Jewish Culture Month
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Jewish Culture Month is a month-long cultural festival in the United Kingdom dedicated to Jewish history, arts, music, literature, food and contemporary culture. Established in 2026 by the Board of Deputies of British Jews, the festival is scheduled from May to June across multiple British cities and cultural institutions.
| Jewish Culture Month | |
|---|---|
| Type | Commemorative month for British Jewish culture |
| Begins | 16 May |
| Ends | 15 June |
| Duration | 1 month |
| Frequency | Annual |
| First time | 16 May 2026 |
| Started by | Board of Deputies of British Jews |
The inaugural edition featured more than 150 events organised in partnership with institutions including the BBC, the Victoria and Albert Museum, the British Library, the National Portrait Gallery and JW3. Organisers stated that the initiative aimed to broaden public representation of Jewish life in Britain beyond narratives focused primarily on antisemitism and security concerns.
History
The Jewish Culture Month was established in 2026 by the Board of Deputies of British Jews as the first nationwide initiative in the United Kingdom dedicated specifically to Jewish cultural programming across multiple institutions and cities.
The project emerged amid increased public conversation surrounding antisemitism, Jewish identity and cultural representation in Britain following the aftermath of the 7 October attacks and subsequent tensions related to the Gaza war. Organisers stated that the festival sought to highlight everyday British Jewish cultural life, artistic production and historical contributions beyond narratives centred primarily on conflict or security issues.[1][2][3]
The inaugural edition, held between 16 May and 15 June 2026, included exhibitions, concerts, talks, culinary events, public installations and broadcast.[4]
Programming
Jewish Culture Month features programmes dedicated to Jewish literature, music, comedy, visual arts, food, fashion, religious heritage and contemporary culture.
Participating institutions included the BBC, the Victoria and Albert Museum, the British Library, the National Portrait Gallery, JW3, the Freud Museum, Museum of the Home, Museum of Liverpool, the Discovery Museum in Newcastle upon Tyne, the Willesden Jewish Cemetery, the Irish Jewish Museum of Dublin as well as online events.[5][6][7]