Bill Bailey's royal klezmer

So far as I am aware, no klezmer band has yet appeared at the annual Royal Variety Performance.

But here’s the next best thing. Bill Bailey (right), in a musical comedy act, took the Match of the Day theme tune and had the audience smiling and clapping along when he slowed it down on his keyboard and rendered it as a “Jewish folk song”.

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Golders Green rabbi is "unfit to serve"

The Golders Green rabbi accused of inappropriate conduct with women should quit his congregational post, according to a senior religious figure.

Rabbi Chaim Halpern resigned last week as a dayan of the Union of Orthodox Hebrew Congregations following allegations about his counselling sessions for women, but indicated he would continue to lead the synagogue he runs in his home.

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Beware the women bishops vote

The Church of England found itself the object of widespread anger and derision last week after its governing body, the Synod, narrowly failed to approve the creation of women bishops.

To British Jews, it must seem like another family’s problem. But the fallout may yet have consequences for other faiths.

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Finchley primary school recruits head

The cross-communal Jewish primary school due to open in Finchley next September has appointed its head.

Marc Shoffren, director of studies of North London Collegiate’s junior school and a former deputy head of Clore Shalom, will join the project full-time in April.

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Clore Shalom school will not wait for change

A Jewish primary school is to press ahead with controversial changes to its admissions policy which will leave several children in its nursery without a place in reception next year.

The cross-communal Clore Shalom primary, in Hertfordshire, was forced to amend its entry rules after a complaint was upheld against it by the Office of the School Adjudicator in August.

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Rabbi stands down in the face of allegations

A leading member of London’s strictly Orthodox rabbinate this week resigned as a dayan after being confronted over allegations of inappropriate conduct with a number of women.

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Is Mirvis main man for chief rabbi post?

United Synagogue president Stephen Pack, who is leading the search for the next chief rabbi, declined comment this week on reports that it had now come down to one name.

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The Church chose. Why are we still waiting on a chief?

The appointment last week of the new Archbishop of Canterbury should be of Jewish interest in one respect at least: it took only eight months after Rowan Williams announced his retirement for the Anglican Church to name Bishop Justin Welby as its new head.

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Salford arrest over alleged sex assault

A member of the strictly Orthodox community was arrested in Salford on Wednesday on suspicion of sexual assault.

The 47-year-old man has been bailed by Greater Manchester Police to return in early December.

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