An online video of a prominent Orthodox educator discussing same-sex relations has been withdrawn from view.

A Twitter post by J-TV last month gave a link to a video of a rabbi answering a question about a gay person wanting to lead an Orthodox life.

But when the link is clicked, it says the video is no longer available.

The removed item is understood to feature Rabbi Eliezer Zobin, the principal of Immanuel College and rabbi of the independent Ner Israel congregation in Hendon, answering questions from a group of schoolchildren.

Neither he nor anyone from J-TV could be reached.

Videos of Rabbi Zobin discussing other topics have been posted by J-TV.

But a copy understood to be that of the missing item has been seen by the JC.

Rabbi Zobin said the community had not always welcomed gay people in “the fullest way” or offered understanding.

Citing the Chief Rabbi’s guidance for Jewish schools on LGBT pupils, which was published last year, Rabbi Zobin said: “We should be open to anyone who wants to be part of our community”.

Distinguishing between homosexual acts and orientation, he said: “The Torah itself doesn’t speak about orientation in any way, it speaks about acts. And even when talking about acts, nothing in the Torah demands of us to make judgments about other people and other human beings.

“If only all of us kept every halachah, every rule, every law within the Torah. No human is perfect. Each person is on their own journey in relating to God”.

There was nothing in halachah, he said, against inviting a gay couple for Friday night dinner.

“I don’t see why a shul or community should have a policy in which people are excluded because of orientation, in which people are excluded because of their partners,” he said.

Warning that cruel or inappropriate words could do immense harm, he said that nothing in the Torah justified homophobia.

If people publicly defied halachah, that was e a problem, he said. “However, if people simply wish to belong and engage with the Orthodox community, I don’t see a problem with their orientation being known,” he said.

He added: “As a community where we have perhaps given off the wrong message… to people they are not welcome… that’s tragic.”

Two years ago, the Senior Rabbi of the S & P Sephardi Community, Rabbi Joseph Dweck, was embroiled in an international storm following a lecture appealing for greater empathy with gay people.