The second Hebrew spelling bee was held this week with  28 pupils from seven Jewish primary schools competing.

Participants from years five and six had to spell as many words as they could in a minute, taken from a list of 120 words they had previously been given to learn.

Each word was called out in English and the children had to translate it and spell correctly in Ivrit.

There were three categories this year. In the newcomers section, Rebekah-Jo Goldman of King David Primary, Manchester was the winner, with Nathaniel Blackston of Broughton Jewish Cassel-Fox in Manchester runner up and Joseph Boys of Immanuel Preparatory School in Bushey third.

For those returning from last year, it was a clean sweep for Broughton Jewish. Miriam Shields repeated her success of the inaugural contest and took the prize, with Joshua Sacks and Elisha Sheftz in second and third.

For Ivrit speakers, Gili Blass of Nancy Reuben Primary in Hendon came top, followed by Ayelet Polak of Morasha and Feigy Greenhouse of Broughton Jewish.

Dalia Witternberg, primary Ivrit advisory teacher at Partnerships for Jewish Schools, which hosted the event, said the aim of the contest is for students to practise and improve their vocabulary, spelling and memory skills in modern Hebrew and to raise the profile of language learning through a class, school and national competition.

“At the same time we hope pupils see it as an enjoyable experience. The competition is great evidence of the competitors’ determination, commitment and self-discipline. I am sure this will become an exciting annual event on all of the Jewish primary schools’ calendars.”