The chief rabbi has urged the government to bring together business and voluntary groups in order to boost employment prospects and thus the spiritual welfare of young people.

Chief Rabbi Lord Sacks has been recognised for his contribution to religious broadcasting.

The Sandford St Martin Trust's annual broadcasting awards bestowed a special honour to acknowledge Lord Sacks's "significant" efforts "over many years".

Israel’s scientific, democratic and social achievements were celebrated by communal leaders at the Trafalgar Square party to mark the 65th anniversary of Israel’s independence.

Acknowledging the country’s development in the face of adversity was the theme of the day, with a focus on the fight against terrorism, medical advancements and multiculturalism.

Jackie Gryn, the widow of the late Reform leader Rabbi Hugo Gryn, has insisted she has always enjoyed a warm relationship with Chief Rabbi Lord Sacks and appealed for no more talk of a “Hugo Gryn Affair”.

The special contribution made by the thought of Chief Rabbi Sacks is that it not only continues the venerable Jewish philosophical tradition of maintaining traditional faith in the face of external intellectual challenges, but also moves beyond this tradition by showing how core Jewish teachings can address the dilemmas of the secular world itself.