Lord Sacks, the chief rabbi, announced on Tuesday that he will be stepping down from his post in September 2013 after nearly a quarter of a century in the job. In the next few weeks and months there will be speculation about his successor and the meaning of the role in the 21st century.
What sort of candidate should the community be looking for? Is it more important to have a candidate that can speak to the outside world or one who can speak to disaffiliated Jews? Should the candidate seek to unite orthodox factions, reaching out to the strictly orthodox, or try to engage with reform and progressive movements? How about a great intellectual or academic? Will he be a reformer or a reactionary?
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