JR’s editor Rebecca Taylor delves into the magazine's archive to unearth stories of inspiration and triumph for Passover For me, the best Seders combine family traditions with something quirky, thought-provoking or fun (how could I forget the year my group of friends did ‘Passover charades’ – the 10 plagues were a big hit as far as I remember). So if you too are looking for something inspiring for your Seder table, this is a reminder that JR has a wonderful back catalogue, stretching over 20 years to our very first magazine. There’s the beautiful JR Haggadah in our Spring 2022 issue, which was ..read more

Much of the work, notes and more once belonging to the renowned religious leader and philosopher has been acquired by Israel’s National Library The personal archive of the late Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks (1948-2020) was received this week by the National Library of Israel (NLI) in Jersusalem. Comprising around 50 boxes of material – including sermons, books, notes, correspondence and lectures – the library will catalogue the extensive collection and make it accessible to researchers. “My dear husband expressed great enthusiasm for the new National Library of Israel,” said Lady Elaine Sacks, wid ..read more

Read the piece that won JR's inaugural Emerging Journalists Award… MILEI THE MACCABEE: AN UNHOLY ALLIANCE FOR ARGENTINA’S JEWS? Argentina’s president is a passionate philosemite, who looks to the Torah for economic guidance. But his populist politics are dividing the country’s Jewish community, reports Joshua Korber Hoffman Last December, two days after assuming office as Argentina’s new president, Javier Milei attended a Chabad Hanukkah menorah lighting in Buenos Aires. The next day, Argentinian media was full of images of the president wearing a kippah, a rabbi by his side, reaching out to l ..read more

Ahead of announcing the winner of JR's inaugural Emerging Journalists Award, we reveal the piece that took second place in the competition… We were slaves In the run up to Pesach, Arthur Weiss explores the issue of slavery and says it isn’t just a story from the Haggadah, but an epidemic we still face today 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 serva ..read more

Ahead of announcing the winner of JR's inaugural Emerging Journalists Award, we reveal the piece that took third place in the competition… Unified through harmony: How music is bringing Jews together In recent years, 'Hava Nagila' has acted as a metaphor for Jewish unity, says Adam Pogrund, but since the 7 October attacks it has become ever more prescient Last June, The New York Times reported that 'Hava Nagila' had echoed through Monte-Carlo Beach Club at an after party for the Formula 1 Grand Prix. Its recital at a plush Monaco club reflects the secularisation and ubiquity of the century-old ..read more

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 arts reviewing, to podcasts and social media. After the 7 October attacks, having journalists who can tell Jewish stories with accuracy, flair and integrity felt more important than ever. The se ..read more

The all-immersive revival of the deservedly popular musical marches on, with a magical mix of new and established cast members As I wrote a year ago, when I first had the unforgettable experience of standing amongst fellow audience members, “‘Immersive’ and ‘moving’ are adjectives that one might use figuratively to describe a theatrical experience. I’m using them literally here.” For my second outing to Nick Hytner’s frankly addictive production, I chose once again to stand so that “as a promenader following the action around the ever-shifting levels on the interconnected hydraulic platforms o ..read more

Apple TV’s flashy fashion drama about legendary haute couture designers during World War II cuts a weak silhouette of a story Viewers are promised a lot in the first 15 minutes of The New Look. It’s 1955. We see glittering shots of twirling models bearing the ‘New Look’ line of the legendary Christian Dior (Ben Mendelsohn) as the fashion maestro holds court at the Sorbonne. Elsewhere, a cigarette-touting Coco Chanel (Juliette Binoche) hosts a fiery press conference to launch her first collection since the war. When Dior is asked by an inquisitive student why he still made garments for Nazis’ w ..read more

Our 'Urgent Voices' series, in which key jewish cultural figures respond to the continuing crisis following the 7 October attacks, we hear from a handful of Hebrew poets In these difficult times, when war seems to erase all words, a group of contemporary Hebrew poets have found solace in poetry. The artform raises difficult questions that sometimes have no answers and what remains is the intrinsic intent of the questioning. The following poems were written as part of a response to the events of 7 October. Their purpose is to evoke emotion and a fervent hope for peace. Translations by Jacob Eis ..read more

If you’re in New York this spring, don't miss the first US retrospective of Latin American artist Marta Minujín at The Jewish Museum. Here’s everything you need to know about the pop art pioneer before you go Name Marta Minujín. Trademark art? Enormous playpens made up of bright stripey mattresses; ‘happenings’ involving simulated kidnappings; horses with buckets of paint tied to their tails; live chickens; and balloon-popping bodybuilders. At 80 years of age, she’s still rocking platinum blonde hair, fluorescent jumpsuits and aviator sunglasses and says she has no intention of slowing down ..read more