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opened the gates of the Soviet Union for the great wave of Jewish immigration to Israel in the 1990s.”

President Isaac Herzog described Gorbachev as one of the 20th century’s “most extraordinary figures”. “He was a brave and visionary leader, who shaped our world in ways previously thought unimaginable,” said Herzog. “I was proud to meet him during his 1992 visit to Israel.”

Gorbachev’s five day visit to Israel came at the invitation of Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir when he spoke at Bar-Ilan University in Ramat Gan on June 16, ‘92.

His address included a correlation between morals and politics, which drew national praise.

Gorbachev said, “We are going through a turning point in history. Not only my country but the whole world as well has found itself at the crossroads. The road to a new civilisation will be a long and arduous one. It would be hardly possible to comprehend it and to chart it without faith, without a religious foundation. The image of an eternally blossoming and fruit-bearing Tree of Life holds a special place in the Biblical picture of the world. Let us bear this image in mind when we work for the future and contemplate it.”

Bar-Ilan University presented Gorbachev with an honorary doctorate before his address. He also received the Harvey Peace Prize from the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology in appreciation of his “seminal initiatives” that had a “profound impact on international relations” and improved the “quality of life of hundreds of millions of people.”

Gorbachev ended the trip with a symbolic tree planting in Jerusalem Forest.

Global tributes have flowed since his death.

US President Biden said Gorbachev was a man of “remarkable vision”. “After decades of brutal political repression, he embraced democratic reforms,” Biden noted. “He believed in glasnost and perestroika, openness and restructuring, not as mere slogans, but as the path forward for the people of the Soviet Union after so many years of isolation and deprivation. These were the acts of a rare leader, one with the imagination to see that a different future was possible and the courage to risk his entire career to achieve it. The result was a safer world and greater freedom for millions of people. It was easy to see why so many worldwide held him in such high esteem.”

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres commented, “The world has lost a towering global leader, committed multilateralist, and tireless advocate for peace.”

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen added, “Gorbachev was a trusted and respected leader. He played a crucial role to end the Cold War and bring down the Iron Curtain. It opened the way for a free Europe. This legacy is one we will not forget.”

Former US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger said, “The people of eastern Europe and the German people, and in the end the Russian people, owe him a great debt of gratitude for the inspiration, for the courage in coming forward with these ideas of freedom.” Former US Secretary of State, James Baker, who negotiated the end of the Cold War, said that history would remember Gorbachev as a “giant who steered his great nation towards democracy”.

Another former US Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice, added, “Without him and his courage, it would not have been possible to end the cold war peacefully.”

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said, “I always admired the courage and integrity he showed in bringing the Cold War to a peaceful conclusion. In a time of Putin’s aggression in Ukraine, his tireless commitment to opening up Soviet society remains an example to us all.”

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said that Gorbachev’s pursuit of reform “forged a path for diplomacy over conflict”. Starmer added, “He will forever be remembered as the last leader of the Soviet Union who had the courage and conviction to end the Cold War.”

In Russia, President Vladimir Putin said that Gorbachev made a “huge impact on the course of world history”. He noted in a statement, “He led our country during a period of complex, dramatic changes, large-scale foreign policy, economic and social challenges. He deeply understood that reforms were necessary, he strove to offer his own solutions to urgent problems.”

Gorbachev was born in Privolnoye, Russia. His family suffered under Soviet dictator Josef Stalin. After World War 2, he helped his father, who fought the Nazis, rebuild his life and received the order of the Red Banner of Labor, which led to admission in 1950 to Moscow State University where he met his wife, Raisa Titorenko, and joined the Communist Party.

Gorbachev graduated in 1955 and became the youngest Politburo member by 1980. He served as General Secretary from 1985, following the death of Leonid Brezhnev then his mentor Yuri Andropov and Konstantin Chernenko, until 1991. The last three years Gorbachev was head of state.

Gorbachev held high profile meetings with world leaders including US Presidents Ronald Reagan and George Bush. His glasnost and perestroika policies helped end the Cold War with the West.

Gorbachev resigned in December 1991 after the Soviet Union split into 15 separate nations.

“I see myself as a man who started the reforms that were necessary for the country and for Europe and the world,” Gorbachev told The AP in a 1992 interview after he left office. “I am often asked, would I have started it all again if I had to repeat it? Yes, indeed. And with more persistence and determination.”

A section of Russian society including political allies never forgave him. He polled less than 1% in a president run in 1996. A year later he began raising money for his charitable foundation, which addressed global priorities in the post-Cold War period.

Aside from the Nobel Peace Prize, Gorbachev was awarded honorary doctorates around the world. He also won a Grammy in 2004 with former US President Bill Clinton and Italian actress Sophia Loren for a recording of Prokofiev’s Peter and the Wolf. The United Nations named him a Champion of the Earth in 2006.

Gorbachev is survived by a daughter, Irina, and two granddaughters.

Ofsted appoints Rabbi Meyer

Ofsted has appointment Rabbi David Meyer as a non-executive director on its board.

The role will help ensure Ofsted's work is carried out "efficiently and effectively".

Rabbi Meyer said, "I have had the privilege of working closely with the DfE and Ofsted in my current position at PaJeS. I look forward to building on these relationships”.

Sarah Anticoni, PaJeS Trustees chair commented, “This appointment is a clear recognition of Rabbi Meyer's expertise in the education sector.”

I am available to learn Shisha Sidrey Mishnah lilui nishmas on anybody’s behalf and to be mesayem on the yartzeits for £4500 in total.

Extra fee for more immediate completion. Contact Yosef Reiner: 07580002064

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