A Borehamwood boy was given a certificate for Jewish Studies by the heritage group JGSGB recently.

Joshua Levy from Borehamwood United Synagogue was presented the certificate for his work on the project My Chosen Ancestor.

He was one of only two Bar Mitzvah boys to be presented certificates for their projects, which were given out by the Jewish Genealogical Society of Great Britain.

A certificate was also presented to the Agency for Jewish Education, for its decision to include the genealogy project in the Bar Mitzvah Curriculum that each 13-year-old must complete.

Rosemary Wenzerul, chair of JGSGB's education committee, said the project gave children a chance to find out about their history, and bridge the generation gap by spending more time with their grandparents. "It is so important that children are encouraged to speak to the older members of their families, so that the early social history of their family is well documented for future generations to cherish," she said.