Winter 2025
TOO COOL FOR SHUL? // NOT FOR THESE ICELANDERS…
Join us in the country where rabbis say blessings over volcanoes, hot springs are used for mikvahs and Shabbat sometimes starts after midnight, as we travel to Iceland in our first magazine of 2025. Meet the locals involved in Europe's northernmost Jewish community and hear how Jewish émigrés introduced classical music to the land of the midnight sun. In other features, we hear from Odesan poet Ilya Kaminsky as Ukraine approaches the fourth year of its war; head to Eastbourne with the broadcaster David Dimbleby and his daughter Liza as they discuss their exhibition exploring life's darkness – and light – through the medium of drawing; discover what drag queen Rebbetzin Hadassah Gross can teach us about Judaism in the 21st century; and much more.
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© David Edwards
Drawing from the depths
An exhibition focusing on war, torture and death might not sound the most appealing start to the new year – but don’t be deterred, Drawing the Unspeakable is a moving testimony to the power of human connection. Rebecca Taylor speaks to the curators, broadcaster David Dimbleby and his daughter Liza © David Edwards
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BROWSE THE FULL CONTENTS OF THIS ISSUE BELOW
YOUR SAY… Readers’ rants, raves and views on the October issue of JR.
WHAT’S NEW What will Trump mean for US Jews?; women’s life writing; immigration lessons from America’s past.
FEATURE Peter Watts on Dani Gal’s remarkable record collection.
PASSPORT Iceland: discover hot spring mikvahs, midnight Shabbats and a snow-sports loving rebbitzin; hear about the extraordinary musical émigrés and meet some of the country’s Jewish community who are creating a spiritual life amidst the volcanoes and glaciers.
THEATRE Irene Wise on Diane Samuel’s latest drama, As Long As We Are Breathing; Rebecca Abrams on Canned Goods, a new play delving into the little-known catalyst for World War II.
FILM Naomi Gryn speaks to the drag queen, clubber – and radical rabbi – Amichai Lau-Lavie.
MUSIC A new work explores the impact of the Holocaust on successive generations. Jessica Duchen speaks to its composer Michael Zev Gordon.
ART Broadcaster David Dimbleby and his daughter Liza on the power of art to speak when words fail, which is the subject of their Towner Eastbourne show.
BOOKS Ilya Kaminsky returns to Odesa; George Szirtes on post-war Hungary; Maya Arad’s latest novel; Europe’s country houses; Anne Sebba assesses Ayn Rand; and Monica Bohm-Duchen rediscovers the forgotten art of Rahel Szalit.
THE YIDDISHISTS Our series that uncovers the YIVO archive. This issue: The Jewish detective agency.
SEPHARDI RENAISSANCE A new online show illuminates the little-known Jewish culture of the Kurdistan region; Nina B Lichtenstein on a Sephardi feminist tale of 1920s Morocco.
WHAT’S HAPPENING Our three- month guide to art, books, film, music, theatre and other cultural events in the UK, Europe and Israel.
FAMILY The projects extending a warm welcome to UK asylum seekers.
MEET THE READER Joe Goldblatt, in Edinburgh, Scotland.
