Giffnock and Newlands Hebrew Congregation

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Former Orthodox Jewish congregation in Giffnock, East Renfrewshire (OSCR SC016029), merged into Giffnock Newton Mearns Synagogue

Giffnock and Newlands Hebrew Congregation

Type Unincorporated charity (trust)
Founded 1932
Dissolved 2025 (removed from the Scottish Charity Register on 6 March 2025)
Registration ID SC016029 (Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator)
Status Defunct (merged into Giffnock Newton Mearns Synagogue)
Headquarters 222 Fenwick Road, Giffnock, Glasgow G46 6UE
Area served East Renfrewshire
Registration Scotland (OSCR)

Giffnock and Newlands Hebrew Congregation (also "Giffnock & Newlands Hebrew Congregation" and "Giffnock Shul") was an Orthodox Jewish congregation in Giffnock, East Renfrewshire. JCR-UK describes its ritual as Ashkenazi Orthodox and the congregation as "a provincial synagogue under the aegis of the Chief Rabbi".[1] From 1968 it worshipped at 222 Fenwick Road. It was a Scottish charity (SC016029), registered on 23 July 1943 and constituted as a trust.[2] In 2021 its members voted to merge with Newton Mearns Hebrew Congregation. The merged congregation's activities passed to Giffnock Newton Mearns Synagogue, and title to the Fenwick Road site passed to Eastwood Jewish Community Centres on 20 October 2022.[3] The charity was removed from the register on 6 March 2025 with the note "Charity has been wound up/dissolved".[2]

History

Founding and May Terrace

According to the history page of Giffnock Newton Mearns Synagogue, Lazarus Cram organised the first High Festival services at his home in Giffnock in 1932. Daily services and meetings were then held in a room in the Giffnock Police Court House from 1934, and a cheder was set up in 1935. A site at May Terrace was bought for £5,000 in 1937, and the synagogue there opened on 18 September 1938. By 1946 A. L. Rubinstein had been appointed minister. Membership had reached 550 by 1947.[4] JCR-UK gives the earlier meeting places as the Girl Guides Hall, Church Road (1932–1934) and the Police Court House, Maybank Road (1934–1938). It lists 350 seatholders in 1938 and 750 in 1957, from the Jewish Year Book, and 800 members in 2015.[1]

Founders

The website of Giffnock Newton Mearns Synagogue lists the founders of Giffnock Shul as S Abramson, B L Banks, S Barclay, S Barnett, J Benson, L Benson, P Berger, B R Cates, L Cohen, A Collins, D Coorsh, Mrs F Coorsh, S Coorsh, P Coutts, W Dunitz, D Elston, L Ferrar, A Gelfer, J Gelfer, J Goldberg, A Goobler, H Gordon, J Gordon, S Gould, S Grace, A Granet, H Harris, B Hylander, J Hylander, J H Kapper, N Katz, R S Khan, J Krevitsky, M Lee, J Levitt, E Levitus, M Levitus, J Lewis, W Marco, C Markson, Mrs. J Markson, J Markson, S Meadow, J Mendelson, E Naftalin, H Ness, B Nettler, H N Norton, H Rimmer, R Seigle, S Shur, D Silver, H Silver, W Silver, M Silverstein, M Silverstone, C Stein, R Terley, B Vertis.[5]

The Glen and 222 Fenwick Road

By the early 1960s the congregation was holding overflow services in the Tudor Cinema. The synagogue's history page says that Isaac Jesner bought "The Glen" and offered it to the synagogue.[4] Ken Smith's history of the Glasgow Jewish Community Trust, More Than a Helping Hand (2024), says that Jesner proposed building behind The Glen, a villa on Fenwick Road with "a large plot of land of over an acre to its rear", and that when the house was advertised at offers over £7,000 he "said he himself would buy it".[6] According to the book, he offered £7,000 and settled at £7,250.[7]

The Registers of Scotland Sasine search sheet for the site (Renfrew 4519) records a disposition by Roy Sinclair, "now The Glen, 222 Fenwick Road, Giffnock", to the trustees for Giffnock and Newlands Hebrew Congregation, of 2 acres 2 roods 8½ poles "with House 222 FENWICK ROAD", "under exception of" 1.331 acres disponed to the County Council of the County of Renfrew in 1942. The deed is dated 13 February 1961 and was presented on 21 February 1961; the sheet notes a price of £7,250. Sinclair had bought The Glen from the trustee of John Macfarlane in 1945 for £3,250. No deed in Jesner's name appears on the sheet.[8]

The Jewish Chronicle reported on 1 September 1961, under the heading "PLANS APPROVED FOR NEW SYNAGOGUE", that permission had been given for a new synagogue "at the junction of Fenwick Road and Eglinton Drive, where a large house and grounds have been acquired".[9] In April 1964 it described "The Glen" as "a large house and grounds in Fenwick Road, Giffnock, which was acquired by the congregation in 1961 for the purpose of building a synagogue".[10] In July 1965 it reported that the synagogue "will be built on the site of property known as The Glen in Fenwick Road", with more than 1,100 seats,[11] and in August 1966 that the Giffnock and Newlands congregation planned a 1,200-seat synagogue on Fenwick Road at a cost of £185,000.[12] On 28 October 1966 it reported the cutting of the first turf on the Fenwick Road site by Maurice Felstein.[13] In April 1968 it reported that the Fenwick Road building, with 1,150 seats, "will be the largest in Scotland" and was expected to be ready for the Holy-days.[14]

The history page says that members pledged £125,000 over seven years, supplemented by loans and a £30,000 donation from the Wolfson brothers. Ephraim Cowan oversaw the building work from 1965 to 1969. The last service at May Terrace was held on 14 September 1968, and the Torah scrolls were carried to the new synagogue on 20 September 1968. Charles Wolfson opened the classroom block and banqueting suite on 11 May 1969. A mikveh was built at the synagogue in 1971 through the efforts of Isaac Jesner, and opened on 25 February.[4] Smith's book gives an estimated cost of £140,000 for the new synagogue, built with help from the Trust.[7]

Later years

In 2002, after Queen's Park Hebrew Congregation closed, 22 stained glass windows by John Clark were moved from its synagogue to Giffnock with the help of a National Lottery grant. Windows from the Netherlee and Clarkston Hebrew Congregation synagogue were later installed with the support of the Netherlee and Clarkston Charitable Trust.[4]

In 2013 the congregation and Newton Mearns Hebrew Congregation jointly recruited Eliezer Wolfson as Glasgow's first youth and community rabbi. The Jewish Chronicle reported that the appointment was sponsored by the Glasgow Jewish Community Trust, Tribe and the Queen's Park Charitable Trust, and that a proposed merger of the two congregations had been shelved at that time. The paper quoted the Giffnock chairman, Nigel Allon, as "delighted" at the appointment, and the Newton Mearns chairman, Brian Fox, as saying that the congregations "wanted to retain their independence".[15]

The building and site

The congregation's last accounts give its registered office and operational address as 222 Fenwick Road, Giffnock, Glasgow G46 6UE.[3] Its objectives included "the running and maintenance of the Congregational buildings", and it had a building convenor who sat on the executive committee.[3]

The 2022 disposition of the site describes it in two parts: the 1.331 acres described in the 1942 disposition by John Macfarlane to the County Council, and the 2 acres 2 roods 8.5 poles described in an 1870 feu contract. Its burden writs include a feu disposition by the County Council to the trustees for Giffnock and Newlands Hebrew Congregation, dated 11 April and recorded 17 May 1967.[16] The transfer excluded the ground at Walton Court that the trustees had disponed to Glasgow Jewish Housing Association Ltd, registered on 27 December 1989.[16] The Sasine search sheet notes that disposition (carried to title REN94497 on 16 April 1998), and notes no lease.[8]

In its accounts the congregation carried its land and buildings at a cost of £248,669, without depreciation: "Given the deemed land value, the Trustees are of the opinion that the depreciable amount of the land and buildings is not material and therefore no depreciation has been charged."[3]

Ministers and officers

Ministers

JCR-UK lists the congregation's ministers as follows:[1]

Its cantors were Rev. Phillip Copperman (1959–1963) and Rev. Ernest Levy (1964–1990).[1] The synagogue's history page says that Moshe Rubin was inducted by the Chief Rabbi on 31 October 1999.[4] In March 2021 the Jewish Chronicle described him as Giffnock's rabbi when the merger team was first assembled in early 2020.[17]

Officers and trustees

The accounts were independently examined by Wylie & Bisset LLP, Glasgow, and name Naftalin & Duncan as the congregation's solicitors.[3]

Finances

The congregation's accounts for the years to 31 August 2017 to 2022 show the following (£):[18][19][20][21][22][3]

Year to 31 August 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022
Income
Members' contributions 153,168 156,179 172,923 172,793 150,444 160,770
Gift Aid recoverable 35,149 34,251 38,075 42,514 37,372 38,189
Other donations income 81,490 71,641 102,128 93,865 52,846 53,995
Brochure adverts 5,500 6,325 5,015 1,950 6,730 5,030
Telephone mast 14,400 14,400 14,400 14,400 14,400 14,400
Utilities recharged 10,147 9,208 13,597 11,159 6,218 6,594
Other trading items[23][3] – – – – – 24,551
Interest 15 31 171 190 17 83
Other income[24][18][21][22] 2,700 2,669 1,429 7,517 17,899 432
Total income 302,569 294,704 347,738 344,388 285,926 304,044
Expenditure
Personnel costs 147,010 140,882 149,618 151,944 157,002 175,678
Establishment costs 82,313 87,809 85,601 80,767 62,176 58,819
Administration costs 85,904 72,377 102,096 60,223 50,365 71,252
Governance (independent examination) 2,607 2,497 2,528 2,598 2,640 3,054
Total expenditure 317,834 303,565 339,843 295,532 272,183 308,803
Funds and assets at 31 August
Total funds 397,684 388,823 396,718 445,574 459,317 454,558
Land and buildings at cost 248,669 248,669 248,669 248,669 248,669 248,669
Staff costs (salaries, NI and pension) 126,758 127,597 133,683 133,476 140,197 155,493
Average number of employees 8 8 7 7 8 8

The accounts for 2019 to 2022 note that "The Trustees pay for rental of their seat in the Synagogue, the rental amount is not discounted".[20][3] At 31 August 2022 the total funds of £454,558 included £261,012 in fixed assets, £25,000 designated for repairs and £67,073 of restricted funds, leaving free reserves of £101,473.[3]

Plan for two SCIOs and the merger

The 2019 accounts record that "the 2018 AGM agreed that two new SCIOs should be established and the assets of the unincorporated organisation transferred to them". These were "Giffnock Jewish Community Centre" (Scottish Charity no. 048957), "which will hold title to the Synagogue's property", and "Giffnock Synagogue" (Scottish Charity no. 049806), "which will run the day-to-day activities of the Synagogue". The 2020 AGM was to be asked to approve "the transfer of the property and the Repairs Reserve fund to the former, the Youth and Mikveh Funds to the latter, and the balance of the General Fund to both SCIOs equally".[20] The first SCIO became Eastwood Jewish Community Centres and the second Giffnock Newton Mearns Synagogue.[25][26]

The merger with Newton Mearns Hebrew Congregation (SC009979) was approved by separate special general meetings of the two congregations on 28 February 2021. The activities of the merged community were transferred to Giffnock Newton Mearns Synagogue, and the annual general meeting of 30 May 2022 resolved unanimously that, until the congregation was wound up, the trustees of the SCIO should act on its behalf "in all matters".[3] The Jewish Chronicle reported in March 2021 that members of the two congregations had "voted overwhelmingly for merger" in a ballot the previous week. It gave the membership of Giffnock as around 570 and of Newton Mearns as just over 300.[17] According to the synagogue's history page, the merger was agreed under Jeffrey Jesner and Lewis Orchant, chairman of the Newton Mearns congregation, and a ballot on 24 May 2022 chose Fenwick Road as the single site.[4] The Jewish Chronicle reported that more than 70 per cent of members voted in that ballot, and that the result was "almost three-to-one in favour of retaining and developing the Giffnock site".[27] The final service at the Newton Mearns synagogue, attended by the Chief Rabbi, Ephraim Mirvis, was held in January 2023.[28][4]

Transfer of the site

The trustees of the congregation transferred the site to Eastwood Jewish Community Centres for a price of "ZERO POUNDS (£0)", with entry and vacant possession on 20 October 2022. The deed was prepared by Mitchells Roberton. Kenneth Steven Gerber of that firm witnessed the signatures of Michael Goodman and Bernard Louis Cohen, and Derek David Livingston witnessed that of Ephraim Borowski.[16] The congregation's 2022 accounts record the transfer of title on 20 October 2022 as an event after the balance sheet date, and still include the land and buildings at £248,669 at 31 August 2022.[3] ScotLIS records the property, title REN156620, as "Giffnock Synagogue, 222 Fenwick Road, Giffnock, Glasgow G46 6UE", with a last purchase date of 20 October 2022 and "No price available".[29]

Eastwood Jewish Community Centres values its freehold property at £570,464.[30] That figure equals the sum of the cost of land and buildings in the last accounts of the two congregations: £248,669 for 222 Fenwick Road and £321,795 for Larchfield Court.[3][31]

Glasgow Jewish Community Trust

  • Ken Smith's history of the Glasgow Jewish Community Trust says that the Trust helped with the building of the new synagogue at Fenwick Road.[7]
  • The Trust was one of the sponsors of the youth and community rabbi appointed by the congregation and Newton Mearns Hebrew Congregation in 2013.[15]
  • The Trust lent Newton Mearns Hebrew Congregation £200,000. Its accounts say that the loan "is now held by Eastwood Jewish Community Centres, a connected charity, is interest free and repayable when the Synagogue sells the site at Larchfield Court".[32]
  • The accounts of Giffnock and Newlands Hebrew Congregation for 2017 to 2022 do not show a loan from the Trust.[18][3]

Winding up

The 2022 report states that "following the transfer of membership, activities, assets, and liabilities to the two new SCIOs, the unincorporated entity will be wound up as soon practicable and approved by OSCR".[3] The congregation's final annual return to the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator was for the year to 31 August 2023. It was received on 31 May 2024 and reported income and expenditure of £0. The charity was removed from the register on 6 March 2025.[2][33]

See also

External links

Notes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 JCR-UK, "Giffnock & Newlands Synagogue", jewishgen.org (last updated 10 September 2016), accessed 27 October 2026.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator, Scottish Charity Register download (former charities, 26 October 2026), accessed 27 October 2026.
  3. ↑ 3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10 3.11 3.12 3.13 3.14 Giffnock and Newlands Hebrew Congregation, Report and financial statements for the year ended 31 August 2022.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 Giffnock Newton Mearns Synagogue, "Our history", gnms.org.uk, accessed 27 October 2026.
  5. ↑ Giffnock Newton Mearns Synagogue, "About us", gnms.org.uk, accessed 27 October 2026.
  6. ↑ Ken Smith, More Than a Helping Hand: The History of the Glasgow Jewish Community Trust, Scottish Jewish Archives Centre in association with the Glasgow Jewish Community Trust, 2024, pp. 36–37.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Smith, More Than a Helping Hand, 2024, p. 38.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Registers of Scotland, Sasine search sheet Renfrew 4519 (222 Fenwick Road), printed 29 January 2025.
  9. ↑ Jewish Chronicle, 1 September 1961, p.16
  10. ↑ Jewish Chronicle, 10 April 1964, p.24/25
  11. ↑ Jewish Chronicle, 16 July 1965, p.24/25
  12. ↑ Jewish Chronicle, 12 August 1966, p.14/15
  13. ↑ Jewish Chronicle, 28 October 1966, p.14/15
  14. ↑ Jewish Chronicle, 26 April 1968, p.XVI/2
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 The Jewish Chronicle, "Youth minister appointment is a unifying force in Glasgow", 20 May 2013, accessed 28 October 2026.
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 16.2 16.3 Disposition by the Trustees of Giffnock and Newlands Hebrew Congregation to Eastwood Jewish Community Centres, date of entry 20 October 2022, prepared by Mitchells Roberton Ltd, Glasgow (presented for first registration in the Land Register of Scotland as title REN156620).
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 The Jewish Chronicle, "Glasgow synagogues vote to merge", 11 March 2021.
  18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 18.2 Giffnock and Newlands Hebrew Congregation, Report and financial statements for the year ended 31 August 2017.
  19. ↑ Giffnock and Newlands Hebrew Congregation, Report and financial statements for the year ended 31 August 2018.
  20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 20.2 Giffnock and Newlands Hebrew Congregation, Report and financial statements for the year ended 31 August 2019.
  21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 Giffnock and Newlands Hebrew Congregation, Report and financial statements for the year ended 31 August 2020.
  22. ↑ 22.0 22.1 Giffnock and Newlands Hebrew Congregation, Report and financial statements for the year ended 31 August 2021.
  23. ↑ In the year to 31 August 2022 the trading income also included "The Glen" £1,650, "Commissions Received" £900, "NMHC" £17,273 and "Chaplaincy" £4,728.
  24. ↑ Includes the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (2020: £7,517; 2021: £11,976; 2022: £432) and, in 2021, insurance income of £4,475. In 2017 the figure is income of the education trust.
  25. ↑ Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator, Eastwood Jewish Community Centres (SC048957), Scottish Charity Register, accessed 27 October 2026.
  26. ↑ Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator, Giffnock Newton Mearns Synagogue (SC049806), Scottish Charity Register, accessed 27 October 2026.
  27. ↑ The Jewish Chronicle, "Glasgow shuls in merger process agree on future site", 1 June 2022.
  28. ↑ Jewish News, "Parliamentarians say farewell to Glasgow shul ahead of final service on Sunday", 17 January 2023, accessed 27 October 2026.
  29. ↑ Registers of Scotland, ScotLIS, "Property summary for REN156620", accessed 27 October 2026.
  30. ↑ Eastwood Jewish Community Centres, Trustees' report and accounts for the year ended 31 August 2025, filed with the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator, accessed 27 October 2026.
  31. ↑ Newton Mearns Hebrew Congregation, Financial statements for the year ended 31 August 2022.
  32. ↑ Glasgow Jewish Community Trust, Report and financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2025, note 12, filed with the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator, accessed 27 October 2026.
  33. ↑ Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator, Giffnock & Newlands Hebrew Congregation (SC016029), Scottish Charity Register, accessed 27 October 2026.
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