Lionel Blue OBE (né Bluestein; 6 February 1930 – 19 December 2016)[1] was a British Reform rabbi, journalist and broadcaster, described by The Guardian as "one of the most respected religious figures in the UK".

[2] He was best known for his longstanding work with the media, most notably his wry and gentle sense of humour on Thought for the Day on BBC Radio 4's Today programme.

[citation needed] He served in the British Army but was discharged after having a nervous breakdown brought on by anxiety over his closet homosexuality.

[2] He regained his faith while at Oxford, when he found some resolution to severe personal conflicts regarding his sexual orientation at a Quaker meeting.

He also found Victor Gollancz's A Year of Grace helpful during this time, and finally became one of the first two students at Leo Baeck College for training rabbis in 1956.

[7] In 2006, a return trip to his childhood home in London's East End to mark the 350th anniversary of Jewish life in Britain was the subject of an evocative audioslideshow on the BBC News website.