Life

Books

Israeli-born author of ‘The Safekeep’ wins Women’s Prize for Fiction

Yael van der Wouden’s bold debut novel charts the emotional aftermath of the Holocaust in a post-war Netherlands

By Eliana Jordan

2 min read

Dutch writer Yael van der Wouden has won the 2025 Women's Prize for Fiction with her book "The Safekeep". (Photo by HENRY NICHOLLS/AFP via Getty Images)

Where you go, I go: Charlie Keeble at a recent rally against antisemitism on London's Waterloo Bridge

first person

‘I’m an autistic, non-Jewish antisemitism warrior’

By JC Reporter

4 min read

Books

Ellmann’s Joyce: The Biography of a Masterpiece and its Maker, review: ‘a Bloomsday treat’

By David Herman

1 min read

What good is a philosophy degree? David Isaacson and his book

Books

‘Why my Zionist novel shows the pull of the Jewish state and not the push of Jew-hate’

By David Isaacson

3 min read

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Sweet melodies: Tim Key (left) and Tom Basden

Film

The Ballad of Wallis Island review: ‘hits the sweet spot’ ★★★★★

By John Nathan

1 min read

Fiddler on the Roof

Fiddler on the Roof’s golden couple: ‘Our Tevye and Golda chemistry is real’

Lara Pulver and Adam Dannheisser reveal what it’s like to play husband and wife in the latest garlanded production of the world’s most loved musical

By John Nathan

7 min read

Travel

Move over Napa – it’s all about Santa Barbara

The ‘American Riviera’, with its stunning vistas and delectable local wines, might just be the country’s best spot for viticulture

By Anna Pointer

5 min read

Mar Monte Hotel in Santa Barbara. (Photo: Mar Monte Hotel)

Books

Year of the Rat review: ‘proof the threat to British Jews from the far right never went away’

This report on the new face of the far right is timely and frightening in equal measure

By David Bennun

3 min read

England's shame: last month's Great British National Strike rally on Downing Street

documentary

‘They would call me a Jewish dog, a Jewish pig and spit on me’

Former hostage Omer Shem Tov on a new film documenting his ordeal in Gaza

By Nicole Lampert

6 min read

Son of Israel: Omer Shem Tov re-enacting his captivity in a tunnel

Lifestyle

Musical Theatre

Fiddler on the Roof review: ‘As joyous as it is necessary’ ★★★★★

This Fiddler is both lyrical gold and the best antidote to the myths driving today’s tsunami of Jew-hate

By John Nathan

2 min read

Shtetl life: the cast of Fiddler on the Roof on stage at the Barbican (Photo: Marc Brenner)

Mental health

‘I thought I absolutely hated being a mum and was a failure of a woman’

Sarah Hoover on her new memoir detailing a terrifying year of postpartum depression

By Elisa Bray

5 min read

Mum's the word: Sarah Hoover and her book Photo: Beowulf Sheehan

Books

Bob Dylan: Jewish Roots, American Soil review: ‘Tangled up in clues’

This new book about the search for the real Dylan could be more enlightening

By Jenni Frazer

2 min read

Enigmatic: Bob Dylan with singer-songwriter Joan Baez

Books

The Jewish Pedlar review: ‘Anglo-Jewry’s only mass murderer’

This is a fascinating account of a terrible murder by a Jewish pedlar in eighteenth century England and an excellent example of historian Tony Kushner’s important work documenting the life and culture of Jews in Britain

By David Herman

2 min read

The Jewish Pedlar review: ‘Anglo-Jewry’s only mass murderer’

Theatre

The Fifth Step review: ‘Booze, sex, religion and class go head to head’

Martin Freeman and Jack Lowden perfectly pit two versions of masculinity in this darkly funny two-hander

By John Nathan

1 min read

Eyeballing: Martin Freeman (left) and Jack Lowden as James and Luka in The Fifth Step (Credit: Johan Persson)

Theatre

Shucked, review: ‘Not quite the cream of the crop’

This is an entertaining musical comedy, and its corny gags are fun, but only fleetingly does it soar

By John Nathan

2 min read

Theatre

Too Small to Tell, review: ‘candid one-woman show that kicks Harvey Weinstein where it hurts’

Actor-writer Lisa Rose’s play revisits the disgraced mogul’s crimes with revenge cloaked in dark humour, including an impression of his gangrenous male member

By Ben Marshall

4 min read

Revenge is a dish best served cold: Lisa Rose in her solo stage show, Too Small to Tell

Theatre

Here We Are, review: ‘this Sondheim musical feels like unfinished business’

The composer’s swansong is best described as a play with some music

By John Nathan

1 min read

Eerily modern: the cast of Here We Are on stage at the National Theatre (Photo: Marc Brenner)

Film & TV

All TV

October 7

‘We both broke down together’: Montana Tucker grieves with October 7’s youngest survivors in new documentary

By Eliana Jordan

2 min read

The Oldest Trick in the Book, review: ‘Chapter after chapter of intrigue flow’

Sasson Gabay and Yehezkel Lazarov star in this clever, twist-filled Israeli series about a chronic case of writer’s block… and a stolen story

By Eliana Jordan

2 min read

The Salt Path, review: ‘Jason Isaacs in touching tale of homelessness’

The Jewish star is the tent born in this feel-good film about the sanctuary of a good marriage

By John Nathan

2 min read

The Phoenician Scheme, review: ‘Wes Anderson’s latest absurd comedy’

It’s an enjoyable romp with a succession of big star cameos, but you leave unsure if your time was well spent

By John Nathan

1 min read

Travel

All Travel

The medieval town of Pitigliano, which has a rich Jewish history (ASA Luxury)

Travel

A trip to Tuscany’s ‘Little Jerusalem’

By Beverley Byrne

4 min read

Want to feed your Jewish soul? Then come to Safed

You don’t leave this northern Israeli city with selfies, you leave with questions. Big ones

By Josh Kaplan

1 min read

For your next Israeli adventure, head north

Chances are you’ve done Israel’s greatest hits, so now it’s time for its hidden gems

By Josh Kaplan

4 min read

A cook’s tour of Slovenia

It might not have the well known dishes of neighbouring Italy, but there are plenty of fascinating things to eat and drink in this small European country

By Catherine Cooper

4 min read

Books

All Books

Books

Chutzpah review: ‘The strictly Orthodox rebel who had every reason to leave her community, but who chose to stay’

By Jennifer Lipman

2 min read

Children’s book roundup: the top three

From means girls and ill-fated crushes to swashbuckling seagoing sagas, here are the three best new books for kids aged nine and over

By Angela Kiverstein

1 min read

The Einstein Vendetta, review: ‘the tragic fate of Robert Einstein, Albert’s cousin’

This terrible war crime story does an enormous service to the Nobel Prize-winning physicist’s wider family

By Jenni Frazer

2 min read

My rootsy schmootsy journey to the Jewish East End that was

For my latest novel I studied the east London of my forebears. This is what I found

By Andrew Sanger

3 min read

Music

All Music

Shofar-blower extraordinaire: Bar Zemach is taking the horn from the synagogue to the concert hall (Photo: Jenni Munz)

Jewish music

The young Israeli giving the shofar a new voice

By Eliana Jordan

3 min read

Die Walküre at the Royal Opera House: ‘Wagner played to perfection’

Australian Jewish director Barrie Kosky whips up a perfect storm of brilliance in what is arguably the greatest opera ever written

By Stephen Pollard

2 min read

How Jew-hate is becoming the norm in the music industry

Antisemitism in the music business might be in the news thanks to Kneecap, but the truth is the Irish band’s politics are simply emblematic of a growing problem. Nicole Lampert reports

By Nicole Lampert

7 min read