MUSIC

until Wednesday 4 March

The Classical Music Series

JW3’s Classical Music Series returns for a third season, showcasing some of the best artists from around the world. The performances start with pianist Dame Imogen Cooper (30 Sep), followed by vocalist Helen Charlston, who’ll sing alongside string musicians Sergio Bucheli and Jonathan Manson (30 Oct); and the third concert features a Four Hands recital by Mishka Rushdie Momen and Alasdair Beatson sharing a piano (16 Nov). The 2026 programme features the Fibonacci Quartet (15 Jan), a piano trio repertoire (12 Feb) and a classical string quartet accompanied by a viola (4 Mar).

7.30pm. £33, £16.50 concs. JW3, NW3 6ET. www.jw3.org.uk  

Tuesday 28 October

JMI Presents: Cantor Netanel Hershtik & Ensemble

World-renowned cantor Netanel Hershtik and American jazz pianist and composer Eden Ladin embark on a journey of Jewish sound and spirit in their performance. Their meditative, reflective pieces are performed in this one-off event.  

6.30pm. £25. St John’s Wood Synagogue, NW8 9NG. www.jmi.org.uk

Wednesday 5 November

A World Turned Upside Down: The Diary of Anne Frank

Composer Juliana Hall presents an operatic response to Anne Frank’s diary, which to this day is one of the most well-known personal accounts of the Holocaust. A World Turned Upside Down brings Frank’s testimony to life, capturing the journal’s themes of confinement, change and aspiration in song.

7pm. £20. JW3, NW3 6ET. www.jw3.org.uk

Sunday 9 November

Celebrating Jerry Herman

West End actors celebrate the life and legacy of Jewish American composer and songwriter Jerry Herman in an evening of live music. The late lyricist was behind the soundtracks of many well-known shows including Hello Dolly and La Cage Aux Folles.

7.30pm. £20. JW3, NW3 6ET. www.jw3.org.uk

Tuesday 9 December

Swingin’ in a Winter Wonderland

Jazz band Sabra Swing present a holiday soundtrack in an evening of hits and festive favourites written by Jews. Featuring a new twist on traditional songs, including the ‘Dreidel Song’ and ‘Maoz Tsur’ as well as works by writers from Irving Berlin to Tom Lehrer, both Christmas and Chanukah music is bought to the stage in a heartfelt, lively performance.

8pm. From £17. Piano Smithfield, EC1A 9PN. www.sabraswing.com

Tuesday 11 November

George Gershwin: A Songwriter’s Rhapsody

Jewish composer and pianist George Gershwin has a seminal back catalogue, including the piano-led piece ‘Rhapsody in Blue’ and the song ‘'S Wonderful’ from the Broadway musical Funny Face. Film expert George McGhee honours the late musician, exploring his extraordinary life, career and contribution to the Great American Songbook.

2pm. £20. ONLINE & JW3, NW3 6ET. www.jw3.org.uk

Wednesday 12 November

Oi Va Voi

British klezmer stalwarts Oi Va Voi celebrate their new album, The Waters 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 £26.55. Islington Assembly Hall, N1 2UD. www.oi-va-voi.com

TALKS

Tuesday 28 October

Can the West Pull Back from the Brink?

Join Jewish journalist Jake Wallis Simons and former army official Andrew Fox for the first-ever live recording of their podcast, The Brink. They’re joined by British Friends of Israel founder Allison Pearson to discuss how the Western world could respond to Middle Eastern geopolitical tensions following 7 October.

7pm. £20. JW3, NW3 6ET. www.jw3.org.uk

Saturday 1 November

Westminster Synagogue: The Early Years

Following Shacharit (the Shabbat morning service), Westminster Synagogue’s founding members Philippa Bernard and Claire Connick reflect on the early years of the local Jewish community, dating back almost 70 years. Participants are also invited to tour the Memorial Scrolls Trust Museum housed on the third floor of the synagogue.

1pm. £15. Westminster Synagogue, SW7 1BX. www.westminstersynagogue.org

Monday 3 November

The Legacy of Yitzhak Rabin: 30 Years On

Thirty years on from Yitzhak Rabin’s assassination, historian Paula Kitching discusses the legacy of Israel’s former prime minister, who made it his life’s mission to fight for peace.

7.15pm. £15. JW3, NW3 6ET. www.jw3.org.uk

Tuesday 4 November

The 14th Annual Litvak Day

To mark 100 years of the Yiddish Scientific Institute for Jewish Research (YIVO), a panel discusses the rich cultural legacy of Lithuanian Jews. Established in Vilnius and currently operating in New York, YIVO is the centre of a global network of scholars and support groups. Speakers include Dr Lara Lempertienė (Judaica Research Centre of Martynas Mažvydas National Library of Lithuania) and Dr William Pimlott (researcher at the Birbeck Institute Study of Antisemitism).

6pm. FREE. JW3, NW3 6ET. www.jw3.org.uk

Wednesday 5 November

Israel and the Middle East: 2026 Outlook

Political analyst Jonathan Paris provides expert insight into the geopolitical challenges Israel faces approaching 2026. This thought-provoking talk analyses the long-term implications of the current conflict and the role of global powers, examining key trends into the state’s future within the Middle East.

2pm. £20. JW3, NW3 6ET. www.jw3.org.uk

Thursday 6 November

Eva Reichmann: Witness, Historian, Legacy

The pioneering work of Dr Eva Reichmann, former director at The Wiener Holocaust Library, continues to shape the understanding of Nazi persecution and Holocaust history to this day. A panel of scholars discuss the Jewish historian and sociologist’s life, work and impact on WWII research as part of the Leo Baeck Institute’s 70th anniversary commemorations. Followed by a Q&A.

6.30pm. FREE. The Wiener Holocaust Library, WC1B 5DP. www.wienerholocaustlibrary.org

Thursday 6 November

Kristallnacht Commemoration

In memory of the 87th anniversary of Kristallnacht, known as the Night of Broken Glass, journalist and academic Jon Silverman discusses how the world responded to such horror. He looks at the consequences of the Holocaust in the immediate post-war period up until today.

7pm. FREE. JW3, NW3 6ET. www.jw3.org.uk

Thursday 6 November

Liliane Lijn in Conversation

Jewish American artist Liliane Lijn appears in conversation with curator Valentina Ravaglia. There has been a surge of interest in Lijn's work over the past few years – her pieces appeared in the recent show Electric Dreams: Art and Technology Before the Internet exhibition at Tate Britain and a retrospective of her work is currently showing at Tate St Ives. Read more about Liliane Lijn in the Autumn 2025 issue of JR.

6.30pm. £15, £13 concs. Tate Modern, SE1 9TG. www.tate.org.uk

Sunday 9 November

Natasha Kaplinsky OBE in Conversation with the Rt Hon Lord Pickles

An evening of discussion between journalist Natasha Kaplinsky OBE and the Right Honourable Lord Eric Pickles, both of whom have significantly contributed to Holocaust memorial and education. Guests can also enjoy a fish and chip dinner and a raffle, the first prize of which is an afternoon tea at the House of Lords with Lord Pickles and Lord Polak, honorary president of the Conservative Friends of Israel.

7pm. From £35. London location provided upon booking. www.jewishcare.org

Monday 10 November

Rabbi Baroness Neuberger DBE & The Very Reverend Dr Hoyle KCVO MBE

Hear about the personal journeys of two major figures in British Judaism and Christianity. Rabbi Baroness Julia Neuberger was the second woman to be ordained as a rabbi in the UK and first to lead a synagogue. Dr David Hoyle is the 39th Dean of Westminster and conducted the state funeral of Queen Elizabeth II. They’ll be discussing the connections between their traditions, and how cross-cultural collaborations and values have shaped their paths.

7.30pm. £20. JW3, NW3 6ET. www.jw3.org.uk

Tuesday 11 November

The Cockney Yiddish Podcast Live!

Historians Nadia Valman and Vivi Lachs’ podcast explores the unknown popular Yiddish culture of London’s East End against a backdrop of stories and songs from the 1880s to the 1950s. As part of Being Human Festival, the two present an evening of discussion and music, looking at how the Yiddish language and local Cockney culture have influenced each other. They’ll explore how musicians from east London and Anglo-Jewish writers have shared words and meanings in their works. Refreshments provided.

6.15pm. FREE. Rich Mix, E1 6LA. www.beinghumanfestival.org

Thursday 13 November

Ben Uri’s 110th Anniversary

David Glasser, chief executive of Ben Uri Gallery and Museum, marks 110 years of the institution with a talk about its past, present and future. The museum specialises in the curation of Jewish, refugee and immigrant art, some of which participants can see on a tour of their upcoming exhibition dedicated to 20th-century artist Katerina Wilczyński (see art listings for info, p62).

6.30pm. FREE. Ben Uri Gallery and Museum, NW8 0RH. www.bnaibrithuk.org

Thursday 20 November

An Evening to Mark the Departure and Exodus of Jews from Arab Countries and Iran

Ciara Shalome (@TheMizrahistory on Instagram) is joined by the band Eastern Beats to commemorate the Jewish exodus from the 11 Middle Eastern countries they were forced to flee. This annual celebration also coincides with the 20th anniversary of Harif, a charity representing Jews from North Africa and the Middle East.

7pm. £10. JW3, NW3 6ET. www.jw3.org.uk

Monday 24 November

The Forgotten Army: VJ Day Memorial

Martin Sugarman (The Association of Jewish Ex-Servicemen and Women) discusses the Jewish military personnel who served in the far east during World War II in this VJ (Victory over Japan) Day commemoration. An often-overlooked chapter in both Jewish and Commonwealth history, the environmental and mentally challenging conditions made fighting in the region extremely tough. Hear about the 600 Jews who became prisoners of war, those who survived and what that meant for their identities thereafter.

7.45pm. £5. Chigwell & Hainault Synagogue, IG7 5NT. www.jhse.org

Saturday 29 November

Cohen, Bernstein, Joni & Me! (I Know All Their Songs) 

New Zealand Jewish (Kibrew, as she calls it) singer-songwriter Deb Filler presents her one-woman show, in which she embarks on a quest for success and happiness in a business all too familiar with failure. Named after the musicians she meets by chance along the way, hear how she was the only audience member in a performance by conductor Leonard Bernstein; developed a lifelong friendship with artist Leonard Cohen when she was selected to be his driver; and even managed to get backstage at a Joni Mitchell concert.

7.30pm. From £19. Arts Depot, N12 0GA. www.artsdepot.co.uk

Wednesday 10 December

The Massacre of Jews at York 1190

Historian Jill Stern discusses the 1190 York Massacre, where more than 100 Jews were besieged and murdered in York Castle. The carnage was part of a wave of anti-Jewish violence sweeping across England at the time.

11am. £20. JW3, NW3 6ET. www.jw3.org.uk

Wednesday 21 January – Saturday 1 February

Cohen, Bernstein, Joni & Me! (I Know All Their Songs) 

Please see above for details.

7.30pm. £25. Upstairs at the Gatehouse, N6 4BD. www.upstairsatthegatehouse.com  

THEATRE

Until Saturday 1 November

The Land of the Living

David Lan’s new play focuses on one of thousands of children stolen from Eastern Europe during World War II and raised as Aryan. It tells the story of Thomas, who is cared for by Ruth, a UN relief worker. She is torn between uniting the child with his family, whom he has never known, or keeping him in the stable home. Come 1990, Thomas visits Ruth in London and together they unravel the past, bringing Ruth’s difficult decision back into question

7.30pm, 2.30pm (Wed & Sat only). From £40. National Theatre, National Theatre, SE1 9PX. www.nationaltheatre.org.uk

until Saturday 15 November

Fanny

You’ve heard of Felix Mendelssohn, German composer of the ‘Wedding March’. Now make way for Fanny, Felix’s talented older sister. A feisty Jewish musical protégé in her own right, Fanny was the brains behind a few compositions attributed to her brother, including The Queen’s favourite, ‘Italien’. When a letter from Her Royal Highness arrives, inviting Felix to perform, Fanny intercepts and decides to go herself. Read more about Fanny Mendelssohn in the Autum 2025 issue of JR.

7.30pm, 3pm (Sat, Sun & 12 Nov only). £10-£47.50. King’s Head Theatre, N1 1QP. www.kingsheadtheatre.com

until Saturday 22 November

The Assembled Parties

This 2013 play by Richard Greenberg premiered on Broadway in 2013 to rapturous success. The run was extended three times and it was awarded a trio of Tonys. The Assembled Parties follows former movie star Julie Bascov and husband Ben, who host a lavish annual Christmas feast in their Central Park apartment, bringing together their Jewish family clan. This year, however, their son Scotty returns from Harvard with a friend and a drama is sparked that’ll span the next two decades. Starring Tracy-Ann Oberman. Read our interview with Oberman in the Autumn 2025 issue of JR.

7.30pm (Mon, Wed & Thu only), 2.30pm (Sat only). From £25. Hampstead Theatre, NW3 3EU. www.hampsteadtheatre.com

until Saturday 29 November

The Wanderers

Anna Ziegler’s new play follows the lives of two couples on very different but intertwining paths. Writers Abe and Sophie’s marriage, while loving, is marred with tension, rivalry and unresolved discontent. This is escalated when Abe receives an unexpected email from a movie star and he embarks on an increasingly risky journey to connect with them. In another time and place, young Orthodox Jews Esther and Schmuli find themselves in an arranged marriage after meeting only once. Esther feels suffocated by her religion and attempts to break away, jeopardising not only her family, but also the only way of life she’s ever known.

7.30pm, 2.30pm (Thu & Sat only). From £22.75. Marylebone Theatre, NW1 6XT. www.marylebonetheatre.com

Wednesday 5 – Sunday 16 November

Faustus in Africa!

On an African safari, the ever-unlucky Faustus journeys through greed and excess to strike a deal with the devil. Renowned artist and filmmaker William Kentridge joins forces with the Handspring Puppet Company for the London premiere of his 30-year-old marionette show, which explores the moral compromises that shape our world. Hear JR’s executive director Dr Aviva Dautch discussing William Kentridge in a radio interview on the JR blog.

2.30pm, 7.30pm. From £20. The Coronet Theatre, W11 3LB. www.thecoronettheatre.com

Saturday 8 – Sunday 30 November

Tsitsit Fringe Festival

The fringe festival with a Jewish flavour returns. Tsitsit celebrates the many strands of contemporary Jewish culture and identity, with an annual series of theatre, music, comedy and poetry events. This year, highlights include The JEWish Cabaret’s Jewsicals, a night of brand new musical theatre (22 Nov), Rabbi Santa’s Night of Comedy, featuring award-winning comedians including Sol Bernstein and Steve Hall (27 Nov) and music from Buenos Klezmer (30 Nov).

Time and prices vary. Arts Depot, N12 0GA. www.artsdepot.co.uk

Wednesday 19 November

La Solitude

Writer and performer Jessica Walker portrays the life and work of Jewish chansonnier Monique Andrée Serf, who was best known by her mononym Barbara. Born in Paris in 1930, Barbara survived World War II by hiding in the French countryside and became celebrated for the dark and complex emotions expressed in her music. Her biggest hit, ‘L’Aigle Noir’ (‘The Black Eagle’), is said to have sold over a million copies in one day. La Solitude sees Walker grapple with her identity and reveals a devastating secret hidden in her lyrics.

7.30pm. £18. JW3, NW3 6ET. www.jw3.org.uk

Sunday 7 December – Sunday 4 January

Cinderella and the Matzo Ball

JW3’s winter pantomime returns, and this time it’s Cinderella’s turn to steal the limelight. Nick Cassenbaum’s creative team brings dazzling costumes, colourful sets and foot-tapping songs to the glittering stage for a magical family experience.

Times vary. From £27 (adult), from £17 (child). JW3, NW3 6ET. www.jw3.org.uk

Monday 8 December – Saturday 24 January

REVENGE: After the Levoyah

Following multiple sell-out runs, Nick Cassenbaum’s Scotsman First Fringe Award-winning play hits the London stage. It’s 2019 in Essex, and twins Dan and Lauren return from their grandfather’s funeral. They’re cornered by 80-year-old gangster Malcolm Spivak, who enlists them to help him kidnap Jeremy Corbyn. Featuring madcap comedy and biting political satire, REVENGE: After the Levoyah journeys through antisemitism in the diaspora and the dangers of collective hysteria. Read our review of REVENGE: After the Levoyah on the JR blog.

8pm. From £13. Soho Theatre Dean Street, W1D 3NE. www.sohotheatre.com

Tuesday 9 December – Thursday 8 January

Christmas Day

Somewhere in north London on a frosty Christmas Day, foxes prowl the deserted streets, while a Jewish family gathers inside an abandoned building. Find out what is set to unfold in this world premiere of the new play by Olivier Award-winning playwright Sam Grabiner and director James Macdonald. Christmas Day promises a darkly comic evening about identity, belonging and the rituals we perform with the people we love.

Phone for times and prices. Almeida Theatre, London N1 1TA. 020 7359 4404. www.almeida.co.uk

Friday 16 January – Saturday 28 February

Cable Street

It’s October 1936 and Sammy, Mairead and Ron are carving out their futures on London’s Cable Street. However, their plans are disrupted by the activities of Oswald Mosley’s British Union of Fascists, and its march through the East End on 4 October. Thousands of Jewish and Irish local residents, trade unionists and activists from the Labour and Communist parties unite to block their passage. This retelling of the historic event is given a contemporary, musical twist. Read more about Cable Street in the Winter 2024 issue of JR.

7.30pm, 2.30pm (Thu & Sat only). From £25. Marylebone Theatre, NW1 6XT. www.marylebonetheatre.com

WORKSHOPS

Until Wednesday 3 December

Art and About: Visual Culture, Space and Expression Around London

Art historian Sophie Lachowsky hosts a monthly series exploring London’s vibrant, evolving art scene. Discover the story of Isamu Noguchi’s Billy Rose Sculpture Garden, designed for the Israel Museum, and how his methods resonate today (29 Oct); explore how the works of female artists, including Jewish figures Nancy Spero and Martha Rosler, have shaped an understanding of trauma and resilience (19 Nov); and find out more about the profound connection and intense rivalry between JMW Turner and John Constable (3 Dec).

7.15pm. £20 per session. JW3, NW3 6ET. www.jw3.org.uk

until Monday 15 December

A Family Affair? The Story of Jewish-Muslim Relations

Teacher Angela Gluck leads this weekly workshop, in which she discusses the evolving relationship between Muslims and Jews, which has been challenged over the years by geopolitical developments.

10.30am. £144. JW3, NW3 6ET. www.jw3.org.uk

until Monday 15 December

The Making of the Modern Middle East: 1939-1950

Historian and writer Paula Kitching explores the divisions, territorial ambitions and rise of Arab nationalism within the Middle East between 1939 and 1950 in this weekly workshop.

11am. £162, £20 per session. ONLINE & JW3, NW3 6ET. www.jw3.org.uk

Wednesday 29 October – Wednesday 26 December

Tracing Your Jewish Family History

Genealogist Jeanette R Rosenberg OBE leads this fortnightly four-week course exploring how to trace Jewish ancestry. Participants will be taught how to find key resources and archives, work with family artefacts and explore methods for discovering and documenting family history.

7pm. £80, £22 per session. ONLINE & JW3, NW3 6ET. www.jw3.org.uk

Wednesday 5 November – Wednesday 10 December

The Kabbalah of Meaning

Discover Judaism’s approach to the purpose of life in this six-weekly course, where participants are taught to gain the tools to see a deeper meaning in the mundane, the exciting and the frightening times that shape them.

7.30pm. £80 (£27 concs). Chabad Lubavitch Islington Community Centre, N1 8HX. www.jewishislington.co.uk

Thursday 6 November

Israeli Wine Tasting

Tal Sunderland-Cohen, chairman of the UK’S Wine Guild, leads a two-hour masterclass showcasing some of his favourite Israeli wines.

7.30pm. £50. Westminster Synagogue, SW7 1BX. www.westminstersynagogue.org

Tuesday 9 December

Virtual Tour of Jewish Rome

Roman Jewish life dates back 2,200 years, with an extremely turbulent history. In this audio/visual ‘tour’, explore sites including the city’s magnificent Great Synagogue, the previously uninhabitable Jewish Ghetto and one of today’s highest-regarded restaurants, featuring an old mikveh (Jewish ritual bath) in its basement. Hear the stories of Rome’s non-Jewish nurse who saved Jews from the Nazis; artist Bernini, who secretly aided those suffering in the Ghetto; the wartime rabbi who conducted services while SS stormtroopers patrolled outside; and Medici Popes who sought advice from their Jewish counterparts.

2.30pm. £20. JW3, NW3 6ET. www.jw3.org.uk