Jackie Gryn, the widow of the late Reform leader Rabbi Hugo Gryn, has insisted she has always enjoyed a warm relationship with Chief Rabbi Lord Sacks and appealed for no more talk of a “Hugo Gryn Affair”.

An acclaimed contestant on BBC’s The Voice has revealed that his talent is inherited from his father — a chazan at Newbury Park United Synagogue in Ilford — and his mother, who is also “an amazing singer”.

Controversial peer Lord Ahmed’s attempted to rehabilitate his reputation with the Jewish community this week over remarks about a Jewish conspiracy he is said to have made.

Speaking ahead of his disciplinary hearing in front of the Labour Party national executive next week, the peer gave his version of the events which have led to his latest suspension from the party.

Stephen Hawking’s decision to join the academic boycott of Israel has prompted anger from the organisers of a conference he was due to address.

Stirling MP Anne McGuire is to be the new chair of Labour Friends of Israel.

Mrs McGuire, the Shadow Minister for Disabled People, is a former parliamentary private secretary to party leader Ed Miliband.

She has taken part in several LFI trips to Israel and has regularly raised the Middle East peace process in the Commons.

A new kosher butcher has arrived in north London, and while shoppers may be smiling, not everyone is happy.

Shefa Mehadrin was until last week a Manchester-based butcher licensed by Manchester Beth Din.

Now it has opened a branch in Golders Green, just yards from established kosher stores, including glatt kosher butchers Menachems and Gross.

The University of Cambridge has confirmed that Stephen Hawking is not attending a conference in Jerusalem as part of an academic boycott.

The acclaimed physicist who works at the university was due to be the keynote speaker at the fifth annual "Facing Tomorrow" conference hosted by Israeli President Shimon Peres next month.