The Jewish community in Stockholm has opened a new centre for culture and education called Bayit, meaning "house" or "home" in Hebrew.

The building houses a Jewish kindergarten and school, called Hillel, as well as Paideia - the European Institute for Jewish Studies in Sweden.

It is located in the centre of the Swedish capital and the hope is that it will help "preserve, enrich and acknowledge the force of Jewish life in Stockholm and Sweden for generations to come".

"Bayit is a Jewish all-purpose activity centre… The difference with the old Jewish community centre is that this is a bigger and broader platform that also targets groups other than our own," said Fabian Arnheim, head of operations at Bayit.

Bayit, which also houses a kosher shop, a restaurant and the offices of Maccabi in Sweden, is intended to serve as a meeting point and cultural centre, and parts of it will be open to the general public.

However, there have been concerns about security, including among parents whose children go to school in the building.

"Like all Jewish organisations today, this is a priority issue for us. We have made significant investments in the property," said Mr Arnheim.