More than 30 students celebrated their qualification from the London School of Jewish Studies at a graduation ceremony at Hampstead Garden Suburb Synagogue.

Twenty-one teachers who completed training programmes and a further 11 students awarded a Masters in Jewish education received their certificates from Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis, the LSJS president.

The teachers came from schools across the community, from Progressive Akiva and cross-communal Alma to Pardes House Primary and Beis Yaakov Primary at the more Orthodox end.

New MAs included Jo Rosenfelder, founder of Etgar; Rabbi Ephraim Guttentag, incoming  community rabbi at Hampstead Garden Suburb Synagogue; Rabbi Zvi Cohen of Kingsbury Synagogue and associate head of Jewish studies at Noam Primary; Jeannie Horowitz, co-ordinator of Jewish learning at Alma and the New London Synagogue’s cheder head David Yehuda Stern.

Jonathan Bach, LSJS director of teacher training, said: “Training to be a teacher is not easy. It requires dedication, determination and the ability to survive the changing world of education. We are proud of all of our graduates for making it through this demanding year.”

Scheduled guest speaker Luciana Berger was unable to make it because of a key vote in the Commons but recorded a video message of congratulations.