Rabbi Daniel Friedman, the British-born minister of Beth Israel Synagogue in Edmonton, Canada, has been approved as the new rabbi of Hampstead Garden Suburb Synagogue.

HGS members voted on Sunday to accept the nomination of the synagogue’s board for a successor to Rabbi Dov Kaplan, who returns to Israel next year after seven years with the north-west London congregation.

Rabbi Friedman and his wife Batya carried out a number of speaking engagements at HGS over Shabbat but flew home before the vote was counted.

According to United Synagogue regulations, the rabbinic choice must be endorsed by a 75 per cent majority of members who vote.