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Ambassador tours Israeli town with British accent

November 29, 2011 15:46
UK's Ambassador Matthew Gould meets Beit Shemesh residents

By

Jessica Elgot,

Jessica Elgot

1 min read

The small Israeli city of Beit Shemesh, on the outskirts of Jerusalem, boasts about its English tea and homemade scones.

Beit Shemesh is the Israeli city with a British accent. The city, which has seen ongoing conflict between its strictly Orthodox and secular residents, has around 100 British families and many synagogues have predominantly British membership.

Last week the UK's Ambassador Matthew Gould brought the head of parliament's foreign affairs committee, MP Richard Ottaway, for a traditional afternoon tea, with a cup of PG Tips, with the city's British residents.

They debated British foreign policy with residents and saw a local charity's efforts towards putting the UK government's "Big Society" into practice in Israel, by helping local people manage their finances and improve their career prospects.

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