Rabbi Rafi Kaiserblueth is to leave St Albans Masorti Synagogue to join the Emanuel congregation in Sydney.

During his six years with the Hertfordshire community, the Puerto Rico-born minister has seen the congregation virtually double in size to 450, acquiring its first permanent building in 2012. "We have been so blessed to have found a home here in St Albans and [my wife] Rachel and I cannot begin to adequately express the gratitude we feel," he said.

Thanking the Kaiserblueths, shul co-chairs Moira Hart and Simon Samuels said they would "work hard to ensure that we find the right rabbi for the next stage of our journey".