A rabbi has grabbed the attention of thousands of YouTube users after dressing up in his mother’s clothes in a video encouraging people to give to charity.

In the two minute footage Rabbi Avrohom Zeidman from Edgware takes on a variety of characters from a wealthy shopaholic to a teenager obsessed with his mobile phone to demonstrate the everyday excuses people use not to give to charity.

Just one week after putting the video online more than 7,670 people have logged on to watch it.

Watch the video here:

The 31-year-old told the Times Series: “It’s really great so many people have watched it. The goal wasn’t just to act like an idiot – I wanted people to support the message of giving to others.

“I believe a person is either a giver or taker in life and I want people to be givers.”

Determined to go the extra mile to make the video stand out Mr Zeidman borrowed a pink coat and a violet hat from his mother and donned a black wig before getting in front of the camera.

He said: “When I told her I was using her clothes to dress-up as a woman and put it on YouTube she was incredibly nervous.

“In the video I actually look like my mother with a beard – it’s quite scary. But it’s all for a good cause.

“I want to encourage people to forget the excuses and give to whatever charity they want to. Hopefully people will watch the video and be inspired.”

The father-of-four used to be an assistant rabbi at Edgware United Synagogue before moving to Gift, a Hendon based charity which encourages people to give as well as volunteer in the community.