Top of the Hill Programme – October to December 2026

Wednesday 14th October, at Shul at 2.15 pm

Marc De Leuw: GET BACK TO THE BEATLES

60 years on, the Beatles are still as big as they have ever been. Performing a song from each of their albums, Marc De Lieu will take us on a magical history tour of the Fab Four’s epic journey, revealing some unknown Jewish connections along the way.…. plus a fun trivia quiz to bring the 60’s to life.
So say ‘Yea,Yea,Yeah’ to celebrate the greatest decade ever and bring these memories back to life!

Marc De Leuw used to work in Radio as a presenter and Producer. He had an overnight show on LBC and he then ran a video company.

Wednesday 28th October, at Shul at 2.15 pm

Vivi Lachs:  WHAT’S G-D GOT TO DO, TO DO WITH IT

The Yiddish East End was a hubbub of immigrant life where devoutly religious, traditional, socialists, secular, anti-religious all haggled over the price in the same markets and worked long hours in the same sweatshops. The Yiddish writers published sketches in the papers, wrote songs for the stage and anthems for demonstrations. Whether or not they were observant, they all engaged with religious ideas, such as dancing in a Torah parade in the streets; trying to teach non-religious boys their barmitzvah, or a socialist poet railing against class inequalities in the synagogues. This talk will showcase and analyse some of this material, with readings and song.

Vivi Lachs is a social historian, translator and Yiddish pop singer, an associate researcher at University College London and a Yiddish Book Center Translation Fellow (2026). Her books Whitechapel Noise, London Yiddishtown and East End Jews explore Jewish history through popular culture. She co-hosts the triple-award winning Cockney Yiddish Podcast, co-organises the new London Yiddish Shpilers, runs the Great Yiddish Parade, leads East End tours and sings the Cockney-Yiddish repertoire with the bands Klezmer Klub and Katsha’nes.

Wednesday 11th November, at Shul at 2.15 pm

Andrew Whitehead – A DEVILISH KIND OF COURAGE – “Anarchists, Aliens and the Siege of Sidney Street”

This is the story of a dramatic shoot-out in 1911 in the streets of London’s East End. Two Latvian emigrés wanted for the murder of three London police officers held armed police and then the army at bay for six hours. The home secretary, Winston Churchill, came to the scene to help direct operations. The siege caused a sensation – newsreel footage of the incident was being shown in London cinemas that same day. This talk will explain the context of the shoot-out, look at who the gunmen were, and also explain the upsurge in antisemitism after the incident and how the Liberal government of the day resisted calls for tighter restrictions on immigration.

Andrew Whitehead was a news editor at the BBC World Service and is a historian of London. His book A Devilish Kind of Courage: Anarchists, Aliens and the Siege of Sidney Street was published by Reaktion in 2024.

Wednesday 25th November, at Shul at 2.15 pm

Jonathan Bergwerk – FAGIN: “Villain, Stereotype and Musical Star”

A lively, illustrated romp through Oliver Twist, following Fagin from Dickens’s to Lionel Bart’s beloved musical Oliver!. We explore how one of literature’s most controversial Jewish characters was created, why Dickens was accused of antisemitism, and how a remarkable Jewish woman changed his mind.

Jonathan Bergwerk is an occupational psychologist who talks widely on the lives of eminent Jews, both ancient and modern. Each presentation outlines the individual’s life and psychology, their contribution to society and impact on Jewish life.

Wednesday 9th December, at Shul at 2.15 pm

CHANUKAH PARTY

We have invited the members of the Muswell Hill Methodist Church to join us.

Please note that we make a charge of £5 for all meetings in Shul .