CULTURE
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Fiddler on the Roof ★★★★★ — Jewish Renaissance
But no hook is needed to bring this inspired production to London’s bucolic park venue, in which it seems both reimagined and a perfect fit. In the programme, director Jordan Fein describes Fiddler as “the definition of musical theatre,” adding, “it’s the first show I ever saw”. My guess is the creators Sheldon Harnick (lyrics), Jerry Bock (music) and Joseph Stein…
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A kaleidoscopic portrayal of Jewish London — Jewish Renaissance
Some seemingly incidental figures have also been included in the picture, such as the Beatles’ manager Brian Epstein. He “just happens to be Jewish”, says the 37-year-old artist, but he gave the Beatles their first suits, which defined who they became. “And why did he give them those suits and that image? Because he was inspired by Mod fashion, which…
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Edinburgh 2024 — Jewish Renaissance
WHAT IS IT? Rebels and Patriots WHY GO? Created by Israelis and Palestinians, and based on true stories, this multilingual play tells of the impact that serving in the IDF (Israel Defence Forces) can have on young minds. Through a series of characters, themes of protest, self-harm and identity are explored. WHEN, WHERE AND HOW MUCH? Wednesday 31 July –…
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A Margit Anna Retrospective — Jewish Renaissance
Role-playing self-portraits were central to Anna’s early work and would remain so throughout her career. They were a means through which to transcend her marginalisation. Between 1940 and 1944, Ámos was pressed into forced labour service, also known as “annihilation through work”. With the Nazi occupation of Hungary in March 1944, Anna went into hiding, narrowly escaping deportation to Auschwitz,…
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Making of an Icon — Jewish Renaissance
Barry Murnane, also an Oxford academic, contributes two fascinating essays: one on place and landscape in Kafka’s novels and the other on the author himself, animals and humans. Murnane reveals how the books move between “abstract, fantastic spaces and recognisably realistic locations” and how this contributes to the “disorientating effects” of these stories, perhaps especially The Trial, with its famously…
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The Baker’s Wife ★★★★ — Jewish Renaissance
Concorde turns out to be a bit of a misnomer. In no time, the apparently neighbourly residents are squabbling, led by Denise, the café owner’s wife (Josefina Gabrielle), mistress of the put down. Perhaps they have an excuse – this is a village with no baker after all – equivalent to a British pub with no beer; everyone is on…
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Visit from an Unknown Woman ★★★★ — Jewish Renaissance
Now, playwright Christopher Hampton has written a stage drama based on the story, adding to the tension by moving most of the action to the 1930s, though it shifts backwards and forwards in time. He also gives the male protagonist (‘R’ in the novella) the name Stefan, making the play more directly autobiographical. It opens in 1934, when it was…
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30 years on from the Argentinian bombing that shocked the world — Jewish Renaissance
I interviewed many of the protagonists who had emerged in the first month of investigations, among others, the then judge Juan José Galeano, the main Argentine suspect Carlos Telleldín, the Jewish community leader Rubén Baraja, the former minister Carlos V Corach, the former vice chancellor Fernando Petrella, the former AMIA president Alberto Crupnicoff, agents of the Argentine secret service, the…
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Special commendations — Jewish Renaissance
Ahead of announcing the winner of JR’s inaugural Emerging Journalists Award, Dani Silver speaks to four of the candidates who received special commendations Last November, JR launched a six-week online journalism programme for aspiring journalists. The series, supported by Jewish News and the Union of Jewish Students, was made up of masterclasses and lectures covering everything from news reporting and…
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2nd Prize — Jewish Renaissance
When arriving at international airports, you’ll see posters about ‘modern slavery’. Jews know all about slavery – every Passover we tell the story of how we were slaves. For most, that’s where the story ends. But not for all Jews. The Bible (Genesis 24) tells how Abraham sent his servant to find a wife for his son Isaac. Laden with riches,…
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