And the Chief Rabbi Awards is entering its second year, with the committee looking for deserving youngsters from schools, shuls, youth clubs, sports clubs and Jewish youth movements in north and south Manchester, Leeds and Liverpool.

On a visit to Manchester in 2007 to take part in the European Conference of Rabbis, Lord Sacks was asked what could make Jewish youth still relevant when there were so many other distractions for young people.

He challenged youngsters to extend themselves in their daily lives in ways that make a significant contribution to their communities - and promised that if an awards scheme could be set up, he would give it his name, which he did. In November last year the first awards were presented to eight young people aged 16-18 by Lord Sacks at Whitefield Hebrew Congregation.

Former Whitefield Shul president and awards' committee chairman Graham Nussbaum told the Jewish Telegraph: "Those who received the award were honoured in front of their peers, families and community members, rewarding them for their achievements and their contributions.

"The awards not only recognises skills, they encourage others to develop and grow."

Other members of the committee are Sharon Bannister and Rodney Ross, who have both been involved in youth work for more than 30 years, as well as Frances Showman.

Mr Nussbaum, who also served as chairman of the Whitefield Jewish Youth Centre, said: "Young peoples' achievements need to be recognised.

"Our youth are our future - without them we have nothing."

Lord Sacks backed the second year of the awards. He said: "We should give young Jews the chance to be leaders: to dream and put them into practise, to follow their passions, and make a creative difference to other people's lives.

"I saw this in the first recipients of the awards and it is what I hope to see in their successors."

The committee will be sending nomination forms to organisations from all sections of Jewish communal life at the end of the month.

Details from 0161-796 8564.