London

French Jewish choir the Polyphonies Hebraiques de Strasbourg made its British debut at Belsize Square Synagogue on Sunday. The 40-strong French choir is based at the University of Strasbourg, which contains departments of Hebrew and musicology. According to its founder and conductor, Argentinian-born musicologist Hector Sabo: "We sing Ladino songs, Yiddish, Italian and modern Israeli." The concert, marking Remembrance Sunday and Kristallnacht, also featured soloist Eliot Alderman - son of JC columnist Geoffrey Alderman - with the Zemel Choir under its director Ben Wolf.

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An after-school club has been launched at Muswell Hill Synagogue by the United Synagogue youth arm, Tribe. Arts and crafts and karate were among the initial activities. The youngsters were joined for supper and a magic show by Muswell Hill Synagogue's Rabbi David Mason, who said: "It was great to see our children having such a good time. This is a really positive step towards deepening our community's connection with Tribe."

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Around £3,000 for the Radlett and Bushey Reform Synagogue building fund was raised from a gala concert featuring the music of some of America's best-loved performers. They Did It Their Way was staged by the production company run by shul social committee members Jack Applebaum and his wife, Cheryl. Songs made famous by Frank Sinatra, Judy Garland, Doris Day and Perry Como, among others, entertained an audience of 200.

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Dragon's Den investor Rachel Elnaugh addressed a fundraiser for Meir Panim, helping Israel's poor. Over 40 businessmen and women heard Ms Elnaugh say: "I have a place in my heart for organisations such as Meir Panim, which are trying to make people self-sufficient and take them out of poverty." The theme of her talk was "The credit crunch and other nightmares". Bank Leumi UK hosted and sponsored the event, which earned more than £700 for the charity.

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Adam Bloom, Joe Bor and Steve Weiner were the stars of a stand-up comedy night organised by Middlesex New Synagogue's young adults group. It drew a crowd of 120 and raised £1,500 for the Alan Senitt Memorial Trust, established in memory of the young Jewish activist and interfaith worker who was murdered two years ago in Washington DC.

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Historian and educator Rabbi Berel Wein addressed a packed house at Hendon Synagogue on Saturday night on "The world economic crisis: Are we reliving the problems of 2,000 years ago?" Rabbi Wein highlighted the resilence of Jews to disasters of all types, the Holocaust included. He also discussed his new book, The Oral Law at Sinai.

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The Edgware Jewish Primary team has won the London inter-schools quiz for the second successive year. Over 250 parents and teachers from nine schools contested the title and the winning team members were Lisa and Ian Stuart, Sara and Rob Curtis, Kate and Jason Saunders, Ruth and Jeremy Kosiner and Suzanne and Eddy Bruer-Weil.

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Ajex and Jewish Care joined forces with the Royal British Legion for a Remembrance Day commemoration at the war memorial in Edgware. Around 80 care home residents took part in a service conducted by Edgware Reform Synagogue's Rabbi Neil Kraft and the Rev Michael Clark of St Margaret's Church. Clore Manor resident Joseph Mossack was among those who laid wreaths and a lunch was arranged for the Jewish Care party at the nearby Yeshurun Synagogue.

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Chief Rabbi Sir Jonathan Sacks was one of 40 Western Marble Arch Synagogue members who wrote the final words of the community's newest Sefer Torah, which was presented to the congregation on Shabbat.

The scroll was commissioned by the family of scholar, collector and philanthropist Professor David Khalili and his wife Marion to mark their 30th wedding anniversary, and is the first Sephardi Sefer Torah to be donated to the shul.

In accordance with Sephardi custom, it is housed not in a mantle but in a magnificent and ornate silver case.

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Dignity Committee raised £4,000 for Eliya, an Israeli charity helping blind and visually impaired children, from a quiz night which attracted a 250-strong crowd. Topics covered included music, theatre, sport - and the location of certain Brent Cross retailers.

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