Seen any Jewish themed films or TV series recently? If you’re like me, then the answer is a resounding yes. Perhaps you also tuned into the recent Yasmin Levy concert, attended the Limmud day, or are brushing up your Hebrew language skills between online challa-baking classes.
With cultural centres and synagogues closed, and our diaries stripped of a profusion of engagements, most of us are anxious to find a way to stay in touch with our cultural roots and to feel part of the community. I feel incredibly fortunate to live in a golden age for Jewish arts and culture in the UK, which is thanks in large part to the pioneering work of a small number of cultural organisations over the last 25 years. Whether its film, music, literature or art, our cultural treasures are connecting us together during this crisis when so many in the community are feeling isolated and fearful for the future. The arts in all its forms serve as a constant reminder to us of what is important in life, and bring together a fragile community in a time of crisis. Even our religious institutions are waking up to the importance of culture. This weekend, for example, The United Synagogues has gone unusually artsy with the release of their stirring music video, set to Psalm 23 (The Lord is My Shepherd).
Cultural organisations such as UK Jewish Film have been stepping up to the challenge of the lockdown, and working with often sparse resources to provide entertaining, inspiring and moving cultural content, direct to your homes. And it’s been a surprisingly gratifying experience. Last week, an elderly woman from rural Somerset emailed me to say how moved she was to be able to watch Paul Morrison’s Oscar-nominated love story ‘Solomon & Gaenor’, something she would not otherwise have been able to see in a cinema or even hear about. It made her feel part of the community again. Jewish films, music, art and culture have proved themselves an incredibly positive force for bringing isolated people together from right across the UK, and way beyond London.
Despite all this positive news, what's not so clear is whether our precious cultural assets will still be around in a year’s time. Most, if not all, of our Jewish cultural organisations have little, if any, medium to long term funding and are worryingly reliant on year-to-year funding. Unlike our great national cultural institutions, most Jewish cultural bodies receive little or no public funding and they struggle to compete with the prestige and gravitas of a donation to, say, the Royal Opera House. Later this year, as the recession begins to bite, the danger is that sponsors withdraw their support from Jewish cultural bodies, or else channel their support towards the larger communal welfare charities. The impact for our Jewish cultural charities would be devastating and long lasting.
So let’s all enjoy the abundant cultural provision that continues to be offered even under lockdown, but also support it financially if you are lucky enough to be able to. Let’s make sure that our hard-won cultural assets emerge thriving and strong when this terrible epidemic has passed.
Michael Etherton is the Chief Executive of UK Jewish Film.
This weekend UK Jewish Film launches the latest Israeli TV series from the talented creators of Shtisel. Autonomies is a gripping drama set in an alternate reality where Israel is physically divided into a secular state and a religious autonomy. A gripping family drama based on a chilling premise that reflects a growing anxiety about politics and religion in Israel. The first episode is available to anyone in the UK for free: https://ukjewishfilm.org/film/
