For Heavens Sake

Rabbi Cyril Harris has has a huge impact on Jewish life wherever he has ministered to Orthodox Jewry. Indeed his influence has extended far beyond the various communities that he has served; there is no question that, today he must be considered among the most influential Jews in Rabbinical circles. For Heaven's Sake: The Chief Rabbi's Diary is an insightful, compassionate and properly inspired look at Jewish life in it's many forms. To call it a book of pastoral musings or reflections would do it an injustice. Similarly, the Rabbi's observations and comments go far beyond our conventional idea of a diary. The Rabbi has never been shy or lacking a sense of humour. His book reflects his critical, questioning mind at every turn; it is imbued throughout with his amused regard for the world at large and his wide ranging flock in particular. On every page the warmth of the man and his deeply held spiritual conviction shine through. Rabbi Harris has the gift of the born story teller. He writes in a style accessible to Jew and non-Jew alike. His message is that of humanity's concern for one another; each story carries with it a principle of care. Rabbi Harris has played an important role in the new, transforming and reforming South Africa. He has given a rabbinic sanction to the principles of political activism that opposed Apartheid and combined to side with the forces of change for a non-racial democracy. The Chief Rabbi's diary skillfully pulls together the religious and spiritual life of a man of God and the temporal convictions of a man who cares deeply about the plight of others - whoever they might be. It resonates with the Jewish toast: To Life!