Statement on the passing of Sir Nicholas Winton

Upon hearing the sad news of the passing of Sir Nicholas Winton, Rabbi Sacks shared the following statement:

Sir Nicholas Winton was one of the heroes of our time, a man who saved 669 mostly Jewish children from Nazi-occupied Czechoslovakia on the eve of the Second World War.

He was “the British Schindler,” all the more impressive for thinking that there was nothing special about what he did, seeking neither honour nor recognition. 

Our Sages said that saving a life is like saving a universe. Sir Nicholas saved hundreds of universes. He was a giant of moral courage and determination, and he will be mourned by Jewish people around the world.