Faith Diary: Kosher exorcisms

Bumps in the night, unearthly sounds, deathly cold rooms - all the usual ingredients of a supposed haunting. But as Robert Pigott reports in this week's Faith Diary, the kosher solution to a Jewish poltergeist doesn't involve a bell, book and candle. Also this week - what was cooking between the Queen and the Cardinal and why Jordan is praying for a windfall of tourist dollars.

CALLING THE KOSHER GHOSTBUSTERS

When Jesus miraculously cast "unclean spirits" out of man and into a herd of swine at Gadara in Jordan 2,000 years ago, he was setting the stage for exorcisms which continue in the present day.

Each diocese in the Church of England provides a priest to take on the role of exorcist for those rare occasions when it is deemed necessary.

But the most recent need has emerged in a London synagogue.

The rabbi at Enfield and Winchmore Hill synagogue had recently moved into the accommodation attached to the synagogue when he found he had been joined by an unseen force capable of opening windows, as well as knocking at doors and making other inexplicable noises.

Corroboration for the presence of a spirit has come from members of the synagogue's congregation, who say they have noticed the spectral activity before.

The ghost was believed to be that of the rabbi who founded the synagogue and who died 40 years ago. Read more
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