Giffnock Synagogue

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

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Boys aged 11-12, learning about Judaism at the Giffnock and Newlands Synagogue

Spiritual leadership

The congregation is led by Rabbi Moshe Rubin who originally hails from the United States having joined the community in 1990, first serving as their Cantor. He was asked to take over the pulpit upon the retirement of the previous Rabbi (Rabbi Philip Greenberg) in 1999 (Rabbi Greenberg retired in 1998). Giffnock's Cantor from 1964 to 1990 (then Emeritus Cantor) was the late Rev Ernest Levy OBE (d.August 2009). The Cantor for the High Holydays since 2008 has been Mr. Russell Grossman, of London.

Brief history and community

Founded in 1934 approximately, the synagogue stood at May Terrace in Giffnock until 1968. The new 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 Great Britain, 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

References
  1. "Synagogue membership in the UK" (PDF). Synagogue membership in the UK. Institute for Jewish Policy Research. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 July 2011. Retrieved 20 December 2012.
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