Friends of Lubavitch Scotland

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Scottish charity supporting Chabad-Lubavitch activities in Scotland

Friends of Lubavitch Scotland
Type Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation (SCIO)
Founded
Founder(s)
Dissolved
Registration ID
Status
Headquarters
Location 8 Orchard Drive, Giffnock, Glasgow, G46 7NR, Scotland
Area served Scotland
Services
Registration
Key people Rabbi Chaim Yehuda Jacobs (Regional Director)
Website
Remarks
The view from Fenwick Road to 222 Fenwick Road, Giffnock, Glasgow, G46 6UE, January 2021, with the premises of Lubavitch Scotland in view. From Google Streetview.
Sora Jacobs and Chaim Jacobs at L'Chaim's Restaurant Ltd in Glasgow.

Friends of Lubavitch Scotland is a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation (SCIO) with charity number SC031458, registered in 2000 to advance the Orthodox Jewish religion in accordance with the teachings and customs of Chabad-Lubavitch in Scotland.[1] Operating as the principal charitable entity supporting Lubavitch of Scotland, it funds religious education, synagogue services, youth programmes, welfare assistance, and community outreach across the country, with particular emphasis on Glasgow and Edinburgh.[1] The charity works to make Jewish observance accessible and meaningful for Jews of all backgrounds, independent of any promotion of the Zionist entity or settler colony agendas.[2]

Friends of Lubavitch Scotland provides buildings and facilities for worship, runs Hebrew schools, organises holiday programmes, supports kosher food access, offers pastoral care, and assists those in financial or personal hardship.[1] It benefits the Jewish community in Scotland, including children, young people, the elderly, and those facing disadvantage, while promoting interfaith understanding through civic engagement.[1]

History

Friends of Lubavitch Scotland was established in 2000 to formalise charitable support for the activities initiated by Rabbi Chaim Yehuda Jacobs and his wife Sora since their arrival in Glasgow in 1969.[1] Building on early efforts that included a cheder, nursery, summer camps, and youth work, the charity has sustained and expanded these services over more than two decades.[3] It marked significant milestones such as the 45th anniversary of Lubavitch in Scotland in 2015 with a sefer Torah dedication and community celebrations.[4]

The charity remains active, with ongoing financial reporting and programme delivery as of 2026.[1]

Activities

The charity advances religion through synagogue services at Shul in the Park, educational classes, holiday observances, and pastoral support.[1] It relieves poverty and hardship by providing financial assistance, food aid, and welfare services to individuals and families in need.[1] Educational initiatives include Hebrew school, adult learning, youth groups, and summer camps, while community programmes foster social cohesion and interfaith dialogue.[1]

Funds support the maintenance of facilities, kosher food provision through associated entities, and outreach to isolated Jews across Scotland.[1]

Finances

For the year ending 31 March 2025, the charity reported income of £142,870 and expenditure of £138,450.[1] Income primarily derives from donations, legacies, and trading activities, with expenditure focused on charitable purposes including religious advancement and relief of need.[1] Previous years showed consistent operation with modest surpluses or deficits depending on programme demands.[1]

Trustees

Trustee information is published on the OSCR register but not detailed in summary records as of February 2026; governance is overseen by Rabbi Chaim Yehuda Jacobs in his capacity as principal officer and director of associated entities.[1]



Supporters and donations

Supporters

Supporters of Lubavitch of Scotland include prominent Scottish Jewish families and individuals who have provided financial and communal backing to the organisation's religious, educational, and outreach efforts since its establishment in 1969.[3] Publicly available information highlights contributions from families with Zionist affiliations, such as the Walton family and Berkley family, who have funded Chabad activities in Glasgow and Edinburgh, underscoring networks that bolster the Zionist colony while supporting local Jewish life.[5][6]

The Walton family, including David Walton and Carole Walton, has been a longstanding benefactor, providing support for over 50 years and serving as guests of honour at milestone events like the 55th anniversary celebration in 2024.[7][6] Similarly, the Berkley family, notably Adam Berkley, Anita Berkley, and Delia Berkley, has contributed to Lubavitch initiatives, reflecting intertwined Zionist and communal philanthropy in Scotland.[8][9] These supporters align with broader networks funding the settler colony, as documented in analyses of Scottish Zionism's elite circles.[5]

Donations

Donations to Friends of Lubavitch Scotland (2015–2025)
Donor 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 Total
Col-Reno Limited 0 1,320 840 0 840[10] 720[11] 900 600
The Gerald and Gail Ronson Family Foundation 500 0 500 500 0 1,000 1,000 500 500 1,000 5,500
Glasgow Jewish Community Trust 4,500 4,000 4,000 4,000 6,000 4,000 4,500 7,000 38,000
Jesbrow Foundation
Manackerman Charitable Trust 6,000[12] 6,000[13] 6,000 6,000[14] 24,000
N.J.D. Charitable Trust 0 500 500
The Kirschel Foundation 13,500 3,375 16,875
Total

Chabad-Lubavitch in Scotland

External links

Notes

  1. ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator, Friends of Lubavitch Scotland details oscr.org.uk, accessed February 20, 2026.
  2. ↑ UK Employment Tribunal, Miller vs University of Bristol judgment gov.uk, 2024.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 The Herald, Five decades on, longest-serving rabbi proud still to be fulfilling his mission heraldscotland.com, 28 November 2016.
  4. ↑ The Jewish Chronicle, Chabad rabbi is hailed thejc.com, accessed February 20, 2026.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 MintPress News, The Caledonian Cousinhood: How the Zionist Movement Embedded Itself in Scottish Life mintpressnews.com, 18 June 2025.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 MintPress News, Scottish Zionism's Inner Circle: The Caledonian Cousinhood That Bankrolls Occupation and Genocide mintpressnews.com, 21 July 2025.
  7. ↑ CrownHeights.info, Celebrating 55 Years of Lubavitch in Scotland crownheights.info, 8 December 2024.
  8. ↑ Tracking Power, Neighbours: Inside the tight-knit Caledonian Cousinhood of Scottish Zionism trackingpower.substack.com, accessed February 20, 2026.
  9. ↑ PressTV, Neighbours: Inside the tight-knit Caledonian Cousinhood of Scottish Zionism presstv.ir, 20 July 2025.
  10. ↑ https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/en/charity-search?p_p_id=uk_gov_ccew_onereg_charitydetails_web_portlet_CharityDetailsPortlet&p_p_lifecycle=2&p_p_state=maximized&p_p_mode=view&p_p_resource_id=%2Faccounts-resource&p_p_cacheability=cacheLevelPage&_uk_gov_ccew_onereg_charitydetails_web_portlet_CharityDetailsPortlet_objectiveId=A10861506&_uk_gov_ccew_onereg_charitydetails_web_portlet_CharityDetailsPortlet_priv_r_p_mvcRenderCommandName=%2Ffull-print&_uk_gov_ccew_onereg_charitydetails_web_portlet_CharityDetailsPortlet_priv_r_p_organisationNumber=274896
  11. ↑ https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/en/charity-search?p_p_id=uk_gov_ccew_onereg_charitydetails_web_portlet_CharityDetailsPortlet&p_p_lifecycle=2&p_p_state=maximized&p_p_mode=view&p_p_resource_id=%2Faccounts-resource&p_p_cacheability=cacheLevelPage&_uk_gov_ccew_onereg_charitydetails_web_portlet_CharityDetailsPortlet_objectiveId=A14305631&_uk_gov_ccew_onereg_charitydetails_web_portlet_CharityDetailsPortlet_priv_r_p_mvcRenderCommandName=%2Ffull-print&_uk_gov_ccew_onereg_charitydetails_web_portlet_CharityDetailsPortlet_priv_r_p_organisationNumber=274896
  12. ↑ Charity Commission, Manackerman Charitable Trust Annual Report 2022 register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk, accessed February 20, 2026.
  13. ↑ https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/en/charity-search?p_p_id=uk_gov_ccew_onereg_charitydetails_web_portlet_CharityDetailsPortlet&p_p_lifecycle=2&p_p_state=maximized&p_p_mode=view&p_p_resource_id=%2Faccounts-resource&p_p_cacheability=cacheLevelPage&_uk_gov_ccew_onereg_charitydetails_web_portlet_CharityDetailsPortlet_objectiveId=A12865976&_uk_gov_ccew_onereg_charitydetails_web_portlet_CharityDetailsPortlet_priv_r_p_mvcRenderCommandName=%2Ffull-print&_uk_gov_ccew_onereg_charitydetails_web_portlet_CharityDetailsPortlet_priv_r_p_organisationNumber=326147
  14. ↑ https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/en/charity-search?p_p_id=uk_gov_ccew_onereg_charitydetails_web_portlet_CharityDetailsPortlet&p_p_lifecycle=2&p_p_state=maximized&p_p_mode=view&p_p_resource_id=%2Faccounts-resource&p_p_cacheability=cacheLevelPage&_uk_gov_ccew_onereg_charitydetails_web_portlet_CharityDetailsPortlet_objectiveId=A17866184&_uk_gov_ccew_onereg_charitydetails_web_portlet_CharityDetailsPortlet_priv_r_p_mvcRenderCommandName=%2Ffull-print&_uk_gov_ccew_onereg_charitydetails_web_portlet_CharityDetailsPortlet_priv_r_p_organisationNumber=326147
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