Chabad is opening a house in Islington with the aim of reaching the influx of young Jewish professionals and families moving to the area.

Rabbi Mendy Korer and his family will run the Canonbury centre, an addition to central locations including Warren Street, Chancery Lane and Shoreditch.

Originally from Stamford Hill, Rabbi Korer has been an assistant minister at a Chabad in New Jersey.

He points out that his family "were not brought up religious but became Orthodox.

"I have many cousins and relatives who are still very secular and so I'm very comfortable around people who aren't religious.

I keep getting new names of Jews living here

"Islington has no synagogue or Jewish life at all, but I keep getting new names of Jewish people who live here. It was a hole we felt needed to be plugged. The real question is why it took so long?"

Rabbi Korer will live in Islington with his Belgian wife Hadasa and their two young daughters.

"We will start in a few weeks with Shabbat dinners," he said. "I want it to be a very relaxed atmosphere. Later, we have plans to run classes and maybe activities for families."