William Frankel

William Frankel (3 February 1917 – 18 April 2008) was the editor of the British weekly newspaper The Jewish Chronicle from 1958 until 1977. He wrote the books Friday Nights, Israel Observed (1980), Survey of Jewish Affairs (1982–1992), and Tea With Einstein and Other Memories (2006).

Early life Frankel was born in London, the son of Isaac Frankel, an Orthodox Jew, the beadle of the Artillery Lane synagogue in Spitalfields, and a stallholder in Petticoat Lane. He attended the Davenant Foundation School, at that time located in the East End; the Regent Street Polytechnic; then the University of London, graduating with honours in law. In 1968–69, he was visiting professor at the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York City. He acted as special adviser to The Times on Jewish and Israeli affairs, and held a number of public or honorary posts, including president of the Mental Health Review appeals tribunal (1978–89), chairman of the Social Security Appeal Tribunal (1979–89); an executive of the Wiener library, the Holocaust archives based in London; president of the New Israel Fund since 1997; and was awarded an honorary fellowship of Girton College, Cambridge.