Heartfelt tributes at the death of Anglo-Jewry champion Reverend Malcolm Weisman

The community is mourning the passing of Reverend Malcolm Weisman OBE, a former Royal Army Chaplain, barrister and the minister to small Jewish communities.

Born in December 1936, Weisman was educated at Oxford, qualified as a lawyer and became a chaplain in the Royal Air Force. He was appointed minister for small communities on the inception of the Office of Small Communities in 1963.

In 2009 he become emeritus minister for small communities and was also the vice-president of the Jewish Music Institute (JMI), Honorary Senior Jewish chaplain to the British military and trustee of the Council of Christians and Jews (CCJ)

On Twitter/X, Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis described Reverend Weisman as “an extraordinary, unique, and truly wonderful human being to whom British Jewry will forever be deeply indebted. His selfless, devoted, and caring pastoral work in numerous communities enriched and strengthened Jewish life and brought so many people to deepen their Jewish awareness and be proud of their Jewish roots.”

The Jewish Small Communities Network said: “It was a privilege to have know Rev Malcolm Weisman z’l. He was always planning another trip to visit a small community, right up till the end. He will be missed by so many. May his memory be for a blessing.”

Conservative peer and KC, Lord Wolfson of Tredegar, paid tribute to a “wonderful, kind, gentle, thoughtful, open, unassuming man, who led by quiet example”.

The Commonwealth Jewish Council said: “We are very sad about the passing of Reverend Malcolm Weisman z’l who was an ambassador of the CJC. His wisdom and thoughtful insights will be hugely missed. Thank you for all you did for us.”

A man widely respected for a life dedicated to the service of Anglo-Jewry, Rev Weisman published his autobiography, “A Wing and a Prayer”, earlier this year.