Scottish Council of Jewish Communities
Encyclopedia
The Scottish Council of Jewish Communities (SCoJeC) is the representative body of all the Jewish communities of Scotland. Its primary function is to act on behalf of Scotland's Jewish Communities to all external bodies. It is also responsible for a variety of activities and publications to support Jews and Jewish Communities in Scotland, and fostering both good community relations and community cohesion.
George Reid
, the former Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament
, speaking at the SCoJeC AGM in 2007, said: "SCoJeC is an example to other communities. I want to thank the Scottish Council of Jewish Communities for grasping the outstretched hand of the Parliament, and for getting involved. Ephraim and Leah [the Director and Deputy Director respectively] are weel kent figures to Ministers, to MSPs, to the senior civil servants, to the leaders of the STUC. You bring common sense and decency to everything you do. And you do engage - how you engage! In Scotland, your small community has made a remarkable contribution to our national life. Through the Scottish Council of Jewish Communities it has led to your full engagement with our new institutions."
and Government, other communities, and other statutory and official bodies. The intention, when it was established was for it to stand in the same relationship to the Scottish Government as the Board of Deputies of British Jews
does to the UK Government.
Consequently the Council is autonomous in matters devolved by the Scotland Act, such as justice, health and welfare, and community relations, whilst the Board of Deputies speaks for all Britain's Jews on reserved matters
such as foreign affairs and equality legislation.
The Council meets at least three times a year, and the Executive more frequently. The Council also consults widely within the Community, both with relevant communal organisations and with the orthodox
, reform
, and liberal
communities before it makes representations to Government or others, and only does so when there is a clear consensus. Where opinion is diverse and deeply divided, as for example on matters relating to Middle East politics, the Council does not express an opinion unless there is an effect on the Community in Scotland.
SCoJeC is registered as a Scottish Charity (no. SC 029 438 ).
George Reid
George Reid (Scottish politician)
George Newlands Reid, PC , is a Scottish politician. From February 1974 to 1979 he served as a Scottish National Party Member of Parliament for Clackmannan and East Stirlingshire. He was elected in 1999 as a Member of the newly established Scottish Parliament as a regional MSP for Mid Scotland and...
, the former Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament
Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament
The Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament is the speaker of the Scottish Parliament, elected by the Members of the Scottish Parliament, by means of an exhaustive ballot. He or she also heads the Corporate Body of the Scottish Parliament and as such is viewed as a figurehead for the entire...
, speaking at the SCoJeC AGM in 2007, said: "SCoJeC is an example to other communities. I want to thank the Scottish Council of Jewish Communities for grasping the outstretched hand of the Parliament, and for getting involved. Ephraim and Leah [the Director and Deputy Director respectively] are weel kent figures to Ministers, to MSPs, to the senior civil servants, to the leaders of the STUC. You bring common sense and decency to everything you do. And you do engage - how you engage! In Scotland, your small community has made a remarkable contribution to our national life. Through the Scottish Council of Jewish Communities it has led to your full engagement with our new institutions."
History
SCoJeC was formed in 1999 after Devolution to give the Jewish Community of Scotland a single democratically accountable voice in dealings with the Scottish ParliamentScottish Parliament
The Scottish Parliament is the devolved national, unicameral legislature of Scotland, located in the Holyrood area of the capital, Edinburgh. The Parliament, informally referred to as "Holyrood", is a democratically elected body comprising 129 members known as Members of the Scottish Parliament...
and Government, other communities, and other statutory and official bodies. The intention, when it was established was for it to stand in the same relationship to the Scottish Government as the Board of Deputies of British Jews
Board of Deputies of British Jews
The Board of Deputies of British Jews is the main representative body of British Jews. Founded in 1760 as a joint committee of the Sephardi and Ashkenazi Jewish communities in London, it has since become a widely recognised forum for the views of the different sectors of the UK Jewish...
does to the UK Government.
Consequently the Council is autonomous in matters devolved by the Scotland Act, such as justice, health and welfare, and community relations, whilst the Board of Deputies speaks for all Britain's Jews on reserved matters
Reserved matters
In the United Kingdom reserved matters and excepted matters are the areas of government policy where Parliament had kept the power to make laws in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales....
such as foreign affairs and equality legislation.
Governance
SCoJeC is a democratic representative organisation, and the members of its Council are the elected representatives of each of the formally organised Jewish communities in Scotland – Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Dundee – as well as two other informal groups, the Jewish Network of Argyll and the Highlands, and Jewish students studying in Scottish Universities and Colleges. There are also six coopted members of Council, who have wide experience of various aspects of public life in Scotland; these have included a former judge and law professor, a senior member of a local authority social work department, a professor of social policy, a consultant physician, and the head of a civil service department. In addition members of the community who are office-bearers of organisations to which SCoJeC is affiliated, such as the Board of Deputies and BEMIS are invited as observers.The Council meets at least three times a year, and the Executive more frequently. The Council also consults widely within the Community, both with relevant communal organisations and with the orthodox
Orthodox Judaism
Orthodox Judaism , is the approach to Judaism which adheres to the traditional interpretation and application of the laws and ethics of the Torah as legislated in the Talmudic texts by the Sanhedrin and subsequently developed and applied by the later authorities known as the Gaonim, Rishonim, and...
, reform
Reform Judaism
Reform Judaism refers to various beliefs, practices and organizations associated with the Reform Jewish movement in North America, the United Kingdom and elsewhere. In general, it maintains that Judaism and Jewish traditions should be modernized and should be compatible with participation in the...
, and liberal
Liberal Judaism
Liberal Judaism , is one of the two forms of Progressive Judaism found in the United Kingdom, the other being Reform Judaism. Liberal Judaism, which developed at the beginning of the twentieth century is less conservative than UK Reform Judaism...
communities before it makes representations to Government or others, and only does so when there is a clear consensus. Where opinion is diverse and deeply divided, as for example on matters relating to Middle East politics, the Council does not express an opinion unless there is an effect on the Community in Scotland.
SCoJeC is registered as a Scottish Charity (no. SC 029 438 ).
Activities
SCoJeC's functions generally fall into four key areas:- Representing Scotland's Jewish Community to other external organisations, and working with other communities and umbrella groups to improve community relations;
- Community work, organising activities and producing publications to connect Scotland's Jews with each other and their communities, and providing support for their activities.
- Interfaith work, aimed at fostering positive relations with other groups in Scotland
- Producing resources geared towards educating and enhancing understanding on Judaism and life of Jews in Scotland, both to the people they represent and to those outside the Jewish community.
Representative work
SCoJeC's representative work is as wide-ranging as the areas of Scottish Government responsibilities that have the potential to affect Jews and Jewish life in Scotland, ranging from education through health and social care, to criminal justice and family law. Its main work includes promoting the understanding of Jewish religion, culture and community, and working to provide information and assistance to local authorities, other faith and ethnic communities, and educational, health and welfare bodies across the country. Furthermore SCoJeC makes representations on behalf of the Jewish Community in Scotland to the Scottish Government, Scottish Parliamentary committees, MSPs, and other bodies on issues concerning Jews in Scotland. Examples of this are as follows:- Responding to the 2011 'Offensive Behaviour at Football and Threatening Communications (Scotland) Bill)'.
- Criticising the 'postcode lottery' of invasive detailed autopsies in Scotland, and organising a meeting with the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal ServiceCrown Office and Procurator Fiscal ServiceThe Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service provides the independent public prosecution service for Scotland, and is a Ministerial Department of the Scottish Government. The department is headed by Her Majesty's Lord Advocate, who under the Scottish legal system is responsible for prosecution,...
in order to discuss alternatives to invasive post-mortem - Taking part in a Seminar on Race Equality in Scotland at the Scottish Parliament
- Responding to the 'Forced Marriage etc. (Protection and Jurisdiction) (Scotland) Bill'
- Raising concerns about the Scottish Government's plans to re-use graves
- Consulting on and contributing to Scottish Government implementation groups concerning the 'Protection of Vulnerable Groups Act: consultation on draft guidance and secondary legislation'
- Contributing a Hebrew Prayer at the 2007 and 2011 Kirking of Scottish ParliamentKirking of the ParliamentThe Kirking of the Parliament is a multi-faith service held to coincide with the opening of the Scottish Parliament. To date, it has been held on four occasions, in 1999, 2003, 2007, and 2011.-Composition:...
in the presence of the Prince of WalesPrince of WalesPrince of Wales is a title traditionally granted to the heir apparent to the reigning monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the 15 other independent Commonwealth realms...
and Duke of YorkDuke of YorkThe Duke of York is a title of nobility in the British peerage. Since the 15th century, it has, when granted, usually been given to the second son of the British monarch. The title has been created a remarkable eleven times, eight as "Duke of York" and three as the double-barreled "Duke of York and...
respectively. - Meetings with the STUC over concerns about antisemitism in Scotland, and contributing an essay to their yearly anti-racism brochure.
- Speaking at a conference on hate crime organised by the Association of Chief Police Officers in ScotlandAssociation of Chief Police Officers in ScotlandThe Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland is the collective organisation of Chief Constables, Deputy Chief Constables and Assistant Chief Constables from the eight Police forces in Scotland....
(ACPOS) and the Solicitor GeneralSolicitor General for ScotlandHer Majesty's Solicitor General for Scotland is one of the Law Officers of the Crown, and the deputy of the Lord Advocate, whose duty is to advise the Crown and the Scottish Government on Scots Law...
Supporting Communities
SCoJeC's work in the community enables the Jewish communities in Scotland, and Jewish individuals living outwith any settled community, to connect with one another.- Four Corners - a a quarterly newsletter providing information about Jewish events and issues throughout Scotland.
- A 'Kosher Ceilidh' tour to places such as MayboleMayboleMaybole is a burgh of barony and police burgh of South Ayrshire, Scotland. Pop. 4,552. It is situated south of Ayr and southwest of Glasgow by the Glasgow and South Western Railway. ...
, LochgilpheadLochgilpheadLochgilphead is a town and former burgh in Scotland, with a population of around 3,000 people. It is the administrative centre of Argyll and Bute. The town lies at the end of Loch Gilp and lies on the banks of the Crinan Canal....
, Skye, St AndrewsSt AndrewsSt Andrews is a university town and former royal burgh on the east coast of Fife in Scotland. The town is named after Saint Andrew the Apostle.St Andrews has a population of 16,680, making this the fifth largest settlement in Fife....
, and AberdeenAberdeenAberdeen is Scotland's third most populous city, one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas and the United Kingdom's 25th most populous city, with an official population estimate of ....
, - A barbecue at DundeeDundeeDundee is the fourth-largest city in Scotland and the 39th most populous settlement in the United Kingdom. It lies within the eastern central Lowlands on the north bank of the Firth of Tay, which feeds into the North Sea...
Synagogue - A Chanukah party in Lochgilphead
- Supporting joint events between Jewish students studying in Scotland and the local communities, such as a Succot event hosted by the St Andrews University Jewish Society.
- Working in partnership with other Jewish community organisations in Scotland such as Northern Region Jewish Chaplaincy, the Edinburgh Hebrew Congregation and Limmud Scotland in promoting outreach.
Promoting Good Community Relations
SCoJeC works in partnership with other organisations to develop good relationships between communities. Activities include:- Organising the Scottish Interfaith Pilgrimage to Israel, supported by First Minister Alex SalmondAlex SalmondAlexander Elliot Anderson "Alex" Salmond MSP is a Scottish politician and current First Minister of Scotland. He became Scotland's fourth First Minister in May 2007. He is the Leader of the Scottish National Party , having served as Member of the Scottish Parliament for Gordon...
, and covered by both BBC ScotlandBBC ScotlandBBC Scotland is a constituent part of the British Broadcasting Corporation, the publicly-funded broadcaster of the United Kingdom. It is, in effect, the national broadcaster for Scotland, having a considerable amount of autonomy from the BBC's London headquarters, and is run by the BBC Trust, who...
and the Herald newspaper. - Sponsoring a Symposium jointly with the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of GlasgowRoman Catholic Archdiocese of GlasgowThe Archdiocese of Glasgow is a diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland. Glasgow first became an archbishopric in 1492, eventually securing the dioceses of Galloway, Argyll and the Isles as suffragans....
, to mark the 45th anniversary of the historic Nostra AetateNostra AetateNostra Aetate is the Declaration on the Relation of the Church with Non-Christian Religions of the Second Vatican Council. Passed by a vote of 2,221 to 88 of the assembled bishops, this declaration was promulgated on October 28, 1965, by Pope Paul VI.The first draft, entitled "Decretum de...
. - SCoJeC Director Ephraim Borowski having been appointed Convener of BEMIS, the ethnic minority infrastructure body in Scotland.
- Being represented on the Executive of the Scottish Interfaith Council.
Resources
SCoJeC also produces a number of resources aimed at furthering education on Jews in Scotland, such as:- The Guide to Jewish Facilities in Scotland which gives information about communities and facilities throughout the country.
- Scotland's Jews, documenting the history and concerns of the Scottish Jewish community, with prefaces by the First MinisterFirst Minister of ScotlandThe First Minister of Scotland is the political leader of Scotland and head of the Scottish Government. The First Minister chairs the Scottish Cabinet and is primarily responsible for the formulation, development and presentation of Scottish Government policy...
and the Chief Rabbi. - The Jewish Way of Life interactive learning resource for schools.
- MEMO, a weekly overview of information of interest to minority ethnic communities in Scotland, including parliamentary activity at Holyrood and Westminster, new publications, consultations, forthcoming conferences and news reports; and MEMO+, an occasional series of briefings and reports on a variety of issues of interest to minority communities, both published in association with BEMIS, and supported by the Scottish Government."