Sadiq Khan, Robert Rinder and Howard Jacobson will be among guests lighting the JW3 menorah as part of the community centre's virtual offering during Chanukah.

Other than on Shabbat, JW3 will be running online celebrations on every night of the festival, which can be viewed on its website. The London Mayor is scheduled to take part on the first night and American comedian Jackie Mason will join from his New York home on Saturday evening. There will also be live music every night.

JW3 chief executive Raymond Simonson said that "as we come to the end of a very dark year, we figured everyone could do with a bit of light and joy.  And as we can't all be physically together to light the Chanukah candles, we wanted to find a way to bring us all together virtually. The more of us who join in, the brighter our combined light, as we come together as one community."

The Finchley Road centre has reopened following the second lockdown and is running Covid-secure children's and family activities over the holiday period, including the Rising Stars Holiday Sports Camp.

Movies are also back with screenings of more than 20 films in JW3’s cinema over December.

A number of blended events will be for both live audiences in the centre's main theatre and online viewers.