Sixty years ago, in 1964, the issue that shook and divided a large segment of Anglo-Jewry and the middle-of-the-road orthodox United Synagogue was known as the Jacobs affair. It pitted the Chief Rabbi, Dr. Israel Brodie, against the young and influential Rabbi and writer, Dr. Louis Jacobs, and it pitted the old, patrician leadership of the Anglo-Jewish community against the newer leadership, of more recent immigrant origin, led by a self-made millionaire, Sir Isaac Wolfson.
The core of the disagreement was between the fundamental orthodox beliefs of traditional Jewry that the Torah (the five books of Moses) and the Talmud (the “oral” Law) were of divine origin, and views expressed by Rabbi Jacobs that were said to not be in line with this orthodox belief.
Dr. Louis Jacobs, a favourite son of modern orthodoxy, with a comprehensive orthodox and secular education, was appointed, with the approval of the Chief Rabbi, as Rabbi of the New West End Synagogue, a historic prestigious and fashionable London community with a building of outstanding architectural significance, in 1954.
In 1959 Rabbi Jacobs accepted an appointment as Tutor at Jews College, with an understanding that he would eventually succeed as Principal. For two years the Chief Rabbi would not approve Jacob’s appointment as principal, and the officers of the College would not appoint anyone else. In 1961 Jacobs resigned the Tutorship and almost all the leadership of Jews College resigned in protest.
In 1963, Rabbi Chaim Pearl, who had succeeded Rabbi Jacobs at the New West End Synagogue, moved to the United States, The Management Committee decided to return Rabbi Jacobs to his old post. The Chief Rabbi refused to certify the appointment. Sir Isaac Wolfson, the President of the United Synagogue Council acted to remove the Management Committee from office. The Management Committee and many of the members of the New West End Synagogue broke away and founded their own New London Synagogue, headed by Rabbi Jacobs, which attracted wide support and quickly acquired their own building.
However, victory belonged to Sir Isaac Wolfson and Chief Rabbi Israel Brodie, who had shaken up Anglo-Jewry in the process.
In my Anglo-Judaica collection, I have a copy of the printed Statement by the Chief Rabbi, Dr. Israel Brodie, which was presented to a meeting of Rabbis and Ministers at the Adolph Tuck Hall in Woburn House on 5th May, 1964. It is reproduced below.
Jewish Miscellanies 