Britain's chief rabbi knighted by Queen Elizabeth

Britain’s chief rabbi has been bestowed with the title "Knight Commander of the British Empire". Queen Elizabeth, marking her 79th birthday, bestowed the title "Sir" on Jonathan Sacks at the weekend in recognition of his services to the Jewish community and interfaith relations. “This is an honor not just for me but for the Jewish community and its contributions to British life, as well as for the continuing inspiration of Jewish teachings,” Sacks, who has served as chief rabbi since 1991, said in a statement. “I hope it encourages further progress in good relations between the faiths.” Also knighted was Iqbal Sacranie, head of the Muslim Council of Britain.