There is an international flavour to the new rabbinical studies intake at north London Progressive Jewish learning college, Leo Baeck.

Among those starting their studies in Israel will be Canadian Emily Jurman, a recent religious studies BA graduate from York University, who has undertaken various leadership roles with her home congregation in Greater Toronto.

Frenchman Jonas Jacquelin studied history and Jewish literature at the Sorbonne and has taught Judaism to young members of his Paris community.

The British first-year pair are Naomi Spencer and Adam Frankenberg. Ms Spencer, an LJS, St John's Wood, member, is an urban planner who has worked on projects relating to the government's sustainable communities agenda. But she now wants to dedicate herself to the Jewish community.

Mr Frankenberg, a long-time congregant at Manchester's Menorah Reform, has wanted to be a rabbi for as long as he can remember.

He holds a chemistry and biochemistry degree, an MA in Jewish studies and is in the final stages of his PhD at Manchester, where he is researching non-Orthodox halachah.

Those joining the third year of the programme in London include Alexander Grodensky, who has been active in the Jewish communities of St Petersburg and Vienna, where he has completed a Masters in international marketing and management. He has also studied Judaism and Jewish education in Israel and Russia.

American Jessica Lenza studied for a cantorial career but decided that the rabbinate was her true passion. She has worked as an educator for the Central Synagogue in Manhattan and is excited at the prospect of serving a UK Progressive congregation.

Amsterdam-born Esther Hugenholtz has written a book on modern uses of the mikveh for her home Liberal community and has been involved of the organisation of the Dutch version of Limmud.

Leo Baeck's Rabbi Michael Shire said the candidates were "of the highest quality, some coming from previous intensive Jewish leadership programmes and some emerging from our movement congregations eager to undergo the intense training for the rabbinate. These students reflect the global reach of Leo Baeck College."

They would go on to serve communities either in the UK or their country of origin.