View source for JW3

{{Short description|Arts centre in London, England}}
{{other uses}}
{{redirect-distinguish|Jewish Community Centre for London|London Jewish Cultural Centre}}
{{Infobox building
|name               = JW3
|image              = JW3 (12639672963).jpg
|location           = [[Finchley Road]]<br>[[London]], {{postcode|NW|3}}
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|status             = Complete
|start_date         = 
|completion_date    = 2013
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}}
'''JW3''', also known as '''Jewish Community Centre London''', is an arts, culture and entertainment venue, an educational facility and a social and community hub in north London. It is located at 341–351 Finchley Road, London, and opened on 29 September 2013.<ref name="Piggott">{{cite news | url=http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/jw3-jew-judaism-london-culture-art-religion-509899 | title=Jewish Cultural Centre JW3 Opens in London | work=[[International Business Times]], UK edition | date=29 September 2013 | access-date=6 January 2014 | author=Piggott, Mark}}</ref> Describing itself as "a new postcode for Jewish life", the venue's name is a [[wordplay]] on its postal address, situated in the [[NW postcode area|NW3]] [[postcode area]].<ref name="Piggott"/><ref name=" Wainwright">{{cite news | url=https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2013/sep/24/jw3-london-cultural-centre-new-postcode-jewish-life | title=JW3: is London's latest cultural centre 'a new postcode for Jewish life'? | work=[[The Guardian]] | date=24 September 2013 | access-date=6 January 2014 | author=Wainwright, Oliver}}</ref>

JW3 was the brainchild of [[Vivien Duffield|Dame Vivien Duffield DBE]], who contributed £40m of the project's £50m cost – over the 10 years it took to bring it to reality – through the Clore Duffield Foundation.<ref name="Piggott"/><ref name=" Wainwright"/> It was inspired by her 2003 visit to the Jewish Community Centre in [[Manhattan, New York]].<ref name="Piggott"/><ref name=" Wainwright"/>

==Facilities==
The 35,000 square foot building,<ref name="Piggott"/> which includes a 270-seat auditorium, a 60-seat cinema, a restaurant and bar, a demonstration kitchen, dance studios, classrooms and medical consultation rooms, was designed by [[Lifschutz Davidson Sandilands]].<ref name=" Wainwright"/> The JW3 campus sits on half an acre of land and includes the community centre/arts venue, an outdoor [[piazza]] and a tower block of apartments and offices.

JW3 and the [[London Jewish Cultural Centre]] (LJCC) merged in March 2015, forming a single, enhanced organisation based at the JW3 site on Finchley Road.

==Organisation==
JW3's Chief Executive Officer is Raymond Simonson, former Executive Director of [[Limmud]], who succeeded Nick Viner.<ref name=" Wainwright"/>
Marc Nohr is the Chairman of JW3.

The organisation runs a wide programme of events that it launched in 2005. These target all members of the community, irrespective of affiliation or level of observance. The programme aims to be inclusive and is not religious, instead using its events to provide a gateway into Jewish life and foster a cohesive community.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.jcclondon.org.uk/Vision.html|title=The JCC's Vision}}</ref>

== Events programme ==
JW3 runs a programme of social, cultural and educational events<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.jcclondon.org.uk/Calendar.html|title=JCC London Events Calendar}}</ref> that mix audiences, age groups and content, encouraging experimentation with ideas and attempting to engage people in new issues.

Previous arts and culture events have ranged from modern interpretations of art<ref name="animation">{{cite news | url=http://www.totallyjewish.com/news/community/?content_id=7044 | title=Animation To Bring To Life Chagall Paintings | work=Totally Jewish | date=6 September 2007 | access-date=6 January 2014 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140106185432/http://www.totallyjewish.com/news/community/?content_id=7044 | archive-date=6 January 2014 | url-status=dead }}</ref> and music gigs (e.g. an Idan Raichel Project concert)<ref>[http://www.thejc.com/articles/20085301882/review-idan-raichel-project-noa Review: Idan Raichel Project / Noa]</ref> to events such as Kvetch choir (the complaints choir) that encourages people to enjoy their own creativity<ref name="Fisher">{{cite news | url=http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/arts/music/article2415580.ece | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150601043211/http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/arts/music/article2415580.ece | url-status=dead | archive-date=1 June 2015 | title=Chorus of disapproval: the complaints choir | work=[[The Times]] | date=9 July 2008 | access-date=19 September 2014 | author=Fisher, Neil}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0-eR4AxjDXE |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/0-eR4AxjDXE |archive-date=2021-12-21 |url-status=live|title=Kvetch Choir at JCC London|last=jcclondon|date=8 July 2008|via=YouTube}}{{cbignore}}</ref> and a singalong with the pensioner pop group "The Zimmers".<ref>[http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/faith/article5372027.ece Let’s hear it for the Zimmers singing My Generation, ''The Times'' Online]{{dead link|date=September 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref>

Books-based events have included discussions on books related to the community, with guest author appearances, and debates on topics such as "Has the Left Lost its Way?".<ref name="Left">{{cite news | url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2006/apr/05/unholyalliancetheleftandr | title=Has the Left lost its way? | work=[[The Guardian]] | date=5 April 2006 | access-date=6 January 2014 | author=Klug, Brian}}</ref>

Social action events have included [[Mitzvah Day International|Mitzvah Day]]<ref name="Laura Marks">{{cite news | url=http://www.totallyjewish.com/news/special_reports/?content_id=9996 | title=Good Deeds Know No Religious Boundaries | work=Totally Jewish | date=11 September 2008 | access-date=6 January 2014 | author=Marks, Laura | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131203105901/http://www.totallyjewish.com/news/special_reports/?content_id=9996 | archive-date=3 December 2013 | url-status=dead }}</ref> and an initiative in 2007 to bring Jewish and Muslim communities together.<ref name="Friendly">{{cite news | url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2007/mar/18/religion.world | title=British Muslims extend a friendly hand to Jews | work=[[The Observer]] | date=18 March 2007 | access-date=6 January 2014 | author=Doward, Jamie}}</ref>

In November 2014 JW3 launched the first ever UK Jewish Comedy Festival, an annual festival celebrating the best in Jewish comedy. Guests have included Ruby Wax, David Baddiel and Stephen Tobolowsky.

In March 2017 JW3 ran a programme of LGBTQ+ related events, marking the 50th anniversary of the Sexual Offences Act (which effectively decriminalised homosexuality in England and Wales). This "GAYW3" programme caused a backlash from a number of rabbis of the Orthodox Jewish community, led by Rabbi Bassous. In July 2017, Rabbi Bassous issued a notice, signed by 6 other rabbis calling on their communities to distance themselves from JW3.<ref>https://www.thejc.com/news/news/dweck-accuser-attacks-chief-rabbi-1.450948</ref> At the end of November 2017, Rabbi Bassous reissued the letter, this time signed by 25 Orthodox rabbis of North West London.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2017-12-03 |title=Ultra-Orthodox rabbis call for boycott of Jewish arts centre over LGBT support |url=http://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/dec/03/ultra-orthodox-rabbis-boycott-jewish-cultural-centre-gay-lgbt-support |access-date=2022-12-01 |website=the Guardian |language=en}}</ref>

== Notable guests ==
* [[Charles III|King Charles III]]
* [[David Beckham]] 
* [[Grayson Perry]] 
* [[David McAlmont]]
* [[Zoë Wanamaker]]
* [[Emilia Kabakov]] 
* [[Vanessa Kirby]] 
* [[Richard Curtis]] 
* [[Jacques Attali]] 
* [[Lawrence Summers]] 
* [[Tracy-Ann Oberman|Tracy Ann Oberman]] 
* [[Dominic Grieve]] 
* [[Garry Kasparov]] 
* [[Ruby Wax]] 
* [[David Baddiel]] 
* [[Anselm Kiefer]] 
* [[Michael Milken|Mike Milken]]
* [[John Landis]] 
* [[Jonathan Sacks|Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks]] 
* [[Ben Bernanke|Dr. Ben S. Bernanke]] 
* [[Nigella Lawson]] 
* [[Kevin Spacey]] 
* [[Adin Steinsaltz|Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz]]
* [[David Schneider (actor)|David Schneider]]
* [[Idan Raichel]]
* [[Ed Balls]] 
* [[Chris Grayling]] 
* [[Jeremy Corbyn]] 
* [[Michael Gove]] 
* [[Nicole Farhi]] 
* [[Simon Schama]]
* [[Emily Maitlis]]
* [[Alan Yentob]]
* [[Sue Perkins]]
* [[Theresa May]]
* [[Howard Jacobson]]
* [[Achinoam Nini]]

== The Alan Howard Foundation / JW3 Speaker Series ==
The Alan Howard Foundation / JW3 Speaker Series features conversations, talks and entertainment delivered by leaders and experts in their respective fields who can provide a unique insight into their chosen topics. The lectures are designed to cover broad areas of intellectual thought, including economics, science, history, politics and the arts. The principal aims of the series are to educate and entertain through high level conversation and debate, whilst delivering a rich, diverse and inspiring range of speaking events.

== ''Sounds Jewish'' podcast ==
JW3's monthly [[podcast]], ''Sounds Jewish'', produced in partnership with ''[[The Guardian]]'', is a monthly magazine-style programme hosted by Jason Solomons.  Each "episode" is about 30 minutes in length and many of them are featured on ''The Guardian'''s podcast homepage.<ref name="Podcast">{{cite web | url=https://www.theguardian.com/news/series/soundsjewish | title=Sounds Jewish | work=[[The Guardian]] | access-date=6 January 2014}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
* [https://www.jw3.org.uk/ JW3]
* [http://www.lds-uk.com/projects/jw3/ JW3 London at architects Lifschutz Davidson Sandilands' website]
* [http://www.jcclondon.org.uk/ The JCC London]
* [https://www.theguardian.com/news/series/soundsjewish Sounds Jewish podcast]
* [https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2013/sep/24/jw3-london-cultural-centre-new-postcode-jewish-life "JW3: is London's latest cultural centre 'a new postcode for Jewish life'?"]
* [http://jcclondon.typepad.com/blog/ The JCC London Blog]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20080909215652/http://www.jcca.org/index.lasso JCCs of North America]

{{British Jewry}}
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[[Category:2013 establishments in England]]
[[Category:Community centres in London]]
[[Category:Jewish Community Centers]]
[[Category:Jewish organisations based in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Jews and Judaism in London]]