JANUARY 2018
CATALONIA: 100 YEARS SINCE JEWS CAME IN FROM THE COLD
JR asks Catalonia’s Jewish community how they view the question of independence and we take you on a tour of that region’s ancient Jewish history, following the path of refugees across the Pyrenees in the 1930s. Elsewhere, we uncover a London Jewish film archive, explore Chagall’s connection to The Tempest, discuss the role of culture in nationalism and ask: what has happened to the ‘bar mitzvah book’ in the 21st century?
for samples of jr articles, check out a taste of jr
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BROWSE THE FULL CONTENTS OF THIS ISSUE BELOW
WHAT'S NEW
Gita Conn reveals exciting news from Manchester Jewish Museum; an architecture award for Bushey Cemetery; David Conway on UNESCO
INTERVIEW
Lithuanian writer Grigory Kanovich speaks to Stephan Collishaw about his novel Shtetl Love Song
PASSPORT
Homage to Catalonia: We uncover the history and culture of this beautiful region, hear the tale of Mallorca’s secret Chuetas, meet Barcelona’s dynamic community and discover where the region’s Jewish population stands on the independence debate
THEATRE
Judi Herman interviews the directors of two new shows: Rothschild and Sons is a musical about the banking dynasty; Smile Upon us, Lord is a tale about Lithuanian shtetl Jews
FILM
Simon McCallum reports on the fascinating new BFI archive, Jewish Britain on Film
MUSIC
Danielle Goldstein talks to Jessica Duchen about Robert Schumann – and a mysterious Ouja board
ART
Don’t miss Marc Chagall’s lithographs for The Tempest; and a new show opens on David Bomberg
BOOKS
David Herman on the ‘bar mitzvah book’; Judi Herman speaks to Devorah Baum; Sian Mackay uncovers the life of Rudolph von Ripper; and Maureen Kendler reviews Eshkol Nevo’s latest novel.
Plus Rebecca Abrams book The Jewish Journey and David Thomson’s enjoyable story of the Warner Brothers
THE MODERNISTS
Marcel Janco’s brutalist Bucharest designs
SEPHARDI RENAISSANCE
Daisy Abboudi on how Middle Eastern cooking went viral; Joy Sable speaks to Israeli flamenco star Ornili Azulay; the Catholic Hispanics tracing their Jewish roots
WHAT'S HAPPENING
Our three-month guide to art, books, film, music, theatre and other cultural events in the UK, Europe and Israel
FAMILY
Rebecca Taylor speaks to Amy Tobias about her new play, The Quantum Physics of My Heart.
MEET THE READER
A new series in which we meet you, the reader. This issue: Cathy Knowles
