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Turntables, cabaret and Middle Eastern jazz: nightlife with a Jewish twist

The JC meets three young women bringing Jewish inclusivity to London’s nightlife scene

December 19, 2024 15:18
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Jewish nightlife is on the rise in London, with events featuring cabaret and pole dancing performances, Middle Eastern music, and belly dancing in venues across the city. (Photo: Ethan Katzenburg and Ian Piczenik. Collage: Jordi Pol)
7 min read

In a city as diverse and lively as London, it should be easy to find a nightlife scene for even the most particular of revellers – whether you’re looking for an intimate evening of live jazz, a messy club night where you can dance to pop hits, a queer-friendly pub quiz, or a café-club serving Afro-Caribbean beats.

But in this metropolis of myriad simchas, something is missing for young Jews: a space to celebrate Jewish and Israeli culture, free from the weight of political or religious provisos.

Enter a new wave of Jewish nightlife pioneers: three women whose events are redefining Jewish pride for the London nightlife scene.

“As difficult as it was to go out close after October 7, I think we did start to see, especially as young Jews, that there was a need to continue celebrating in some way and to connect with one another,” says Emily Theodore, the founder of a nightlife event series called Mizz Raqi. The events celebrate Mizrahi Jewish culture in intimate venues with Middle Eastern-influenced musical performances and DJ sets.

Topics:

Nightlife