An orthodox rabbi who says he is "frustrated" at what he sees as a lack of engagement between Jews and Muslims is observing an Islamic fast in an effort to increase understanding between the two faiths.

Rabbi Natan Levy said he is taking part in Ramadan, a fast during which Muslims do not eat or drink between dawn and sunset for 30 days, to "create a touchstone for conversation".

The Board of Deputies' interfaith consultant told the Jewish News he was motivated to take the challenge after security was called to a synagogue one evening when a young Jew panicked on seeing a devout Muslim at a service.

Mr Levy, who will tweet each day of the fast on the language links between Hebrew and Arabic, said he hopes his efforts will show "that we Jews and Muslims can share, and fast, and feast and talk, and stop hating each other from behind closed doors".

He said he is not encouraging others to imitate him, but added that his actions have sparked "fascinating and heated and challenging" conversations among people since he began the fast on Sunday.