AN EVENING WITH JEWISH CHRONICLE EDITOR JAKE WALLIS SIMONS

5 February, 2024

Jewish Chronicle editor Jake Wallis Simons (left) and GJRC President Timothy Lovat

The Jewish Chronicle editor Jake Wallis Simons was the guest speaker at an event held by Glasgow Jewish Representative Council, in conjunction with the Scottish Council of Jewish Communities, held in the Giffnock Newton Mearns Synagogue hall on Monday, 5 February.

There was a large turnout for the event, chaired by GJRC President Tim Lovat and with the vote of thanks by SCoJeC Chair Nicola Livingston. The meeting was supported by the Netherlee and Clarkston Charitable Trust and the Community Trust.

SCoJeC Chair Nicola Livingston, GJRC President Timothy Lovat and JC editor Jake Wallis Simons

Our speaker began by saying: “We are all part of the one Jewish community around the world. What affects one person affects us all.

“The former chief Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks said that in medieval times, people hated the Jews because of their religion. In the 20th Century, it was because of their race, and today it is because of their nation state. The antisemites always believe that they are on the side of the angels. They have always convinced themselves that they are doing the right thing.”

View the full report here.

PRESIDENT’S DIARY

31 January, 2024

It has been an extremely busy month for our President, Timothy Lovat, with him attending a large number of events and meetings on behalf of the community. These have included a meeting with new Police Scotland Chief Constable Jo Farrell, attending a Vigil outside the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum to mark 100 days in captivity of the Israeli hostages, and a service at Glasgow Cathedral.

At a Vigil, with community member Steven Winston, to mark 100 days in captivity for Israeli hostages,

The President also attended the 24th Annual University of Glasgow Holocaust Memorial lecture, a performance of the play Kindertransport at Giffnock Newton Mearns Synagogue, and was present at this year’s West Dunbartonshire Council Holocaust Memorial Day flag-raising ceremony and a South Lanarkshire Holocaust Memorial Day event.

Timothy Lovat (2nd right) at the West Dunbartonshire Council HMD flag-raising ceremony

EAST RENFREWSHIRE COUNCIL HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL DAY EVENT

31 January, 2024

East Renfrewshire Council Holocaust Memorial Day at Calderwood Lodge Mark F Gibson / Gibson Digital [email protected] www.gibsondigital.co.uk All images © Gibson Digital 2024. Free first use only for editorial in connection with the commissioning client’s press-released story. All other rights are reserved. Use in any other context is expressly prohibited without prior permission.

East Renfrewshire Council hosted this year’s Holocaust Memorial Day event on Monday 22 January, with assistance from GJRC administrator Evy Yedd. The community was represented by GJRC President Timothy Lovat.

At the East Renfrewshire Council Holocaust Memorial Day event

The event, held at the Calderwood Lodge and St Clare’s Primary School joint campus, was an evening of music and stories which highlighted the true horror of the Holocaust and subsequent genocides.

As well as moving music performances by East Renfrewshire school pupils, Geraldine Shenkin told her mother’s harrowing story. Marianne Grant survived the Holocaust after being imprisoned in three successive concentration camps, including Auschwitz, before moving to Glasgow and then settling in to a new life in Newton Mearns. She was awarded the freedom of East Renfrewshire in 2003 in recognition of her efforts to raise Holocaust awareness.

Pupils from St Ninian’s and Mearns Castle High Schools spoke of their learnings through the Holocaust Educational Trust and the Anne Frank Trust. Other participants included Scotland’s senior minister Rabbi Moshe Rubin and Rwandan poet Kaela-Kaliza Molina.

East Renfrewshire Provost, Councillor Mary Montague, who welcomed everyone at the memorial said: “East Renfrewshire is home to Scotland’s largest Jewish population and we enjoy a wonderful relationship with the Jewish community, so marking Holocaust Memorial Day every year is something extremely important to us all. Listening to Geraldine talk of the trauma experienced by Marianne Grant was truly harrowing but it is only right that we listen and never forget what they went through. I had the pleasure and privilege of knowing Marianne and admired her talent, humility and warmth of personality.”

AN EVENING WITH JEWISH CHRONICLE EDITOR JAKE WALLIS SIMONS

29 January, 2024

Please join the Glasgow Jewish Representative Council, with the Scottish Council of Jewish Communities, and come and meet author and journalist Jake Wallis Simons, who was appointed editor of the JC in December, 2021.

Click here to register: https://go.thejc.com/glasgow

COMMUNITY CHANUKAH EVENT FOR CHILDREN

4 December, 2023

There are still places available for the Paint Your Own Ceramic Chanukkiah Event, being held this Sunday.

THE 2023 ANNUAL AJEX REMEMBRANCE SUNDAY MARCH, WREATH-LAYING CEREMONY AND MEMORIAL SERVICE

16 November, 2023

AJEX Brigade Commander Monty Cowen (left) and GJRC Treasurer Barry Berlow-Jackson

The annual Glasgow Association of Jewish Ex-Servicemen and Women Remembrance Sunday commemorations took place on Sunday, 12 November, 2023

The AJEX event, organised by Glasgow Jewish Representative Council administrator Evy Yedd, was led by local brigade commander Monty Cowen who, together with GJRC treasurer Barry Berlow-Jackson, laid wreaths at the Newton Mearns war memorial. Those marching with the AJEX contingent included Scotland’s senior minister Rabbi Moshe Rubin, East Renfrewshire MP Kirsten Oswald, local area police commander Chief Inspector Graeme Gaillie and standard bearers from the 5th Giffnock Guides.

Rabbi Moshe Rubin

At the shul service afterwards, held for the first time in Giffnock Newton Mearns Shul, Rabbi Rubin gave the Memorial Address to an audience that included East Renfrewshire Provost Mary Montague, Kirsten Oswald and Renfrewshire Deputy Lieutenant Philip Rodney.

Rabbi Rubin spoke of the values soldiers stood for – freedom of religion, civil liberties, dignity for all, decency, respect and rights for all.

Evy Yedd read out the lists of Glasgow Jewry killed in action, as well as Canadian and Polish servicemen who died in active service and are buried in Glenduffhill Cemetery. Rabbi Rubin recited El Mole Rachamim, Monty Cowen recited Kaddish and SCoJeC treasurer Philip Mendelsohn gave the oration. Bugler Robin Thompson played the last post and reveille.

Evy Yedd and Barry Berlow-Jackson

At the kiddush afterwards, Barry Berlow-Jackson said: “Remembrance Sunday is a day to commemorate the contribution of British and Commonwealth military and civilian servicemen and women in the two World Wars and later conflicts.

“I have not sacrificed anything for my freedom. It was given to me, by those who came before me and sacrificed so much. So now, it is my responsibility to never forget them.”

THE GLASGOW JEWISH REPRESENTATIVE COUNCIL SUPPORTS JEWISH WOMEN’S AID

16 November, 2023

This year the theme for Jewish Women’s Aid Shabbat is ‘Exploring Healthy Relationships’. The goal is to open conversations across our community about what makes a relationship healthy – or unhealthy. We have created a Shabbat Activity, looking at different characteristics of a relationship and discussing: are they healthy, unhealthy or even abusive?

By thinking about and discussing these scenarios we hope to achieve two things:

  • Encourage a thoughtful and considerate approach to relationships in our community
  • Empower members of the community to recognise when their situation may not be unhealthy, but abusive

The activity is available in shul and online at jwa.org.uk/healthyrelationships and can be done at home with family, with friends or in any setting.

ASSOCIATION OF JEWISH EX-SERVICEMEN AND WOMEN REMEMBRANCE DAY EVENTS

26 October, 2023

The community is requested to attend these events, especially as very few serving personnel remain. It is important to remember those who served their country and made the ultimate sacrifice to ensure our freedom today.

There will be a kiddush after the Memorial Service. If you are planning to attend please, for catering purposes, let our office know via [email protected] or on 0141 577 8200.

DROP IN SUPPORT GROUPS

22 October, 2023

TO JEWISH PEOPLE IN SCOTLAND

18 October, 2023

SERVICE OF SOLIDARITY

15 October, 2023

Service of Solidarity – photo by Eloise Bishop

As tragic events continue to unfold in Israel, SCoJeC and the Glasgow Jewish Representative Council held a Service of Solidarity in Giffnock Newton Mearns Synagogue on Thursday, 12 October. More than 500 members of the community, parliamentarians, civic and faith leaders, and guests joined together to reflect on the events of the last week when we saw innocent civilians in Israel subject to a barbaric attack by Hamas. Innocent men, women, and children have been indiscriminately murdered and many have been have taken hostage including old people, Holocaust survivors, and young children.

Rep Council President Timothy Lovat opened the service by stating powerfully that “Israel may be our homeland, but Scotland is our home. Let’s live and pray together in peace and harmony today, tomorrow, and forever”. He then invited the mother of the late Bernard Cowan, who was murdered in Israel the previous Saturday, to light a memorial candle in memory of her son who was born in Glasgow.

GJRC President Timothy Lovat – photo by Eloise Bishop

The senior rabbi in Scotland, Rabbi Moshe Rubin of Giffnock Newton Mearns Synagogue, gave a moving address, sharing how difficult the previous days had been since he led the congregation over Simchat Torah. He talked of his own reflections of the events in Israel and shared his hope that the community across Scotland continue to take comfort from one another.

View the full report here.

WE, AS A COMMUNITY, STAND WITH ISRAEL.

09 October, 2023

The Scottish Council of Jewish Communities and the Glasgow Jewish Representative Council are horrified by the barbaric attack by Hamas on innocent civilians in Israel. Hamas terrorists have indiscriminately murdered innocent men, women, and children, and have taken hostage old people, including Holocaust survivors, and young children. Nothing can justify such acts – nothing.

The vast majority of Jewish people in Scotland have friends and family in Israel, and our thoughts and condolences are with all those affected. We sadly already know of a number of families in our community who have lost loved ones, and tragically there may well be more.

In Scotland, unfortunately, we know that when conflict escalates in the Middle East, we see antisemitism rise in the UK.  We thank the CST and Police Scotland for their ongoing efforts to keep our community safe. 

We thank the First Minister Humza Yousaf MSP for his comments today unequivocally condemning the actions of Hamas. As he acknowledged, although we have family on opposite sides of the border, we are equally concerned for their safety.

Let us all hope and pray for a speedy resolution to this conflict, an end to terrorism and extremism, and a peaceful future for all.

We encourage anyone who would like to reach out to us, or requires support, to do so by getting in touch with either of our offices, and if anyone suffers or is aware of any racist or antisemitic incidents, please inform the police, CST, and SCoJeC with as much detail as possible.

 

 

 

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When the Glasgow Jewish Representative Council (GJRC) was formed in 1914, it was to represent the Jewish community in Glasgow and the surrounding areas.

The Council helps to ensure cordial relations between the Jewish community and other civic and religious groups and sends delegates to a variety of faith and other forums and committees.

The Glasgow Jewish Representative Council, which is democratically elected, hosts a forum for religious, welfare, cultural, social, educational and youth organisations. It liaises with these bodies to ensure the effective running of the community.

Calendar Events

The community is very active with over 30 organisations holding events. For more information please visit our events calendar.

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