The first cohort from the London School of Jewish Studies’ distance learning programme have celebrated their graduation.

Four students took the two-year part-time online MA in Jewish education.

Yael Kacev from South Africa told an online graduation ceremony that the course had “enabled me to think more deeply about how to be a better educator”.

A total of 32 students this year graduated from LSJS’s educational degree and teacher training courses.

Rabbi Ramon Widmonte, dean of the Academy of Jewish Thought and Learning, said: “The LSJS MA programme is a real game-changer for our community’s future – for the first time, school teachers, rebbetzins, informal educators,rRabbis and educational leaders in South Africa have a joint space to nurture themselves, their practise and plans for the future."

Rabbi Raphael Zarum, Dean of LSJS, said of the ceremony: “What we lacked in pomp and gowns, we gained in size and warmth.”

LSJS has graduated 30 to 40 students annually over the past decade.