St Albans Cathedral is helping the local Jewish community to practise a significant tradition which may have otherwise been hampered by COVID.

Jews hear the shofar – a horn of a ram – blown on Rosh Hashanah on September 18-20 to symbolise wakening them for repentance before the Jewish New Year of Rosh Hashanah.

St Albans Cathedral has come to their aid by agreeing that the rabbi can climb the bell tower on September 19 at 8pm and blow the animal horn from the top of the Abbey, while community members can gather on the grass below and hear the sound.

Rabbi Adam Zagoria-Moffet of St Albans Masorti Synagogue said: “I’m so excited about this and I think it’s an amazing example of how faith communities work together to support each other, especially in these strange times.”