Spark expands beyond social events as demand grows among London’s young Jews

In a packed venue in central London last week, hundreds of young Jewish professionals gathered for a Purim masquerade ball that mixed a Megillah reading with music and socialising long into the evening.

The event, organised by the grassroots network Spark, is the latest sign of the group’s rapid growth, as increasing numbers of young Jews seek community and connection in the capital.

Spark, which emerged from Brondesbury Park Synagogue’s young professionals group, has expanded its activities in recent months from social gatherings to trips and educational programmes.

Johnny Rosen, one of the organisers, said the past six months had been about establishing Spark as a recognisable network.

“In September, we’d just relaunched as Spark,” he said. “In the last six months, we’ve built a lot of identity around Spark as an organisation and the brand name. If you’ve been to one of our events, people know what they’re getting.”

Attendance has continued to rise, with organisers reporting that recent programmes have quickly reached capacity.

“Most traditional organisations would struggle to get 40 people for a Friday night dinner,” Rosen said. “We had 170, but had to turn away another 40 or 50.”

Organisers say the appeal lies partly in bringing together young Jews from a wide range of backgrounds.

“Everyone’s Jewish, but not everyone’s religious,” Rosen said. “The mentality of everyone that comes to the Spark event is relatively open, willing to engage, willing to meet new people, make friends, make connections.”

Spark has also attracted growing numbers of international young Jews who have recently moved to London.

“We have a lot of internationals in London,” Rosen said. “Spark is kind of their Jewish home in London. They’re moving over here without many friends or family, and they’re meeting people and making those connections.”

A major development for the group came last month when around 40 members travelled to Poland for a four-day trip organised by Spark.

Rabbi Meir Levin, who leads the group’s spiritual programming, said the visit allowed participants to revisit Holocaust history in a different way from the school trips many experienced as teenagers.

“There was a lot of demand from people who hadn’t necessarily been to Poland, or who had been when they were 16 or 17 and wanted to see it through a different lens,” he said.

Levin said the trip combined reflection with communal experiences.

“People often think Poland is a dark, heavy trip,” he said. “There were those elements, but it was Shabbat, it was singing, and it was a roller coaster on the highs and lows.”

Participants were also encouraged to reflect on what the experience might mean for their Jewish lives once they returned to London.

“Everyone went around and shared what they were taking away from the trip – how they were going to tangibly add to Jewish life,” Levin said.

Participants later told organisers the experience had left a lasting impression. Several described the trip as “life-changing” and said it had strengthened their connection to Jewish identity and community. One participant said the journey had made her “even prouder to be Jewish”, while others said they returned to London feeling inspired to deepen their Jewish learning and become more involved in Spark’s activities.

Jonah Blackburn, who helps organise Spark’s events, said travelling together also strengthens friendships within the group.

“Making new friends as an adult is quite awkward and difficult,” he said. “But through Spark, people are actually building friendships they keep after the events.”

The network is now planning further initiatives, including a Holocaust learning programme at the Wiener Holocaust Library in Bloomsbury, following the Poland visit.

Another upcoming project will see around 20 participants take part in a fundraising trek near Mount Everest, raising money for an Israeli charity while continuing Spark’s emphasis on shared experiences that build community.

Levin believes the growing interest reflects a broader shift among young Jews seeking connection and meaning.

“There’s been a big wake-up since 7 October,” he said, “People want to connect with their own people. There’s a real revolution of people searching for more meaning in their lives.”

He added: “People are searching for true friendship – not just social media or superficial connections. People are searching for something more.”

For organisers, the challenge now is sustaining that growth while maintaining the community atmosphere that first drew people in.

“We want to build sustainability,” Rosen said. “We don’t want a thousand people joining in one night if we don’t know who they are.”

More information about Spark’s events can be found at sparkyjp.com, where supporters can also donate to the organisation.