JANUARY 2021
PRAGUE SPRING // THE ARTISTS & ACTIVISTS REVITALISING JEWISH LIFE
In our January 2021 magazine we have an exciting treat: an exclusive, previously unpublished short story by Nobel Prize-winning writer Isaac Bashevis Singer. His piece, Trio, is a quirky and at times dark, exploration of passion and relationships that we hope will offer food for thought in the long winter days. We also tour Prague, a city whose Jewish community has survived the Nazis and Communism, and is experiencing something of a renaissance today. Elsewhere, we learn how the Abraham Accords are bringing hope to Jews of the Gulf; Philippe Sands reveals his love of The Dude; and Israeli musician Asaf Avidan shares the stories behind Anagnorisis, his most interesting work yet.
DOWNLOAD A TASTE OF THE JANUARY JR…
Passport: The day Kafka killed his iPhone. ©Thomas Fournier
PASSPORT: THE DAY KAFKA KILLED HIS IPHONE
Kafka loathed the city of his birth. Why, then, did he never leave it, asks Shalom Auslander
READ THE FULL ARTICLE
SUBSCRIBER ACCESS: OUR ENTIRE ARCHIVE
Have you tried our app? It's an easy and convenient way to read JR on the go. Simply search for Jewish Renaissance in the App Store to download it. You'll need to be a subscriber in order to gain access, but once you are, you can visit Exact Editions to create your app log-in details. Not only does the app have our current magazine, but every single back issue, too, so you can pick up a copy of JR no matter where you are.
BROWSE THE FULL CONTENTS OF THIS ISSUE BELOW
YOUR SAY…
Readers’ rants, raves and views on the October issue of JR.
WHAT’S NEW
Morocco’s groundbreaking decision to teach Jewish history; Israel’s Galilee Dreamers.
FEATURE
Ian Black explores the significance of the Abraham Accords; Gulf communities speak of hope.
THE JR LONG READ
Our new section kicks off with an exclusive, unpublished story by Isaac Bashevis Singer.
PASSPORT
Prague: Shalom Auslander on Kafka; tour Prague with a local; and meet the activists, artists and writers who are bringing a new energy to this distinctive community.
MUSIC
Israeli musician Asaf Avidan talks about how surviving a dog attack helped him to embrace fear.
FILM
The Catholics finding their Jewish roots in Children of the Inquisition; Philippe Sands on why The Big Lebowski makes him happy.
THEATRE
Judi Herman speaks to the lyricist Don Black about John Barry, Bond and Broadway.
ART
When David Breuer-Weil contracted Covid 19, his lockdown diary of drawings became a lifeline.
BOOKS
Riva Lehrer reclaims the “monstrous” words of disability; the Jewish sensibility of 2020 Nobel winner Louise Glück; Hogwarts in Yiddish; and Stanley Kubrick's salt beef cravings.
THE YIDDISHISTS
Our series that uncovers the YIVO archive. This issue: The legend of the Golem.
SEPHARDI RENAISSANCE
Six months on from the explosion that rocked Beirut, we pay homage to the city with Leslie Hakim-Dowek's photo essay; and an interview with her late mother, Rebecca, on life in the Lebanese capital.
WHAT’S HAPPENING
Our three-month guide to art, books, film, music, theatre and other cultural events in the UK, Europe and Israel.
TRY THIS
Fancy a pint and a pickle? Sadeh Farm has got it covered.
MEET THE READER
Chris Hurwitz in Finchley, London.
