North-west London's Jewish arts and community centre is turning 13 and everyone is invited to the party

When it first opened its doors on Finchley Road in 2013, JW3 set out to reimagine what a Jewish community hub in the UK could look like: a space as much for culture and creativity as for connection and conversation. Now, 13 years on, JW3 is marking its 'b'mitzvah' anniversary - using the gender-neutral term - with a celebratory season reflecting how far it has come and where it is heading next.

Founded by the philanthropist Dame Vivien Duffield and inspired by the Jewish Community Centre model in the United States, JW3 has welcomed hundreds of thousands of visitors through its doors. Its offer is broad: from social action initiatives, such as an in-house food bank, to cinema, youth clubs, live theatre and music, as well as producing its own pantomime – London's first Jewish panto no less. The building also houses a kosher café and the London Jewish Mural, Leon Fenster's ninestorey tribute to the city's Jewish history.

*The opening of Lovelock Hostage Bridge in 2024*

Over the years the hub has hosted artists, activists and public figures, including a visit in 2022 from the King, then Prince Charles, and has steadily built a reputation for openness and innovation.

William Galinsky, director of programming, describes shaping a season as finding the "golden thread" that connects each event, creating a cohesive whole while allowing space for distinct voices. This b'mitzvah season mirrors the stages of a Jewish coming of age: preparing the Torah portion, celebrating with family and friends, and stepping into adulthood.

Galinsky acknowledges the pressures on the sector, from ongoing challenges in arts funding to the impact of 7 October on Jewish organisations, but emphasises JW3's commitment to openness and tikkun olam (repairing the world). "It's not been easy," he says, though he remains optimistic, pointing to past projects such as the multifaith collaboration Little Amal, which brought a 12-foot puppet of a Syrian child refugee to the venue in April 2023, when Passover, Easter and Ramadan coincided.

*Leslie Cavendish, who appears at the Jews in Hairdressing talk on 26 June © courtesy of Leslie Cavendish*

JW3, along with the neighbouring Lymington Road Estate, used music, storytelling and songs to share the story of the flight from Egypt with the puppet, a reminder of the organisation's capacity to unite through the arts, says Galinsky.

Music, theatre, film, comedy and more will shape the b'mitzvah programme. Highlights include the concerts, OttomanJewish Masters: The Sounds of Istanbul (31 May), exploring the legacy of Jewish composers in the Ottoman Empire, and the Ollie Usiskin Quartet (1 June), blending klezmer with jazz. L'Chaim/L'Chaos: 50 Years of Jewish Punk (7 June) promises an energetic mix of interviews, DJ sets and poetry. Jews in Hairdressing (25 June) brings together Zuleika Rodgers and Leslie Cavendish - the latter famed for styling The Beatles - in conversation about Jewish influence in the industry. Family events include a Shavuot Learn & Sing Party (24 May), designed for young children.

In the theatre world, see a cabaret evening, Rainbow on Rye (21 June), which explores "the joys (and oys) of being LGBTQIA+ and Jewish".

There is a chance for everyone to take part in the celebrations: over the summer, the building's facade will become a vast album of childhood photographs, and there will be a site-wide party, which includes the premiere of JW3's Barmy Mitzvah, a new play created especially by Nick Cassenbaum (28 June). The season concludes with One Beach, Three Languages: A Family Storytelling Day (12 July).

As the CEO, Raymond Simonson, says: "It feels like a moment to reflect on how far we've come, and to step forward with even greater confidence. It celebrates what we've built and sets the tone for an ambitious new chapter in JW3's story."

By Maia Kahn

Photos by Blake Ezra

JW3 B'Mitzvah events are currently underway. jw3.org.uk

This article appears in the Spring 2026 issue of JR.