Thursday 23 November

Margaret Fingerhut: Around the World in 88 Piano Keys

Join pianist and Trinty Laban professor Margaret Fingerhut on a musical journey. Starting in Norway with Grieg, listeners are transported through Ukraine with Bortkiewicz, Nigeria with Bankole and onward to many other places. The Middle East is represented by Babylonia, a specially commissioned piece by Roxanna Panufnik, which you can read more about in the Summer 2023 issue of JR.

8pm. Phone for prices. Norden Farm Centre for the Arts, Maidenhead, SL6 4PF. 01628 788 997. www.margaretfingerhut.co.uk

Wednesday 21 May

Oi Va Voi

British klezmer stalwarts Oi Va Voi celebrate their new album, The Water’s Edge, with a European tour. Their extensive setlist of both old and new material is packed with sounds, melodies and stories rooted in Jewish and European musical tradition.

7pm. From £18. Bristol Strange Brew, BS1 3DB. www.bandsintown.com

Saturday 4 November

Vache Baroque: Rossi 400 Dinner Concert

Vache Baroque presents an immersive black-tie evening that aims to transport you to the Jewish Quarter of 17th-century Mantua. Upon arrival at the stunning Vache Manor House, guests will be treated to a gourmet meal by acclaimed chef Adam Nathan, as well as live music from the Baroque era. A quintet will perform sacred and secular vocal pieces by Jewish Italian composer Salomone Rossi and his contemporaries from across Europe. This evening is part of Rossi 400, a series of events celebrating 400 years since the publication of The Songs of Solomon, Rossi’s groundbreaking music volume.

6pm. £300.The Vache, Chalfont St Giles, HP8 4SD. www.vachebaroque.com

Tate St Ives

Artist Rooms: Sol LeWitt

Influential in establishing the notion of ‘conceptual art’ in the 1960s, Jewish American artist Solomon ‘Sol’ LeWitt produced highly colourful, sprawling wall pieces. For example, Wall Drawing #1136 (2004) weaves together seven vibrant colours to create an enveloping chromatic environment.

Until 12 November

TR26 1TG. www.tate.org.uk

Saturday 15 October

A Year with Kurt Schwitters: Dada Ball

This event is made up of dance lessons to remember German Jewish artist Karl Schwitters’ love of tango, rhumba, two-step, shimmy and jazz. Learn the dances during the day and enjoy a 1920s-inspired Dada ball in the evening. This workshop coincides with Jewish artist Anthony D Padgett’s project, A Year with Kurt Schwitters, in which he responds to the artist’s life and work.

12-11.30pm. Price TBC. The Centre, Ambleside, LA22 9DH. www.amblesidepc.org.uk 

Sunday 19 May

Fran and Flora Workshop

Dive into the world of Yiddish songs, Yiddish wordless melodies and learn more about archival and contemporary recordings of Klezmer music. No prior musical experience necessary.

3pm. FREE. CommuniTree, NG1 5JD. www.franandflora.com

Wednesday 7 May

The Secret of Chabad

With branches all over the world, the Chabad Lubavitch movement has both influenced and divided contemporary Jews. Dr Naftali Loewenthal (University College London and Chabad Research Unit) discusses the origins of the Chasidic Jewish movement and the secret behind it.

8.15pm. £5. ONLINE & Chigwell & Hainault Synagogue, IG7 5NT. www.jhse.org

Sunday 10 September

The Gregg School Open Day

Explore the historic Townhill Park House, which was once owned by Lord and Lady Swaythling (Louis and Gladys Montagu) and dates back to 1790. The house and gardens were redesigned by LR Guthrie in 1911. In 1939 the house was passed to the Red Cross and became a convalescent home for British and American soldiers during World War II. Finally, in 1994, The Gregg School took up root there. Please note, this is a self-guided tour. Presented in association with B’nai B’rith UK.

2-5pm. FREE. The Gregg School, Southampton, SO18 3RR. 02380 472 133. www.thegreggschool.org

Sunday 19 February

From Kovno to Cobh

Jewish Arts and Culture Ireland presents a musical and poetic journey expressing the experience of the Irish-Jewish immigrants of the late 1800s and early 1900s; with performances from international musicians and writers including special guest, world-renowned film director, Lenny Abrahamson.

7pm. €15. Cork Arts Theatre, Carroll's Quay, Cork.  https://corkartstheatre.com

Wednesday 7 May

Following a Written Trail: Isaac of Norwich

Jewish financier Isaac of Norwich was amongst the Jews imprisoned by King John of England in 1210, accused of concealing his assets. Palaeographer Judith Olszowy-Schlanger (University of Oxford) discusses Hebrew documents dating back to medieval England, which follow Isaac of Norwich and his family.

5pm. FREE. Sainsbury Lecture Theatre, University of East Anglia, Norwich, NR4 7TJ. www.store.uea.ac.uk

Sunday 4 August

The Great Yiddish Parade

Celebrate Yiddish song, historical characters and klezmer music and dance in this commemoration of the workers’ protests of the 1890s. With Victorian costumes optional, the Great Yiddish Parade invites participants to sing, dance and enjoy the party. There will be an initial community celebration (2pm), a workshop making placards and learning songs (4pm) ahead of the parade (4.30pm).

From 2pm. FREE. Parish Gardens, Stockton-on-Tees, TS18 1SP. www.sirf.co.uk

Leamington Spa Art Gallery & Museum

Artist Rooms: Diane Arbus

The daughter of prominent Jewish New Yorkers, Diane Arbus is best known for her black and white photos of members of society who were marginalised for the way they looked, dressed or behaved. These portraits reveal the complexities of human nature and challenge ideas of gender, beauty and identity. One of her most noted images is A Jewish Giant at Home With His Parents in the Bronx, NY, 1970.
Until 1 December

CV32 4AA. 01926 742 700. www.fb.com/leamingtonspaartgalleryandmuseum

Tuesday 13 – Monday 26 November

UK Jewish Film Festival

The UKJFF celebrates its 22nd anniversary this year, showcasing many world, European and UK premieres of new features, documentaries and shorts. Highlights include US comedy Humor Me, about a Jewish playwright whose life goes south, leading him to move into his father’s retirement home (13 Nov) and Itzhak, about Israeli virtuosic violinist Itzhak Perlman (26 Nov). Read our reviews of some of the festival highlights in the Oct 2018 issue of JR.

7.30pm. Prices and Leeds venues vary. http://ukjewishfilm.org