Love is…
Speakers: Simon May, Frank Tallis, Lisa Appignanesi Love rules our lives. Philosopher Simon May, in a radically new theory of love, examines its real aim. For all its wild unpredictability, why is love so pertinacious? Indeed why do we love at all? Clinical psychologist Frank Tallis takes a look at the darker side of love […]
Israel: A Jewish State or a State for Jews?
Ever since the movement’ s inception, Zionists have advocated very different ideas of Israel: would the dream of Herzl, Ahad Ha’am, Weizmann, Jabotinsky, Ben Gurion or Begin triumph? Would Israel be a ‘normal’ state, or a ‘light unto the nations’? The state that emerged, partially out of the ashes of the Shoah, became a refuge […]
A Tribute to Amos Oz
Amos Oz, celebrated Israeli author, wrote over 30 novels and short stories, widely translated from the Hebrew, poignant expressions of the human condition. He was an ardent advocate for peace, who wrote passionately on the scourge of extremism. Oz famously said, ‘We can fold all the moral imperatives, the Ten Commandments, and the human virtues, into a […]
Synagogues in the Islamic World
In this exquisite volume Professor Mohammad Gharipour charts the development of synagogues in lands under Muslim rule, from North Africa and Spain to Central Asia and the Middle East. He shines a spotlight on the extraordinary architectural and artistic collaboration between Muslims and Jews in creating spaces for Jewish worship. In conversation with Irving Finkel. […]
The Hebrew Republic: Israel’s Return To History
Speakers: Colin Schindler, Ned Temko In his collection of essays Colin Shindler presents his very personal take on Israel, based on over 50 years of writing on the subject for The New York Times, The Jerusalem Post and the Guardian. This vivid and engaging ‘history’ speaks of Shindler’s deep understanding of the problems of the […]
The Jewish Journey: 4000 Years In 22 Objects
Consummate story-teller, Rebecca Abrams, offers tantalising glimpses into Jewish history through the prism of her personal selection from Oxford’s Ashmolean Museum. Many of the objects are little-known treasures and all 22 have remarkable stories spanning 4,000 years of history and covering 14 countries, they trace the evolution of Jewish life and culture from its earliest […]
The Play’s The Thing
Speakers: Howard Jacobson, Alex Clark, Janet Suzman, Stephen Greenblatt These three towering Shakespeareans who have taught, written about, directed and performed the greatest dramatist of all times, engage in a witty and illuminating exchange about why the pre-eminent playwright and poet is studied, interpreted and translated the world over, providing inspiration for new operas, films, […]
The Rise & Fall Of Adam and Eve
Speakers: Stephen Greenblatt To world-renowned literary critic and Pulitzer Prize-winner, Stephen Greenblatt, the story of Adam and Eve is a prism refracting our most primitive fears and the inspiration for our most glorious works of art. In a richly illustrated talk, he shows how this myth has shaped understanding of our origins and destiny since […]
The Story of Hebrew
Speakers: Lewis Glinert, Jeremy Dauber In this unique narrative of the Hebrew language from biblical to modern times, Professor Lewis Glinert explores the extraordinary hold that Hebrew has had on Jews and Christians, who have invested it with a symbolic power far beyond that of any other language in history. Preserved by the Jews for […]
Three Floors Up
Speakers: Eshkol Nevo, Francesca Segal Set in an upper-middle-class Tel Aviv apartment building, prize-winning author Eshkol Nevo’s brilliant recent novel, translated by Sondra Silverstein, presents a complex and emotionally wrought society, through revealing the turmoil, secrets, unreliable confessions and problematic decisions of the building’s interconnected residents.
Trump on Trial
Speakers: Jonathan Freedland, Howard Jacobson, Simon Schama, Jonny Geller Freedland, Jacobson and Schama take on Donald Trump, at least figuratively, as they compete for bandwidth to expose the latest exploits of the Western World’s most powerful and contentious leader. The inspiration for a satire by Jacobson, a thriller by Freedland and steaming articles by Schama […]
The London Cage
Speakers: Helen Fry, Trudy Gold Helen Fry’s riveting book finally uncovers the fiercely-guarded and controversial military secrets regarding London’s Kensington-based interrogation centre during WWII. She provides sensational evidence to counter official denials concerning the use of ‘truth drugs’ and ‘enhanced interrogation techniques’, bringing dark secrets to light. In conversation with Trudy Gold.