Rabbi Mark Winer was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) by Queen Elizabeth II, becoming the first American-born rabbi to receive this honor. The award was given for his work in promoting interfaith dialogue and social cohesion in the United Kingdom.
Winer, a British subject and a U.S. citizen, served for 12 years as senior rabbi of the Reform West London Synagogue of British Jews after leading congregations in the United States for about 30 years. He also founded the international interfaith initiative FAITH: The Foundation to Advance Interfaith Trust and Harmony.
In accepting the honor, he expressed being “humbled and thrilled” by the recognition. The honors, which include appointments such as knighthoods and MBEs, were announced as part of the Queen’s New Year’s Honours List — a tradition that includes more than 1,000 recipients annually.
The Jerusalem Post article notes (from its visible headline content) that the MBE does not confer a title (unlike a knighthood), and quotes Winer joking that he was “at the same level as The Beatles, but not as high as Sir Elton John.”