In Tel Aviv a tent city runs the length of Rothschild Boulevard. In Jerusalem they are preparing for a Million Person March. But in the Jerusalem suburb of Mevasseret Zion all is calm, especially in the house of Aharon and Yudit Appelfeld. I am here to talk about Appelfeld's new novel, and to consider his illustrious career as he approaches his 80th birthday.

The Chinese language skills of a 22-year-old international business development worker won him an invitation to a Chinese embassy banquet.

Blair Sugarman of Totteridge was among winners of a Chinese speaking competition, for which he recited a Taiwanese poem and spoke about his year in northern China.

"A new year is a blossom with petals curled tightly concealing the beauty within. Shana Tova."

Education Secretary Michael Gove has intervened to ask primary schools to pull their pupils out of a literature festival organised by pro-Palestinian campaigners.

Mr Gove wrote to headteachers after learning of the plans for youngsters to attend workshops at the Tottenham Palestine Literary Festival.

Eight schools from the north London boroughs of Islington and Haringey had signalled their i

The celebrated Jewish playwright Harold Pinter is to have a theatre named in his honour.

Mr Pinter, who died in 2008 at the age of 78, won a Nobel Prize for literature and was the author of 32 plays including The Birthday Party and The Caretaker.

Jewish writers will be answering questions and sparking debate this week at the annual Hampstead and Highgate Literary festival.

The event, organised by the London Jewish Cultural Centre, takes place at Ivy House from this Sunday.