Manchester Jewish Museum

Modern Jewish Life

From life cycle events to festivals to the everyday, see images depicting different aspects of 21st-century Judaism from across the UK. This exhibition was curated as part of Manchester Jewish Museum’s Collecting Inclusive Stories project, an initiative that aims to tell the story of the history and heritage of Britain’s Jews.

Until 8 September

Beverley-Jane Stewart: Adapting to Change

Three series of paintings by Beverley-Jane Stewart explore the evolution of Jewish communities. The first, Synagogue Series, focuses on some of the UK’s most intricately designed synagogues; Jewish Visual Stories provides a chronicle of development within British Judaism; and Beyond the Ashes is a moving take on destroyed Jewish places of worship across the Middle East.

3 July – 31 December

M8 8LW. 08432 080 500. www.manchesterjewishmuseum.com

Thursday 31 July

The Jewish Pedlar Trope and the 20th Century

In the 1700s, a pedlar called Jacob Harris slit the throats of three people in a Sussex pub, which is, to this day, one of the most violent crimes ever committed by a British Jew. Dr Tony Kushner discusses his new book, The Jewish Pedlar Trope and the 20th century, which uses law records, newspaper reports, songs and folktales to reconstruct the world of Jewish salespeople-turned-smugglers within the UK and internationally.

6pm. £8. Manchester Jewish Museum, M8 8LW. www.manchesterjewishmuseum.com

Thursday 21 August

A Particularly Nasty Case: A Murderously Funny Evening with Adam Kay

Bafta-winning Jewish comic and former NHS staffer Adam Kay became a household name after his debut best-seller, This is Going to Hurt, was adapted into a hit BBC drama starring Ben Whishaw. Compiled from diary entries he made while working as junior doctor, the book (as well as its follow-up Undoctored) told everyday stories that were as gut-clenchingly funny as they were gut-wrenchingly heartbreaking. Now he presents A Particularly Nasty Case, his first work of fiction, a murder mystery inspired by his medical history – and highly humorous to boot. Discover more about it in this evening of anecdotes, insights and readings, followed by a Q&A.

8pm. £34.50.  The Lowry, Salford, M50 3AZ. www.adamkay.co.uk

Thursday 24 July

Marcus is Alive

Few would survive a hit-and-run, a near death experience, two brain surgeries, six failed marriage proposals, a psychic detective and a wayward rabbi, not least all in one night. Marcus J Freed is one of those few people, and he brings his true story back to life in his one-man show. He questions why he made it through the turmoil, and why we’re all here, with a side of biting humour, spiritual insight and raw storytelling.

7pm. £15. Manchester Jewish Museum, M8 8LW. www.manchesterjewishmuseum.com

Friday 10 October – Sunday 30 November

Young Frankenstein

Television personality Ore Oduba stars in a new adaptation of Mel Brooks’s 1974 film. Victor Frankenstein’s grandson Frederick inherits his family estate in Transylvania and finds himself bringing a corpse to life. Hilarity ensues when the revived being escapes. The antics are complimented with a side of songs including ‘Puttin’ on the Ritz’ and ‘He Vas My Boyfriend’.

Times vary. From £27. Hope Mill Theatre, Manchester, M4 7JA. www.hopemilltheatre.co.uk/event/young-frankenstein

Thursday 17 July

The Table: Communities

An intimate dining experience takes place inside Manchester Jewish Museum, where each dish in this vegetarian four-course meal is inspired by a different object from the collection. Tickets also include a welcome cocktail.

7pm. £60. Manchester Jewish Museum, M8 8LW. www.manchesterjewishmuseum.com