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Guide to the History and Community of the Jews in Scotland by SCOJEC, Scottish Council of Jewish Communities (80 Pages)
Jews in Scotland: The earliest date at which Jews arrived in Scotland is not known, although it is possible that Jews visited Scotland at the time of the Roman Empire's conquest of southern Britain, there are no records of this. The earliest concrete historical references to Jews in Scotland are from the late 17th century.
The vast majority of Scottish Jews today are Ashkenazi who mainly settled in Edinburgh, then in Glasgow in the late 19th century.
List of Scottish Jews
Religious and communal leaders
- Rabbi Cyril Harris, Chief Rabbi of South Africa.
- Rabbi Dr. Salis Daiches, father of David Daiches
- Rabbi Shmuel Yitzchak Hillman
- Rabbi Yaakov Benzion Mendelson
- Rabbi Louis Isaac Rabinowitz
- Rabbi I. Kenneth Cosgrove of Garnethill Synagogue, Glasgow
- • Rabbi Naftoli Shapiro
- • Rabbi Nancy Morris, the first female Rabbi in Scotland.
Academic figures and scientists
- • Charlotte Auerbach, geneticist (JYB 1977 p207)
- • Philip Cohen, FRS FRSE researcher, academic and Royal Medal winner; based at St Andrews and Dundee.
- • David Daiches, writer and literary critic, and father of Jenni Calder
- • Jack David Dunitz, chemist
- • Alfred Edersheim, Bible scholar
- • Charles Frank, maker of scientific instruments.
- • Ralph Glasser, psychologist, economist and author of The Gorbals Trilogy
- • Professor Sir Abraham Goldberg, Emeritus Regius Professor of the Practice of Medicine, University of Glasgow
- • Philip Hobsbaum, academic and literary critic at Glasgow University and an influence on many Scottish writers as diverse as Aonghas MacNeacail and Jeff Torrington
- • Peter Kravitz, editor of the compilation, Contemporary Scottish Fiction, and literary critic
- • Stefan Reif, professor
- • J. M. Robson geneticist and physicist, lived and worked in Edinburgh
- • George Sassoon scientist, electronic engineer, linguist, translator and author, buried on Mull, where he spent much of his childhood.
- • Leonard Schapiro historian
- • Avivah Gottlieb Zornberg, contemporary Torah scholar and author
Business and the professions
- Hazel Cosgrove, Lady Cosgrove first female Court of Session judge
- • Myer Galpern MP, Lord Provost of Glasgow
- • Esta Henry art and antiques dealer in the 20th century
- • Sir Isaac Wolfson businessman and philanthropist
- • Sir Monty Finniston, industrialist
- • Ralph Glasser, psychologist and economist (born in Leeds but grew up in Glasgow)
- • Kevin MacDonald (director), Touching the Void
- • Jerry Sadowitz, controversial comedian and conjurer
- • Benno Schotz, sculptor
- • Muriel Spark, novelist
- • Harry Woolf / Baron Woolf, judge, brought up and educated in Scotland
Arts, literature and music
- • Jenni Calder, literary figure and daughter of David Daiches
- • Ivor Cutler, poet, songwriter and humourist
- • Hannah Frank, sculptor (studied under Benno Schotz below)
- • Muriel Gray, Author, 'The Tube' presenter.
- • Mark Knopfler, Dire Straits (band), co-founder (with brother David) and lead vocalist, lead guitarist
- • Macdonald brothers, grandsons of the Hungarian-born English filmmaker Emeric Pressburger
- • Kevin Macdonald (director), Touching the Void
- • Andrew Macdonald, Trainspotting etc
- • Isi Metzstein, modernist architect
- • Saul Metzstein, director of Late Night Shopping
- • Rebecca Pidgeon, actress, singer and songwriter, grew up in Edinburgh.
- • Shulman brothers (Simon Dupree and the Big Sound; Gentle Giant), rock musicians, born in Glasgow
- • Phil Shulman, multi-instrumentalist and songwriter
- • Derek Shulman, multi-instrumentalist and songwriter
- • J David Simons, author
- • Muriel Spark, writer (e.g. Prime of Miss Jean Brodie)
- • Scottie Wilson, artist and designer, born in Glasgow
- • Eric Woolfson, musician and composer, founding member of The Alan Parsons Project
Politicians
- • Manny Shinwell, Labour M.P.
- • Malcolm Rifkind, Conservative M.P.
Showbusiness
- • Ronni Ancona (Sephardi), comedienne
- • Arnold Brown, comedian
- • Muriel Gray, Author, 'The Tube' presenter.
Athletes
- • Gary Jacobs, Scottish, British, Commonwealth, and European (EBU) boxing champion welterweight
People of Scottish-Jewish extraction
- • Simon Cowell, British presenter of X Factor.
- • David Duchovny, American actor, X-Files etc;
- • Isla Fisher, Australian actress, born to Scottish parents, converted to Judaism upon marriage to Sacha Baron Cohen. She has described herself as "quite observant".
- • Zarif, singer,
- • Oscar Hammerstein II, American lyricist, librettist, theatrical producer
- • Phil Ochs
- • Alicia Silverstone, American actress, Scottish born Jewish parents (mother a convert)
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Links
- Scottish Council of Jewish Communities
- Scottish Jewish Archives Centre
- Edinburgh Jewish History
- Glasgow Jewish Community
- Kilts and Kishkes
- Cosgrove Library, Edinburgh Hebrew Congregation
Books
- • Collins Dr. KE, Borowski E, and Granat L – Scotland's Jews – A Guide to the History and Community of the Jews in Scotland (2008)
- • Levy, A – The Origins of Scottish Jewry
- • Phillips, Abel – A History of the Origins of the First Jewish Community in Scotland: Edinburgh, 1816 (1979)
- • Glasser, R – Growing Up in the Gorbals, Chatto & Windus (1986)
- • Shinwell, Manny – Conflict Without Malice (1955) – autobiography
- • Conn, A (editor) – Serving Their Country- Wartime Memories of Scottish Jews (2002)
- • Kaplan, H L – Jewish Cemeteries in Scotland in Avotaynu, Vol.VII No 4, Winter 1991