Afghanistan // Goodbye to 2,000 years of Jewish life

In our January issue we uncover the little-known history and culture of Jewish Afghanistan. Explore the world of the ancient Silk Road, learn about the future of the country's beautiful heritage sites and hear about the dramatic Israeli rescue operations that brought dozens of Afghans to safety after the Taliban takeover last year. We also feature a special essay by American novelist Shalom Auslander on the curse of hirsute evangelicals, speak to the granddaughter of Ewen Montagu, the wartime mastermind behind Operation Mincemeat and hear about how a horse dealer came to become a collector of some of the world's greatest artworks. Plus: George Szirtes on Olga Tokarczuk; Ruth Padel's Cretian tale, Viviane Bowell's memories of pre-Suez Cairo as well as our unique three-months listing guide to theatre, film, art and more.