Dean Staker wins an Aussie song gong — from London

North London singer Dean Staker has won first prize in an Australia-based competition — and with a Hebrew song.

Mr Staker was triumphant in the Spritual/Gospel/Sacred/Inspirational category of the Pacific Songwriting Competition, an online contest open to people all over the world. His winning entry was a contemporary version of the song Shalom Alechem.

A member of Finchley Progressive Syngagoue, Mr Staker wrote the song for the shul’s Shabbat Resouled service. The 41-year-old tells People: “I wanted to come up with a something that would appeal to British Jews. The words are the same but the melody is completely different.”

He works full-time as an administrator at Jewish Care’s Kay Court home on the Finchley Road.