In Gaza’s Wake
In a conversation chaired by Dave Rich, three leading writers reflect on Jewish life in the shadow of 7 October and the Gaza war. Drawing on their essays for The Jewish Quarterly, Adam Kirsch examines the new hostility to Zionism and argues for its political – not merely defensive – case; Tanya Gold explores how […]
A Better Death
Rabbi Jonathan Romain joins Cathy Rentzenbrink to discuss his new book on assisted dying, one of Britain’s most debated ethical issues. Drawing on real-life experiences, he explores the moral, legal, and practical dimensions with clarity and compassion, seeking to present all sides of the debate. The book also offers guidance for heartfelt ceremonies, helping families […]
Britain at a Crossroads
What does Britain’s mounting turbulence mean for its Jewish citizens? In a period marked by rising antisemitism, political distrust, and fraying social cohesion, this conversation brings together experts in their fields to examine the pressures reshaping the nation. Drawing on profound constitutional insight, long experience confronting extremism and safeguarding communities, and a sharp understanding of […]
Diaspora Jews: A Shifting Landscape
How has the Jewish diaspora changed in recent years? Daniel Schwammenthal, Jewish Chronicle editor and former AJC Transatlantic Institute director, will be joined by leading voices from across the world to consider identity and the evolving challenges and opportunities facing Jews today within the diaspora’s shifting landscape. Including Sarah Hurwitz, senior speechwriter for the Obamas […]
Translation: An Unfolding Dialogue
The Freudenheim Translation Prize – the most ambitious award in the Jewish Literary Foundation’s 75-year history – celebrates outstanding fiction and non-fiction in English translation. Following its inaugural year, judges Boyd Tonkin, Rabbi Shoshana Boyd Gelfand and Hephzibah Anderson join TLS fiction editor Toby Lichtig to discuss the art of translation and its vital role […]
Unpacking Israel & Palestine
Philosopher Peter Hacker reflects on the ideological debates that have followed the events of 7 October, drawing on arguments from his recent work on contemporary forms of anti-Zionism and antisemitism. He is joined by historian Colin Shindler, whose book A Forever War traces the historical development of the Israel-Palestine conflict and examines the challenges of […]
Jewish Book Week at 75: A Celebration – Panel Discussion
Celebrate the 75th edition of London’s longest-running – and many would say best! – literary festival with words and music. In conversation with Hugo Rifkind, guests include three of Jewish Book Week’s favourite speakers – Howard Jacobson, Claudia Roden, and Sir Simon Schama, all at school when the festival began in 1952. Opening the evening, internationally renowned pianist Margaret Fingerhut MBE […]
Jewish Book Week at 75: A Celebration – Performance
Celebrate the 75th edition of London’s longest-running – and many would say best! – literary festival with words and music. In conversation with Hugo Rifkind, guests include three of Jewish Book Week’s favourite speakers – Howard Jacobson, Claudia Roden, and Sir Simon Schama, all at school when the festival began in 1952. Opening the evening, internationally renowned pianist Margaret Fingerhut MBE […]
Israel: Behind the Headlines
How is Israel understood abroad, and why does its portrayal so often diverge from the view inside the country itself? Two of Israel’s most incisive commentators, Matti Friedman and Anshel Pfeffer, explore the fault lines between foreign reporting and on-the-ground reality. In conversation with journalist Jenni Fraser, they examine how global coverage of Israel is […]
Can We Still Trust Auntie?
Is the BBC a bundle of contradictions? Criticised for giving Nigel Farage a platform on Question Time yet denounced by the Reform leader as “despicable”; accused of bias by supporters of Israel, Palestine, Labour and the Conservatives alike; admired globally while another Director General departs under a Trump-inspired cloud — what does the future hold for […]
Freudenheim Translation Prize: Discover the Shortlist, Meet the Winner
Join us to celebrate the shortlist of the inaugural Freudenheim Translation Prize. Showcasing novels, short stories, memoir, and philosophy translated from Yiddish, Hebrew, Slovak, French, and German, the shortlist illuminates the richness of Jewish experience. Judges Boyd Tonkin, Hephzibah Anderson and Shoshana Boyd Gelfand will discuss the shortlisted works and their significance, translators will read […]
Dog: Yishay Ishi Ron in Conversation
In Dog, Israeli writer Yishay Ishi Ron draws on his own experience of war and recovery to create an unflinching, humane portrait of a soldier’s life after combat. Geller, once a decorated officer, now roams Tel Aviv’s margins, haunted by memories of battle and the death of a dog in Gaza. When a stray crosses […]