1 The Jewish Inverness Experience Aberdeen
Dundee Perth
Leven in Scotland Buckhaven Dunfermline Greenock Kilpatrick Falkirk Edinburgh Paisley Glasgow Hamilton
Kilmarnock From Immigration Ayr Old Cumnock to Integration Dumfries
When did Jews arrive in Scotland? Jewish communities
This map and graphic shows Jewish communities in 1911, Where did they come from? their population, dates of foundation and dissolution, where relevant. Where did they settle? Glasgow 8,899 1821 How many Jews are in Scotland today? Edinburgh 2,021 1816/17 Other organised communities Aberdeen 109 1893 What community frameworks did they set up? Greenock 106 1894–1951 Dundee 102 1878 Falkirk 68 1906–1950 Have they become part of Scottish society? Ayr 65 1904–1975 Dunfermline 50 1908–1950 Inverness 37 1906–1955
Places with a Jewish presence of at least 10 people in 1911, but where no organised community developed
Kilpatrick (E&W) 23 Paisley 21 Buckhaven 19 Leven 15 Kilmarnock 14 Hamilton 14 Old Cumnock 12 Dumfries 12 Perth 10
Alex Salmond, then Scotland’s First Minister, hears about the Estimated numbers of festival of Chanukah during a 2007 visit to Calderwood Lodge Jewish Primary School in Glasgow, Scotland’s only Jewish Jews in Scotland 1821–2011 school (founded 1962).
20,000 20,000 20,000 20,000
Scotland’s Jews are a well-integrated into manufacturing, in some cases 18,000 17,000 17,000 minority community, whose origins developing businesses on a national 16,000 15,000 date back to the beginning of the scale. In parallel, they developed a 14,000 14,000 nineteenth century. The first Jews were comprehensive communal structure to 12,000 12,000 12,000 10,000 mainly merchants and small traders care for their religious, educational, 9,200 9,000
POPULATION 8,000 from England, Holland and Germany welfare, social and cultural needs. 7,000 who founded the first synagogues 6,000 4,000 3,300 in Edinburgh in 1816–1817 and in After World War I, Jews began entering 2,000 1,700 850 100 150 350 375 450 Glasgow in about 1821. Scottish universities in significant 0
numbers, acquiring professional 1821 1831 1841 1851 1861 1871 1881 1891 1901 1911 1921 1931 1941 1951 1961 1971 1981 1991 2001 2011 Over the following decades their qualifications, especially in medicine YEARS numbers remained small, reaching and law. The community peaked at around 1,600 in 1881. However, about 20,000 in the 1930s and economic pressures and persecution remained at approximately that level triggered an exodus of Jews from until the 1960s. Since then, numbers Russia after 1882 and large numbers have decreased markedly, due mainly About this exhibition flowed through Scotland on their way to an aging population, emigration to This exhibition is based on a major demographic and genealogical to America and other destinations. England and abroad, and growing study of Scottish Jewry. The research was sponsored by the Those who stayed generally found assimilation into the wider society. Scottish Council of Jewish Communities and the Glasgow Jewish Representative Council, in conjunction with the Scottish Jewish Scotland hospitable and congenial. In the 2011 Census, around 6,000 Archives Centre. It was supervised by the International Institute for Most settled in Glasgow and Edinburgh, Scots declared themselves as belonging Jewish Genealogy in Jerusalem and funded in large part by the Heritage Lottery Fund. while others spread out and formed to the Jewish religion (while perhaps small communities in Dundee, 2–3,000 more remained undeclared). All images are from the collections of the Scottish Jewish Archives Centre except where otherwise indicated. Aberdeen, Greenock, Ayr, Falkirk, Inverness and Dunfermline. The Jewish Experience in Scotland: From Immigration to Integration While preserving their religious and by Dr. Kenneth Collins (Scottish Jewish Archives Centre, 2016) cultural identity, they are now part and presents the results of the study, woven round leading figures and Most of these newcomers worked in parcel of Scotland. Over the past two key events in the story of Scotland’s Jews. immigrant occupations. In 1891, for centuries they have contributed out of example, a third were peddlers and one proportion to their numbers to arts and fifth were in tailoring. Gradually they sciences in Scotland, as well as to its International Institute opened small shops and went civic and political life. for Jewish Genealogy The Jewish Experience in Scotland 2 Immigration and early days
Origins of Scotland’s Jews Scotland’s first Jews
Norway Heyman Lion Treatise Estonia Tartu Sweden One of Scotland’s first Jews was Heyman Lion Riga Latvia (1748–1825). Born in Germany, he practised as a Russia Edinburgh Denmark Koenigsberg dentist and a chiropodist in Edinburgh. As such, he Glasgow Lithuania Moscow was denied a medical degree by both Edinburgh Vilna and Aberdeen Universities. He went on to publish Minsk Hamburg Belarus a treatise on corns in 1802. He and his wife are Ireland Poland United Warsaw buried in a small plot on Calton Hill, the first Kingdom Netherlands Berlin London Jewish cemetery in Scotland. Brussels Cologne Germany Breslau Belgium Kiev Frankfurt Cracow Luxembourg Czech. Republic Ukraine Kharkov Paris Slovakia Munich Bratislava Austria Moldova Hungary Odessa France Switzerland Slovenia Milan Croatia Romania Italy Sebastopol Bos. & Monaco Herz. Serbia First wedding (Glasgow Herald, 1 March 1822) Bulgaria
This map illustrates the origins of Scottish Jews Under 10 marriages based on the place of parents’ marriage 10–49 marriages (1841–1901) 50 or more marriages Courtesy Michael Tobias Scotland’s first Jewish marriage, which took place in Edinburgh, was reported, somewhat unusually, in the Glasgow Herald on 1 March 1822. Confirming the existence of a synagogue, the news item incongruously describes the officiating rabbi as a “High Priest” and the 50 celebrants (probably the whole community) as the “brethren”.
Immigration
Early immigrant family Sarah Jacobson – World War 1 alien status Jewish refugee children (1939) Holocaust survivor – Rev. Ernest Levy OBE
Many photographs of Jewish immigrant families Sarah (Penkinsky) Jacobson received an Aliens Jewish “Kindertransport” children arriving at Rev. Ernest Levy, former Cantor of the Giffnock exist. Usually posed in their best clothes, these Certificate from the Glasgow Police in 1916. Waverley Station, Edinburgh, with their name Synagogue, speaks with Ken MacIntosh MSP pictures often illustrate how the newcomers were During WW1, the Glasgow Jewish Representative tags around their necks (clipping from Edinburgh and others in the Scottish Parliament at the integrating into Scottish society. In this Council helped many Jewish immigrants from Evening News, 17 March 1939). Scotland launch of his second book of Holocaust memoirs, photograph, the family look as if they have just Germany and Austria-Hungary, liable for admitted about 700 unaccompanied refugee The Single Light. He survived Auschwitz and other come off the boat and have not yet made any internment, to obtain residence status and children, mainly from Germany, Austria and concentration camps before being liberated from accommodation to their new life. numbers of others, mainly from Russia, Czechoslovakia, as the Nazi menace grew. Bergen-Belsen by the British Army in April 1945. to naturalize. The Jewish community took most of them into its care.
Scotland’s oldest Jewish families
Tobias GOODMAN The early Jewish community in Scotland was The Krakowski–Kay family, married to the Rabbi b. ~1760 fluid and transitional. By the end of any given Cohen family, is almost unique in having a d ~1834
Rachel decade from 1820 to 1910, up to 2/3 of the Jews continuous and permanent presence in GOODMAN b. ~1809 England present at the start of the decade had migrated Scotland (mainly Glasgow) since the d. Feb 19, 1873 Glasgow Joseph COHEN to England or abroad. mid–19th century until today. Leech, Sponge & Cigar Merchant b.. ~1811 Germany or Prussia d. July 27, 1878 Rothesay Burgh
Morris Tobias Theresa Helen Salemon Sarah COHEN COHEN COHEN COHEN COHEN Leech Merchant b. ~ 1840 b. ~ 1841 b. ~ 1845 b. ~1849 b. ~ 1836 Liverpool England Glasgow Glasgow Nottingham d. < 1851 d. Mar 29, 1924 m. Aug 8, 1866 m. June 7, 1882 d. Nov 28, 1906 Glasgow Glasgow Glasgow Glasgow m. June 7, 1882 Henry David m. July 9, 1873 Glasgow Manchester SAMUEL STERN b. ~ 1840 Jeweller Max Ada Slazenger London b. ~ 1855 KRAKOWSKI MOSS d. July 29, 1885 Jeweller & Commercial Traveller b. ~ 1854 Crieff b. ~1854 Manchester Memel, East Prussia (Klaipeda, Lithuania) d. Dec 7, 1916 Glasgow
Joseph Moss Ralph Israel Frank Rachel Alice Ethel Arthur Montefiore Sophia Samuel Solomon Isidore Goodman Julius Marcus Morris Philip Joseph Cohen Arthur Joseph Rachel Goodman Montague Krakowski COHEN COHEN COHEN COHEN COHEN COHEN SAMUEL SAMUEL SAMUEL SAMUEL SAMUEL SAMUEL Krakowski KRAKOWSKI KAY b. May 10, 1874 b. June 21, 1875 b. Nov 1, 1876 b. Feb 6, 1878 b. Nov 13, 1880 b. Jan 27, 1884 b. May 27, 1867 b. Feb 4, 1870 b. Oct 22, 1871 b. Dec 23, 1875 b. Aug 1, 1877 b. Nov 3, 1879 KAY b. June 20, 1884 b. Mar 17, 1886 Glasgow Glasgow Glasgow Glasgow Glasgow Glasgow Glasgow Glasgow Glasgow Glasgow Glasgow Glasgow b. Feb 23, 1883 Glasgow Glasgow d. Nov 14, 1906 d. Feb 26, 1970 d. Oct 10, 1956 d. Jan 26, 1942 d. Sept 23, 1880 d. Nov 4, 1927 Glasgow d. Jan 5, 1961 m. Feb 19, 1907 m. Dec 5, 1907 Glasgow West Kilbride Glasgow Glasgow Glasgow Glasgow d. Feb 8, 1964 Glasgow Glasgow Glasgow Glasgow m. Feb 5, 1918 m. Oct 16, 1923 m. Feb 21, 1917 m. June 10, 1919 Maximilian Anna Manchester Liverpool Glasgow m. <1923 Glasgow MAGULSKEY BERGSON b. ~ 1868 Mary Gwendolen b. ~ 1882 Ruth Amy Amy Frances Pricilla Lily FRANKENBURG Glasgow FRAMPTON PHILLIPS LEAPMAN DAVIS b. 1894 d. Dec 30, 1959 b. ~ 1892 d. 1948 b. ~1895 d. May 16, 1962 Glasgow Glasgow West Kilbride m. 1949 Glasgow Marjorie JAY
Mainly post-WW1 with some Private Private Private Private Private Private Private Private Private Private Private Private Private Private Private Private Private Private Private Private b. Prestwick b. Glasgow b. Glasgow b. Glasgow b. Glasgow b. Glasgow b. Glasgow b. Glasgow b. Glasgow b. Glasgow b. Glasgow b. Glasgow b. Glasgow b. Glasgow b. Glasgow b. Glasgow b. Glasgow m. Glasgow m. Glasgow m. Glasgow m. m. Glasgow m. Glasgow m. Glasgow m. Glasgow m. Glasgow m. Glasgow family members still alive Private Private Private Private Private Private Private Private Private d. Killearn Private b. Glasgow b. Glasgow m. Glasgow Private
Mainly post-WW2 with most Private Private Private Private Private Private Private Private Private Private Private Private Private Private b. Glasgow b. Edinburgh b. Glasgow b. Glasgow b. Glasgow b. Glasgow b. Glasgow b. Glasgow b. Glasgow b. Glasgow b. Glasgow b. Glasgow b. Glasgow b. Glasgow family members still alive m. Glasgow m. Gretna m. Glasgow Private Private Private
Private Family tree, courtesy of Michael Tobias. The Jewish Experience in Scotland 3 Development
Distribution of Jews in Scotland 1841–1911 Jewish occupations in Scotland 1841–1911
10,000 Data obtained from Scottish National Censuses 9,000 GLASGOW Courtesy Michael Tobias and Gillian Raab
8,000 Census Year 1841 1851 1861 1871 1881 1891 1901 1911 7,000 Total no. of Jews employed 6,000 with designated occupation 112 86 69 200 362 707 2013 1775
5,000 Percentage in occupation % % % % % % % %
POPULATION 4,000 Tailoring 1.8 0.0 7.2 4.0 22.4 19.1 22.2 27.9 3,000 Peddlers, hawkers, travellers 8.0 11.6 15.9 16.5 27.1 33.5 19.7 16.8 2,000 EDINBURGH Dealers, shopkeepers 18.8 17.4 24.6 12.5 9.9 9.5 7.9 9.1 1,000 OTHER Jewellers and watchmakers 8.9 9.3 10.1 6.5 5.5 5.1 3.4 1.8 0 Makers of cabinets, shoes, YEARS 1841 1851 1861 1871 1881 1891 1901 1911 boots and other products 1.8 7.0 0.0 2.5 1.9 1.6 7.8 10.4 GLASGOW 131 193 227 441 1,057 1,976 6,866 8,899 EDINBURGH 152 126 156 244 349 987 1,623 2,021 Cigarette manufacture 0.0 0.0 1.4 0.5 0.3 2.0 13.4 1.1 OTHER 52 43 61 150 243 279 577 810 TOTAL 335 363 444 835 1,643 3,242 9,066 11,730 Other occupations 60.7 54.7 40.6 57.5 30.4 22.6 23.6 31.9
Synagogues & cemeteries
Edinburgh Synagogue building (1825) Garnethill Synagogue interior (1879) Dundee Synagogue Glasgow Necropolis
The exact site of Edinburgh’s first synagogue Garnethill Synagogue in Glasgow, whose The Dundee Jewish community’s first synagogue The Glasgow Necropolis, an ambitious project (1816/17) is unknown. The Edinburgh Hebrew congregation dates back to about 1821, was was opened in 1878. In 1973, the City Council whose design was based on that of a prestigious Congregation purchased this 3-storey building in opened in 1879 (seating about 500). In its compulsorily demolished a subsequent cemetery in Paris, was formally opened in 1832. Richmond Court in 1825 (probably having rented architectural beauty and grandeur, Jews living in synagogue (inaugurated in 1919) as part of an It contained a small ‘'Jews' Enclosure” (where it for some years beforehand), and used it as a the city’s West End were making a statement that urban renewal scheme, and re-placed it with the the first internment had already taken place in synagogue, with seating for 100, until the within 60 years after their arrival, they were firmly present facility in 1978 – the first and only 1831). The Enclosure is graced with an obelisk, mid-1860s. and proudly established. It is still a functioning purpose-built synagogue and communal centre ceremonial arch and stone gateposts, bearing synagogue and since 1987 has housed the in Scotland to be erected, in a modern quotations from the Bible and Lord Byron’s Scottish Jewish Archives Centre. experimental style, by a city council. Hebrew Melodies.
Education & mutual welfare Newspapers
Falkirk Synagogue Hebrew Classes (Cheder), Odessa Lodge Friendly Society, approx. 1910 The Jewish Times (Die Idishe Zeitung) approx. 1910 In the days before the welfare state, a Jewish One of three Yiddish language newspapers Children attending after-school Hebrew Classes movement of “friendly societies” served the published in Glasgow. This issue dates from 1903 in Falkirk with their teacher, Rev. Gershon Spilg. specific health and welfare needs of the and contains Jewish news, largely from Europe, In common with Jewish communities community. By the 1930s, Glasgow had over a local advertisements and advice on how to help throughout Scotland, children were taught dozen such societies, and Edinburgh one, all relatives escape poverty and pogroms in Russia. Jewish religion, observances and Hebrew for enabling working people to obtain medical care Yiddish newspapers continued to circulate in Bible study and prayer. and employment insurance at small cost. Glasgow until the appearance of the English Reminiscent of masonic lodges, members wore language Jewish Echo (1928–1992). Jewish Echo 1928, first issue colourful sashes and regalia at their meetings.
Work & integration
Collins cap-making shop Greenwald Shop – Lerwick, Shetland Links shop – Gorbals, Glasgow World War 1
Collins cap-making “floor” in Oxford Street, The Greenwald family arrived in Lerwick, The Links wholesale linens store in the Glasgow Military service during World War 1 was a major Glasgow, about 1914. Garment making, sewing Shetland, in 1918 from Minsk (in today’s Belarus). Gorbals, around 1908. The display sign in Hebrew force for integration. Young Jews, many of them and tailoring were pre-eminent immigrant Son Woolf opened a jewellery shop, while brother writing on the upper left contains an odd mixture recent immigrants, were eager to answer the call occupations. Sometimes in sweated workshops, Harry and his wife Jean ran an ice-cream saloon, of Yiddish and English. This indicates that the to arms in their new country. This 1917 gathering for many the work represented the first rung on which evolved into a soft-goods and then a general shop’s clients, while literate only in Yiddish, of proud Jewish soldiers in Edinburgh was the ladder out of poverty. store. The family maintained a strong Jewish were becoming familiar with their new language. paralleled by one in Glasgow. identity, despite its remoteness from any organised Jewish community. The Jewish Experience in Scotland 4 Integration & contribution
Religious & inter-religious leadership Societies
Rev. Moses Joel (1788–1863) Rev. Dr. I. K. Cosgrove and Rev. D. McMahon 93rd Boy Scouts Association of Jewish Ex-Servicemen Image courtesy Edinburgh Central Library and Women (AJEX) Rev. Dr. I.K. Cosgrove, minister of Garnethill 93rd (Norman) Jewish Scout Troop in 1958, Rev. Moses Joel came to Edinburgh from Bavaria Synagogue, and Rev. David McMahon, minister marching to the opening of new headquarters. Scottish Jewish military veterans preserved around 1818 and served as minister of the of the Carmyle Church of Scotland, were founders Scouts, Jewish Lads (and Girls) Brigade, Zionist personal bonds and the memories of their fallen Edinburgh Hebrew Congregation for over thirty of the Joint Committee for Jewish-Christian youth movements and a variety of other groups comrades through the Association of Jewish years from 1828. Relations in 1943. Close friends, they followed the and societies were, and are, a powerful factor in Ex-Servicemen and Women (AJEX). Here, Dr Jack pioneering work in this field done in the inter-War maintaining Jewish identity among the young. E Miller OBE JP, one-time Treasurer of the British years by Rabbi Dr. Salis Daiches in Edinburgh. Medical Association and prominent communal The Scottish Council of Jewish Communities and leader, leads AJEX members to the Glasgow the Church of Scotland recently renewed an Cenotaph in George Square on Remembrance official dialogue, begun in the 1990s. Sunday (approx. 1990).
Business & philanthropy
Barney Covitz (1913–1997) Goldberg Stores Bloch Brothers (Distillers) Ltd, Glasgow Sir Isaac Wolfson (1897–1991)
Barney Covitz ran a Shetland Pony Stud Farm near Some of the small Jewish stores developed into Sir Maurice Bloch (1891-1964) was born in Sir Isaac Wolfson was born in Glasgow, the son Coatbridge, following in the footsteps of his father, major businesses in the inter-War period and Dundee. With his brother Joseph, he founded of an immigrant from Poland. Moving to London who had been a pony breeder in Lithuania before thereafter. A. Goldberg and Sons Ltd was a Bloch Brothers (Distillers) Ltd. in Glasgow, which in 1920, he became one of Britain’s leading arriving in Scotland in 1902. At first Covitz bred retail organisation that grew from a single became a highly successful enterprise, whose entrepreneurs, as Managing Director of Great coal-mine ponies and in later years pedigree shop in Glasgow in 1908 into a chain of over premier whisky in the 1950s was the Universal Stores (1932–1947) and its Chairman ponies. Many of his mares received Jewish names 100 outlets across the United Kingdom by the ‘Ambassador’. Bloch was for many years the (1947–1987). He supported handsomely medical and he often spoke to them in Yiddish and Gaelic. 1980s, among which were large departmental uncrowned leader of the Glasgow community and educational institutions in Britain and Israel, stores in Glasgow and Edinburgh. The Goldberg and a major philanthropist to Jewish and including colleges in Oxford and Cambridge family were deeply involved communally as non-Jewish charities. named after him. leaders and innovators in key educational and welfare organisations.
Art & literature
Bailie Michael Simons (1842–1925) Benno Schotz (1891–1984) C. P. Taylor (1929–1981) Chaim Bermant (1929–1998)
Bailie Michael Simons was an international fruit Benno Schotz was the leading Jewish sculptor in Cecil P. Taylor was born in Glasgow, into a strongly Chaim Bermant was born in Latvia and brought merchant, a pre-eminent Jewish community Scotland and was appointed the Queen’s Sculptor socialist family of Russian origin. As a playwright, to Glasgow as a child. An author, critic, columnist leader and a Bailie on the Glasgow City Council in Ordinary for Scotland in 1963. From Estonia, he produced over 80 plays for stage, radio and TV. and Orthodox Jew, he published over 30 books, from 1883. In 1895, he founded Howard & he came to study at the Glasgow School of Art in He drew deeply from his Scottish Jewish roots including Troubled Eden: An Anatomy of British Wyndham Ltd, which managed theatres in 1912 and eventually became Head of its Sculpture and some of his plays, such as Bread and Butter, Jewry. Several of his fictional works deal with Glasgow, Edinburgh and elsewhere. In 1902, Department. A Freeman of the City of Glasgow, he dealt directly with religious, political, generational Glasgow and Scottish Jewry, giving an he became Chairman of the Council of the was supportive of Jewish refugee artists who and ideological tensions within the Glasgow affectionate and often critical view of the Royal Glasgow Institute of Fine Arts. arrived around 1940. Jewish community. community, its internal dynamics and, especially, its particular foibles.
Academia, civil society & politics
Professor Noah Morris (1893–1947) The Rt. Hon. Lady Hazel Cosgrove CBE (1946–) Sir Myer Galpern (1903–1993) The Rt. Hon. Sir Malcolm Rifkind (1946–)
Prof. Noah Morris, son of immigrant parents from Lady Hazel Cosgrove was born in Glasgow in 1946. Myer Galpern was the first and so far only Jewish Sir Malcolm Rifkind was the first Jewish politician Vilna (Vilnius) and Riga, was the first Scottish Jew She was the first woman to be appointed a Senator Lord Provost of Glasgow. Pictured in his robes as in Scotland to reach cabinet rank when he was to be appointed to a Regius Chair, that of Materia of the College of Justice, a judge of Scotland’s Lord Provost in 1958, he went on to become MP for appointed Secretary of State for Scotland in 1986. Medica, at the University of Glasgow in 1937. Supreme Court (2003–2006). Formerly a Sheriff in Glasgow Shettleston (1959–1979) and served as First elected to Edinburgh Pentlands in 1974, An outstanding biochemist and clinician, he was Glasgow and then Edinburgh. Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons from he became Defence Secretary in 1992 and was also deeply involved in Jewish education and 1974–1979. After retiring, he was made a Life Peer appointed Foreign Secretary in 1995. As MP for supported refugee physicians trying to obtain as Baron Galpern of Shettleston. Chelsea and Kensington, he continued in British medical qualifications. Parliament until 2015.