Giffnock Synagogue

55°48′14″N 4°17′42″W / 55.804°N 4.295°W / 55.804; -4.295

Giffnock Newton Mearns Synagogue, commonly known as Giffnock Shul, located at 222 Fenwick Road in Giffnock, East Renfrewshire (on the south side of Glasgow), is the largest Orthodox Jewish congregation in Scotland. The synagogue also features a religious day school for both children and teenagers.

Spiritual leadership

The congregation is led by Rabbi Moshe Rubin who hails from the United States and joined the community in 1990, first serving as their cantor. He was asked to take over the pulpit in 1999, after the retirement of the Rabbi Philip Greenberg, who retired in 1998. Giffnock's cantor from 1964 to 1990 (then emeritus cantor) was Rev Ernest Levy OBE (d. August 2009). The cantor for the high holy days since 2008 has been Mr. Russell Grossman, of London.

Brief history and community

Founded in about 1934, the synagogue stood at May Terrace in Giffnock until 1968. The current complex was erected on Maryville Avenue. Giffnock Synagogue is described as a "provincial synagogue". As an affiliate member of the United Synagogue organization of UK, it is under the aegis of the Chief Rabbi. It is the largest Jewish community in Scotland.^[1] Services are conducted in the Ashkenazi Orthodox ritual.

Membership

• 1938 – 350 seatholders (Jewish Year Book 1939)
• 1950 – 400 seatholders (Jewish Year Book 1951)
• 1953 – 550 seatholders (Jewish Year Book 1954)
• 1957 – 750 seatholders (Jewish Year Book 1958)
• 2007 – 700 seatholders (approximation)

See also

• History of the Jews in Scotland
• Garnethill Synagogue
• Synagogues
• Synagogue architecture
• Judaism
• Modern Orthodox Judaism
• Ashkenazi Jews

References

External links

• Official website
• The Virtual Jewish History Tour – Scotland
• Jewish Encyclopedia on Scotland
• Scottish Jewish Archives Centre
• Giffnock & Newlands Synagogue on Jewish Communities and Records – UK (hosted by jewishgen.org).