ABOUT US
For over 50 years a full time Jewish Student Chaplaincy Service has been provided to Jewish students in Scotland. It is the longest continuous serving Jewish student Chaplaincy in the UK and our Board of Trustees is led by Chair, Dr Mia Spiro and includes an advisory board of longstanding members Nicola Livingston and Harvey Kaplan. Scroll down to discover our history and objectives, as well as a gallery of our previous Chaplains. For more information, contact our trustees.
OUR HISTORY
The first Jewish students arrived in Scotland in the early 18th century, coming from England but also from abroad, as the ancient Scottish universities did not require students to take a Christian oath. The first Jewish communities were only established in 1816 and 1821. Organised Jewish student activity in Scotland dates from the establishment of student societies in Edinburgh in 1909 and Glasgow in 1911 – surely some of the first in the UK.
In 1969, Rabbi Michael Rosin was asked by students in Northern Region of the Inter-University Jewish Federation (IUJF, now UJS) to become their Honorary Chaplain for Scotland and Northeast England and Jewish Student Chaplaincy was pioneered in this area.
The Chaplaincy scheme was administered by Northern Region Chaplaincy Board, which became Northern Region Jewish Chaplaincy in the 1990s and is now known as Jewish Student Chaplaincy Scotland.
Over the years, there have been a number of Chaplains and Chaplaincy fieldworkers, meaning that Jewish Student Chaplaincy Scotland continues to be the only community organisation with the specific remit of supporting Jewish students in Scotland.
OBJECTIVES & ACTIVITIES
The organisation’s vision and main purpose are the advancement of religion striving to:
1.
Provide a Jewish chaplaincy service in Scotland to Jewish students or members of Jewish student societies in tertiary education;
3.
Provide, facilitate, and support the well-being of Jewish students;
5.
Retain, develop, and strengthen the Jewish identity of Jewish students;
7.
Promote knowledge and mutual understanding between Jewish and other communities.
2.
Appoint or employ Jewish chaplain(s) or, in their absence, appropriate support workers;
4.
Provide Jewish education for Jewish students;
6.
Develop individual Jewish leadership and promote Jewish student societies;
In order to fulfil
These goals, we raise funds to ensure that Chaplaincy provision continues in Scotland. Click here to support us.
FORMER CHAPLAINS
We will always remember with great thanks and much affection for the kind care and support provided by our legendary Chaplains, Chaplaincy Couples and Chaplaincy Staff for over 50 years.
