Rabbi Barry Marcus MBE

Barry Marcus MBE retired as the Rabbi at the Central Synagogue in Great Portland Street, London in 2018.

He was born in South Africa and descends from a long line of distinguished Rabbis. Before coming to London, he was Rabbi in one of Johannesburg’s largest communities and in Israel. He is well known for his rabbinical and pastoral duties in the UK, Israel and South Africa.

Rabbi Marcus is a dynamic speaker. His sermons and talks carry the mission of the Torah, the message of our heritage, and the centrality of Israel to our people to Jewish audiences and the wider public at large. He has a reputation for steadfast and unflinching support of Israel, especially during times of crisis.

He is also active in promoting Holocaust remembrance and education. In 1998, he pioneered the concept of a one-day educational trip to Auschwitz. To date, more than 25,000 people have taken part in these trips.

In 2014, he was awarded the Knight’s Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland for Holocaust Education and for fostering dialogue and building bridges with Poland.

He was awarded an MBE in the 2015 New Year’s Honours for services to Holocaust Education.

Rabbinate

UK

• Rabbi to Central Synagogue, Great Portland Street, London
• Formerly Rabbi to Northwood

Community

South Africa

• Rabbi to Waverley Hebrew Congregation (one of the largest communities in Johannesburg)
• Assistant Minister to Chief Rabbi of South Africa
• Rabbi/Cantor to Valley Observatory Hebrew Congregation
• Rabbi/Cantor at Arthur’s Road Synagogue, Cape Town
• Chaplain, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg

Israel

• Voluntary Rabbi to Bnei Akiva community
• Tel Aviv Holocaust Remembrance

UK

• Holocaust Memorial Day Trust — Trustee appointed by the Home Office
• Yad Vashem UK — Trustee

Lecturing and Teaching

• Lecturer, Yeshiva College, Johannesburg
• Lecturer, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg
• Principal of Waverley Hebrew School, Johannesburg
• Principal, Oxford Hebrew School
• Senior Hebrew Teacher, Herzlia High School, Cape Town

Organisations and programmes

• Vice Chairman, Southern African Rabbinical Association
• Founder and Co-Director Waverley Crisis Centre – Emotional First Aid Station

Military Service

• Artillery Air Defence School, South Africa

Education

• Smicha (ordination) from Beth Midrash l’Rabbanim, Johannesburg, South Africa
• B.A. Hons. and Teacher’s Diploma, Bar Ilan University
• Interpersonal Communication Skills Program, Institute for Human Development of SA Association for Health Promotion