South-African born Mirvis, will be the 11th chief rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the UK and the Commonwealth
Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis has been confirmed as the next chief rabbi, replacing Lord Sacks, who is stepping down as the leader of Britain's Orthodox Jewish community next September after 22 years.
Mirvis, who was chief rabbi of Ireland from 1984 to 1992, is the senior rabbi at the large Finchley United Synagogue in north London.
His appointment as the 11th chief rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the UK and the Commonwealth was unanimously approved on Monday night after an eight-month selection process.
Mirvis, who paid tribute to Lord Sacks' distinguished service to British Jewry, said he wanted to take the community to "even greater heights through a deeper commitment to Jewish identity, values and learning".
He added: "Our United Hebrew Congregations have outstanding rabbis, and I will aim to empower and inspire them further to transform their synagogues into powerhouses of religious, educational, cultural and social activity."
Mirvis, 56, said that while he was troubled by an increasingly secular society, he had taken comfort from recent census data for England and Wales, which showed that three out of four people say they have a religious faith.
"We are living in very challenging times and within these times faith has a very big role to play," he said. "Our society can certainly benefit from spiritual leadership and from faith."
The Chief Rabbi-elect, a Spurs fan, also said he was concerned by the rise in anti-semitism in Europe, and described the recent anti-semitic chanting at a match in White Hart Lane by some West Ham fans as "very troubling".
He said: "We are seeing an overall rise in anti-semitism through Europe and it is finding its expression in England as well.
"We are enormously encouraged, however, by the stand that the government is taking; that, for example, within parliament we have an all-party parliamentary group against anti-semitism.
"The fight against anti-semitism is being led not by the Jewish community but by the government and this is something we appreciate."
The South-African born rabbi, who is married with four children, has won plaudits for his commitment to education, and for being the first United Synagogue rabbi to host an address by an imam.
Lord Sacks described Mirvis as "a good friend and valued colleague, respected by the rabbinate and community alike", adding: "He is a man of warmth and wisdom who will excel in his new role."
Stephen Pack, President of the Chief Rabbinate Trust said: "Rabbi Mirvis is an extraordinary man, a dedicated teacher, a trusted academic and a deeply inspirational rabbi. His unwavering commitment to promoting Jewish values and his natural ability to lead made him the stand out candidate for this position."
Rabbi Danny Rich, the chief executive of Liberal Judaism, welcomed the appointment of Mirvis but stressed the plurality of the Jewish community and the importance of consultation.
"We wish him well in what's going to be a difficult task," he said, adding that one of the hardest parts of the job would be recognising that the office "no longer represents a large section of the community".
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Guardian