APRIL 2019

MELBOURNE: A CULTURE ON THE UP IN THE CITY DOWN UNDER

Australia’s first Jewish settlers were swindlers, robbers and prostitutes: who knew? This is just one of many stories from ‘down under’ that features in our special Melbourne issue. We meet the musicians, performers, writers and artists at the heart of the city’s Jewish cultural revival; uncover its rich Yiddish history and hear from the activists who are putting refugee and aboriginal rights at the heart of their Jewish identity. Nearer home, we examine the burst of creativity coming out of Israel right now, especially in its TV shows, fiction and technology. Read an exclusive short story by Lynne Reid Banks, which offers a reflection on the Russian ‘refuseniks’ who emigrated to the country. Plus, we speak to Ida&Louise, a duo reviving female Jewish poetry through music, explore Jewish feminist fantasy fiction and discover the stories of India’s Bollywood Jews.

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FEATURE: THE ISRAELI NEW WAVE

From sweeping works of fiction, to Netflix dramas and drone technology, Israeli writers, producers and innovators are reshaping our ideas about what it means to be Israeli in the 21st century. David Herman reports on this burst of creativity

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WHAT’S NEW

Message from JR’s new Executive Director David Benmayer; Albania’s Jewish Museum; a new vegan hub.

FEATURE

The Israeli new wave: David Herman uncovers the burst of creativity going on in Israeli TV, film, writing and technology.

FEATURE

Mission to Moscow: a short story about the Russian ‘refuseniks’ from Lynne Reid Banks.

PASSPORT MELBOURNE:

The arts activists who are pioneering a Jewish renaissance in the city; Australia’s Yiddish hub; the convicts who were the country’s first Jews; fighting for aboriginal rights.

THEATRE

Judi Herman speaks to a Jewish and Muslim comedy duo; and meets the team behind a new opera.

ART

Anya Lewin’s new film trilogy set in Cairo, Berlin and LA; the Insiders/Outsiders festival book.

EXHIBITION

As a new show, Jews, Myth, Money, opens at the Jewish Museum London, Julie L Mell unpicks the stereotype of the Jewish moneylender.

MUSIC

Swedish band Ida&Louise on their new album of Yiddish poetry set to music; review of The Blue Book by Michael Etherton & Mosaic Voices.

BOOKS

Sheldon Teitelbaum on Jews in space; Shoshi Ish-Horowicz on feminist fantasy fiction; Martin Goodman on the Dachau orchestra; Maureen Kendler on Jewish writing in the 1980s; Peter Watts on Harvey Milk.