As a youth, Jonathan Sacks received a grant one summer from the Hillel Foundation in London to observe the activity of outlying Jewish communities in North America. In the process of his research, he met many representatives of Lubavitch, stayed at several Chabad Houses and observed their activities. While visiting London, Ontario, he met Prof. Yitzchak Block and was deeply impressed.

Prof. Block convinced Jonathan to spend a week studying at Yeshivas Hadar HaTorah in Crown Heights at the end of the summer. During that week, Jonathan had the opportunity to attend a farbrengen with the Rebbe. He was taken by the Rebbe, and in the middle of the farbrengen thanked him for the hospitality he had received from Lubavitch representatives during his travels. In response, the Rebbe asked Jonathan to stay in Crown Heights for Rosh HaShanah.

At first, Jonathan was not sure whether to accept the invitation. He had a full scholarship to Cambridge, and was due back there. After many discussions with chassidim, however, he decided to stay.

The highlight of Rosh HaShanah with the Rebbe was tekios. No one who witnessed the Rebbe sounding the shofar will ever forget the sight.

Now, as awesome as tekios were, there was also an awesome striving to see the Rebbe. Young bachurim and elder chassidim would press to draw close to the Rebbe and watch him as he sounded the shofar. Occasionally people would even faint from the crush.

Jonathan had never experienced anything like this. But with many polite requests, and much firm resolve and youthful energy, he managed to secure a place from which he could see the Rebbe.

What he saw left a profound impression on him, inspiring him to deepen his commitment to Jewish studies and maintain his connection to the Rebbe.

Years afterwards, when he became Dean of Jews College and later Chief Rabbi of England, he would point to that Rosh HaShanah as a turning point in his life. He would say: “The Rebbe took a young man with questions and made him into a Chief Rabbi.”