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Giffnock Newton Mearns Synagogue
The interior of the synagogue
Religion
Affiliation	Orthodox Judaism
Rite	Nusach Ashkenaz
Ecclesiastical or organisational status	Synagogue
Leadership	Rabbi Moshe Rubin
Status	Active
Notable artwork	Stained glass windows by John K. Clark
Location
Location	222 Fenwick Road, Giffnock, East Renfrewshire, Glasgow, Scotland G46 6UE
Country	United Kingdom
Location of the synagogue in Scotland
Geographic coordinates	55°48′14″N 4°17′42″W / 55.804°N 4.295°W / 55.804; -4.295
Architecture
Date established	2021 (merged congregation) 1930s (Giffnock) 1954 (Newton Mearns)
Completed	1968
Website
giffnockshul.co.uk

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

The congregation was formed through a 2021 merger of the Giffnock Synagogue and the Newton Mearns Synagogue, to form a congregation with 850 members. The final service held in the former Newtown Mearns Synagogue, at 14 Larchfield Court, was conducted in January 2023. The new congregation worships in the Ashkenazi rite.

History

The Giffnock Newlands Hebrew Congregation was founded in the early 1930s, meeting initially in the Girl Guides Hall and later in the Giffnock Police Court House, until the first synagogue, in May Terrace, was established in 1938. This building was expanded in the 1950s and used until a new expanded synagogue, on Maryville Avenue, was completed in 1968.

The Newton Mearns & District Hebrew Congregation was founded in 1954 and worshipped initially at Berkeley, Edgehill and then Beech Avenue, Newton Mearns, before completing the Newton Mearns Synagogue at 14 Larchfield Court in 1977.

Giffnock Shul is a provincial synagogue and, as an affiliate member of the United Synagogue organization of United Kingdom, the congregation is under the aegis of the Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations.

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.

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

• List of Jewish communities in the United Kingdom
• History of the Jews in Scotland
• Garnethill Synagogue

References

1. "Synagogue membership in the UK" (PDF). Institute for Jewish Policy Research. Archived from the original (PDF) on 26 July 2011. Retrieved 20 December 2012.
2. "Parliamentarians say farewell to Glasgow shul ahead of final service on Sunday". Jewish News. 17 January 2023. Retrieved 16 April 2024.
3. Gurevitz, Laura (2023). "Shul history". Giffnock Shul. Retrieved 17 April 2024.
4. "Newton Mearns Synagogue". Jewish Communities and Records - UK. JewishGen and the Jewish Genealogical Society of Great Britain. 10 September 2016. Retrieved 17 April 2024.
5. "Newton Mearns Hebrew Congregation - Photograph of unveiling plaque for laying of Foundation Stone for rebuilding of the synagogue. Featuring Isidore Walton, Rev Jack Grant, Harry Mandelson, Arnold Berkley, Rev Jeffrey Cohen". Scottish Jewish Archives Centre. 1977. Retrieved 17 April 2024.
6. "Giffnock & Newlands Synagogue". Jewish Communities and Records - UK. JewishGen and the Jewish Genealogical Society of Great Britain. 10 September 2016. Retrieved 17 April 2024.

External links

• Official website
• The Virtual Jewish History Tour – Scotland
• Jewish Encyclopedia on Scotland

v t e   United Synagogue
Rabbis and other prominent leaders	Living Rabbi Jonathan Hughes Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis Rabbi Michael Plaskow Historical Rabbi Hermann Adler Rabbi Nathan Marcus Adler Asher Asher Rabbi Sir Israel Brodie Dayan Chanoch Ehrentreu Rabbi Joseph Hertz Rabbi Solomon Hirschell Rabbi Moses Hyamson Rabbi Immanuel Jakobovits, Baron Jakobovits Nathan Rothschild, 1st Baron Rothschild Rabbi Jonathan Sacks
Communities and synagogues	Current Bury Hebrew Congregation Cardiff United Synagogue Giffnock Synagogue New West End Synagogue Princes Road Synagogue Richmond Synagogue Singers Hill Synagogue Stanmore and Canons Park Synagogue Wembley United Synagogue Historical Bayswater Synagogue Blackpool United Hebrew Congregation Dalston Synagogue Dollis Hill Synagogue Great Synagogue of London Severn Street Synagogue
Cemeteries	Brady Street Cemetery Lauriston Road Cemetery West Ham Jewish Cemetery Willesden Jewish Cemetery
Schools	King Solomon High School Michael Sobell Sinai School
Organisation	London Beth Din

v t e   Synagogues in the United Kingdom
England   London Barnet Belsize Square Bevis Marks Bromley Reform Central (East London) Central (Great Portland Street Edgware & Hendon Reform Finchley Progressive Reform United Golders Green Beth Hamedrash Golders Green United Hampstead Kol Chai Hatch End Kol Nefesh Masorti Lauderdale Road Liberal Jewish Machzike Hadath Mill Hill United Mosaic Reform New London New Stoke Newington New West End North Western Reform Ohel David Eastern Richmond Saatchi Sandys Row Sha'arei Tsedek North London Reform South London Liberal Oaks Lane Reform Stanmore and Canons Park Sternberg Centre Sukkat Shalom Reform Wembley United West London Western Marble Arch Westminster Wimbledon Former: Bayswater Dalston Dollis Hill Fieldgate Street Great Great Museum of Immigration and Diversity Shir Hayim West Central Liberal Wlodawa Elsewhere in England Berkshire Birmingham Central Blackpool Reform Bournemouth Hebrew Bournemouth Reform Bradford Brighton and Hove Progressive Brighton and Hove Reform Bury Cambridge Cheltenham Coventry Darlington Exeter Guildford Heaton Park Hull Isle of Wight Kehillat Kernow Lincoln Liverpool Reform Maidenhead Manchester Reform Menorah Milton Keynes Middle Street Montefiore Newcastle Reform North West Surrey Plymouth Portsmouth and Southsea Princes Road Radlett Reform Seven Hills Sha'arei Shalom (Manchester) Sinai (Leeds) Singers Hill Southend Southport & District Reform South Hampshire Reform South Manchester Thanet & District Reform Tikvah Chadasha Former: Blackpool United Brighton Regency Brunswick Terrace Old Canterbury Falmouth Greenbank Drive Jesmond Leazes Park Lincoln (Jews' Court) The New, Leeds Manchester Sephardi Northampton Medieval (remnants) Nottingham Severn Street Sunderland Wilson Road
Northern Ireland   Belfast
Scotland   Aberdeen Edinburgh Garnethill Giffnock Glasgow Reform Former: Dundee Langside South Portland Street
Wales   Cardiff Reform Cardiff United Former: Merthyr
History Category Former list

• 1930s establishments in Scotland
• 1954 establishments in Scotland
• 2021 establishments in Scotland
• 20th-century synagogues in the United Kingdom
• Buildings and structures in East Renfrewshire
• Giffnock
• Jewish organizations established in the 1930s
• Jewish organizations established in 1954
• Jewish organizations established in 2021
• Modern Orthodox synagogues in the United Kingdom
• Religion in East Renfrewshire
• Synagogues completed in 1968
• Synagogues in Glasgow