1970s paved the way in which for a lot of different Jews, together with many rabbis.'

It added: 'We won't see his like once more. Could his reminiscence be for a blessing.'

Simon Johnson, chief govt of the Jewish Management Council, mentioned: 'We're saddened on the passing of Rabbi Lionel Blue.

'His humorous, private and insightful broadcasts had been massively well-liked and did a lot to reveal the UK to Jewish thought and values.

'His mild and human type was extensively appreciated and he shall be sadly missed.' 

Lionel, pictured within the backyard of his residence in Finchley, was the primary brazenly homosexual British rabbi

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