Stanley Kalms, the businessman behind the rise of Dixons and a key figure in Anglo-Jewry, has died aged 93.
Lord Kalms was a major philanthropist and long-time member of Western Marble Arch Synagogue. He is remembered not only for building one of Britain’s most successful retail empires but also for challenging the structures of Jewish communal life and investing heavily in Jewish education.
In 1992, he wrote A Time for Change, a 300-page report that challenged the leadership of the United Synagogue and proposed a radical reorganisation of its structure and governance. The research was funded through the Stanley Kalms Foundation.
Dayan Binstock, speaking on behalf of the United Synagogue, said, “Stanley z”l left an indelible mark on the British Jewish community. He enjoyed a close relationship with Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks z”l and championed him to become Chief Rabbi.
“Stanley was, as Rabbi Sacks described him, full of relentless energy, constantly challenging. He made critical improvements in Jewish education, including leading Jews’ College. Challenging convention was a theme of both his business and communal life, and he leaves us with a legacy of not accepting a status quo, challenging us to achieve the best for ourselves, our families, our community and Am Yisrael.”
Rabbi Daniel Epstein, of Western Marble Arch Synagogue, said: “It’s hard to know where to begin. I knew him personally over the last four or five years, and what struck me immediately was that his reputation in history matched the man in person — deeply funny and incredibly dedicated to the community.
“That passion came through in his rigorous, thoughtful approach to everything. For me as a rabbi, he was a true mentor — someone I could turn to for real guidance. He already leaves a gap that will be felt deeply in our community.”
Kalms’ foundation also played a central role in launching Immanuel College in 1990, establishing it as a Modern Orthodox school in Hertfordshire.
Born in 1931, he joined his family’s business in 1948 and oversaw its transformation into Dixons Group, later part of Currys PLC. He served as chairman from 1971 and became life president.
He was knighted in 1996 and made a life peer in 2004 as Baron Kalms of Edgware. A former treasurer of the Conservative Party, he was expelled in 2009 after voting for UKIP in protest over the party’s stance on Israel.
Lord Kalms, who died on 30 March, is survived by three sons and eight grandchildren.
