London Mayor Boris Johnson has applauded JW3's "fantastic" contribution to London's cultural life.

In a written message to the Finchley Road centre's Life and Soul dinner, which raised £220,000, Mr Johnson described JW3 as "everything a community hub should be and a fitting tribute to the vision of [key funder] Dame Vivien Duffield, who I have worked with and admire". It was also testament to "all who helped to realise her dream of a Jewish community centre in London to match those of other great world cities". Dame Vivien was among the capacity crowd of 160 at the dinner, which was catered by JW3's in-house restaurant, Zest. There was also a rare performance by 11-year-old British prodigy Alma Deutscher, a violinist and pianist who composed her first opera in 2012.

Making the appeal, trustee and development board chair Nick Viner said JW3 had been "significantly enriched" by its merger with the London Jewish Cultural Centre. "Since we opened, more than 500,000 people have visited. JW3 is essential to the future of our community - changing its parameters, removing the old labels and boxes and reshaping not only how we see each other, but how we see ourselves."