A congregation of more than 40 attended the Yom Kippur services organised at the last minute by the Borehamwood Sephardi Minyan. The unscheduled services followed the “resounding success” of the fledgling community’s first Shabbat service just three weeks ago, when more than 70 adults and children crowded into the local Allum Hall.

According to Daniel Couceiro, one of the minyan founders, “we felt that the time was right to start a Sephardi minyan in the area, but were nevertheless surprised at the number of people who came to the services, among them many Ashkenazis seeking an alternative to existing services in the area.”

The services were held in the Elstree home of one of the congregation’s members and conducted by Rabbi Jeff Berger, a recent graduate from the Judith Lady Montefiore College semicha programme.