BySimon Rocker, Simon Rocker
One of Israel's most high-profile modern Orthodox rabbis will undertake a speaking tour next month organised by the new UK branch of an Israeli education organisation.
Rabbi David Stav - a candidate last year for Israel's Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi - will be brought here by Lavi Olami, founded three years ago to broaden the appeal of religious Zionism and to offer a fresh perspective on Israel.
Its UK desk is headed by Simon Levy, a former Jewish Studies teacher at Immanuel College and national director of Bnei Akiva, who is also head of education at Lavi Olami. The UK branch has recently affiliated to the Zionist Federation.
Israel-based Mr Levy said it would be Rabbi Stav's "first visit to England in seven years. I know communities are very excited about that."
Mr Levy, 31, made aliyah in August 2013 and joined Lavi Olami nine months ago.
Stav's visit will promote Israeli educational organisation
"I was fortunate," he said. "Often education is oversubscribed in Israel, so if you make aliyah, you have to look for another job.
"This was an ideal opportunity to continue working in a field I know and love."
Although its main focus was on students and young adults, Lavi Olami was also looking to work more widely here - for example, arranging for communities to have Israeli scholars in residence.
One project in the pipeline was an "in-depth tour of Judea-Samaria to show that what is happening on the ground is not what people see reported in Western media.
"People who come to Israel don't necessarily go to these areas."