Jewish Student Chaplaincy Scotland
Scottish charity (SCIO) that co-funds the Jewish student chaplaincy at Scotland's universities with University Jewish Chaplaincy (OSCR SC005999)
| Jewish Student Chaplaincy Scotland
| |
|---|---|
| Type | Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation (SCIO) |
| Founded | 1969 |
| Registration ID | SC005999 (Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator) |
| Status | Active |
| Headquarters | Flat 1, 222 Fenwick Road, Glasgow, G46 6UE |
| Location | Glasgow |
| Area served | Universities and colleges across Scotland |
| Services | Jewish chaplaincy, pastoral care and education for students |
| Registration | Scotland (OSCR) |
| Key people | Mia Spiro (Chair); Simon Dover and Henry Lovat (Joint Vice Chairs); Lea Balint (Treasurer); resident chaplaincy couple (from 2026) Joey Sacharow and Gilia Sacharow |
| Website | jscs.scot |
Jewish Student Chaplaincy Scotland (JSCS) is a Scottish charity that provides a Jewish student chaplaincy for Scotland's universities. It describes itself as "the longest continuous serving Jewish student Chaplaincy in the UK". It provides pastoral care, educational programming, social events, religious services, and crisis support for Jewish students at universities across Scotland, regardless of denominational background or level of observance.[1][2]
The organisation operates as a registered Scottish charity (OSCR number SC005999) and maintains an inclusive, non-judgmental approach, working closely with university Jewish Societies (JSocs), local Jewish communities, national bodies such as the Union of Jewish Students (UJS), and the broader UK Jewish chaplaincy network.[3]
History and Name Evolution
JSCS traces its origins to 1969, when students from the Northern Region of the Inter-University Jewish Federation (now Union of Jewish Students) invited Rabbi Michael Rosin to serve as their first Honorary Jewish Chaplain, covering Scotland and Northeast England. The service was initially administered by the Northern Region Chaplaincy Board (NRCB).[1]
- 1990s — Renamed Northern Region Jewish Chaplaincy (NRJC) to reflect evolving scope and branding.[1]
- 2010s onward — Rebranded as Jewish Student Chaplaincy Scotland (JSCS), with a sharpened focus on Scottish universities following the separation of Northeast England coverage to other regional chaplaincy structures.[1][4]
Predecessors: Northern Region Chaplaincy Board, later Northern Region Jewish Chaplaincy. JSCS says: "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."[1] The register records that the SCIO was formed on a change to SCIO application by Northern Region Jewish Chaplaincy (SC005999).[5]
Chaplaincy Couples and Officers
The following is the complete chronological list of chaplains and chaplaincy couples, drawn directly from the official Jewish Student Chaplaincy Scotland records (updated March 2026) with cross-verification from contemporary reports. Many served as husband-and-wife teams.[1][4]
- 1969–1978 — Rabbi Michael Rosin (founding Honorary Chaplain).[1]
- 1978–1979 — Rabbi Tuvia Hochwald & Sara Hochwald (chaplaincy couple).[1]
- 1979–1980 — David Dimant (Chaplaincy fieldworker).[1]
- 1980–1981 — Rabbi Dr Shimon Simpson & Linor Simpson (chaplaincy couple).[1]
- 1981–1983 — Rev. Ze'ev Amit & Yaffa Amit (chaplaincy couple).[1]
- 1984–1985 — Rabbi Ya’akov Rushnyevsky & Rivka Rushnyevsky (chaplaincy couple).[1]
- 1986–1987 — Rabbi Benji Cohen & Yehudith Cohen (chaplaincy couple).[1]
- 1987–1993 — Rabbi Michael Rosin & Ruthie Rosin (chaplaincy couple; return of the founding chaplain).[1]
- 1993–1994 — Richard Jacobs (Chaplaincy Team member).[1]
- 1994–2008 — Rabbi Dovid Cohen & Sora Cohen (longest-serving couple in this period).[1]
- 2008 — Gabby Houri & Tanya Stone (Chaplaincy Team).[1]
- 2009 — Adam Nuhi (Chaplaincy Team).[1]
- 2009–2012 — Rabbi Garry Wayland & Suzanne Wayland (chaplaincy couple; appointed September 2009; ended 2012).[1][6]
- 2012–2018 — Rabbi Yossi Bodenheim & Sarah Bodenheim (chaplaincy couple; moved from Israel to Glasgow in 2012; served until 2018/early 2019).[1][7][8]
- 2019 — Rabbi Eli Grunewald & Shevi Grunewald (chaplaincy couple).[1][9]
- 2019–2022 — Rabbi Aharon Lemberger & Hodaya Lemberger (chaplaincy couple; returned to Israel in 2022 after four years).[1][10][11]
- August 2022–2026 — Rabbi Eliran Shabo & Ayalah Shabo (resident chaplaincy couple, based in Edinburgh; the JSCS about page gallery gives their dates as 2022–2026).[1][12]
- From 2026 — Rabbi Joey Sacharow & Gilia Sacharow, described on the JSCS about page as the resident chaplaincy couple, "Based in Edinburgh since 2026".[1]
Current Structure and Operations
JSCS is governed by a board of trustees and an advisory group drawn from Scottish Jewish community leaders, former students, and academics. Current key figures include:
- Chair: Dr Mia Spiro
- Long-serving board member and former chair: Nicola Livingston (1990–2020 as chair; also former Glasgow JSoc president)
- Advisory/trustee: Harvey Kaplan[1]
The service is mobile and travel-intensive rather than campus- or office-based, reflecting the dispersed geography of Scottish universities (Aberdeen, Dundee, St Andrews, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Stirling, etc.). Events include weekly learning sessions, Shabbat meals, holiday programming, one-on-one pastoral support, and crisis intervention (e.g., during exams, personal difficulties, or antisemitism incidents).
Current Chaplaincy Couple
The JSCS about page (accessed 11 November 2026) names Rabbi Joey Sacharow and Gilia Sacharow as the resident chaplaincy couple, "Based in Edinburgh since 2026".[1] From August 2022 until 2026 the resident couple was:
They reside in Edinburgh with their children and travel regularly to cover all Scottish campuses. Contact is primarily via email (eliran@mychaplaincy.co.uk / ayalah@mychaplaincy.co.uk) or university honorary chaplain channels (e.g., University of Edinburgh: v1eshabo@ed.ac.uk). No public residential address is listed for privacy and security reasons.[12][13]
Link with University Jewish Chaplaincy (London)
JSCS maintains a formal partnership with University Jewish Chaplaincy (UJC), the London-based national Jewish student chaplaincy organisation that coordinates chaplaincy provision across much of the United Kingdom.
- UJC provides strategic oversight, professional development, funding support, and national coordination for regional chaplaincies, including JSCS.
- The current Scottish chaplains (Rabbi Eliran Shabo and Ayalah Shabo) are formally appointed and employed through UJC, appearing on the UJC website as the Scotland team.
- JSCS benefits from UJC’s national resources (training, crisis protocols, interfaith networks, and connections to Chabad, Masorti, Reform, and Orthodox communities) while retaining autonomy in Scottish-specific programming and governance.
- This relationship ensures consistency in standards and allows Scottish students to access UJC-wide initiatives (e.g., national retreats, leadership programmes, and emergency support).[12][14]
The partnership is described as collaborative rather than hierarchical: JSCS operates independently under its own Scottish charity status and board, but draws on UJC’s infrastructure and expertise to enhance service delivery in a region with smaller Jewish populations and greater geographic spread than southern England.[1]
Registration and governance
The OSCR register shows JSCS as a registered charity from 5 May 1973. It records: "This SCIO was incorporated on 21st July 2016 as a result of a Change to SCIO application by Northern Region Jewish Chaplaincy (SC005999), which was an Unincorporated Association registered as a charity since 5th May 1973." The charity is also known as "Northern Region Jewish Chaplaincy; Northern Region Chaplaincy Board; JSCS; NRCB; NRJC". Its main operating location is Glasgow City, and it has no staff or volunteers.[5] The 2025 accounts say that the organisation "was established in 1969 by Jewish students in Scotland and the North-East of England" and that "in 2017" it became a SCIO.[15] The register gives 21 July 2016 as the date of incorporation of the SCIO, while the accounts give 2017.[5][15]
The registered address, "Flat 1, 222 Fenwick Road, Glasgow, G46 6UE", is a trustee address,[5] and the accounts give it as the principal address.[15] 222 Fenwick Road, Giffnock, is the address of Giffnock Newton Mearns Synagogue.[16]
| Name | Role (2025 accounts) | On OSCR register | Other trusteeships (OSCR) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mia Spiro | Chair | Yes, as "Miriam Spiro" | |
| Simon Dover | Joint Vice Chair | Yes, as "Simon Bernard Dover" | Esterson Trust; Simon Dover Charitable Trust[17][18] |
| Henry Lovat | Joint Vice Chair | No | Netherlee and Clarkston Charitable Trust (same name)[19] |
| Justine Powell | Honorary Secretary | Yes, as "Justine Clare Powell" | |
| Lea Balint | Honorary Treasurer | Yes | |
| Harvey Kaplan | Executive Member | Yes | |
| Nicola Livingston | Executive Member | Yes | Cosgrove Care[20] |
| Hannah Holtschneider | Not named in the 2025 accounts | Yes |
The 2025 accounts name the chaplains, Rabbi Eliran Shabo and Ayalah Shabo, as "Rabbi Eliran Shabo, Chaplain Full time" and "Rebbetzin Ayalah Shabo, Chaplain Part time".[15] The Glasgow Jewish community directory lists the vice chairs as Simon Dover and Emily Michelson.[21] The accounts were approved on 11 November 2025 and signed by Mia Spiro (Chair) and Lea Balint (Treasurer). They were independently examined, on a voluntary basis, by Jeffrey Jesner of Glasgow.[15] The examiner's report, dated 11 November 2025, refers to "the year ended 30 June 2024".[15]
Finances
| Year ending | Income (£) | Expenditure (£) | Annual return received |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30 June 2022 | 45,469 | 30,977 | 21 March 2023 |
| 30 June 2023 | 31,495 | 29,591 | 31 March 2024 |
| 30 June 2024 | 24,974 | 14,723 | 31 March 2025 |
| 30 June 2025 | 26,346 | 26,693 | 13 April 2026 |
| 30 June 2026 | – | – | Not yet received |
In 2024-25 all income came from donations (£26,346). Expenditure was £25,000 in "Contributions to Chaplain's Expenses" (2023-24: £14,010) and £1,693 in support costs, including £1,046 for the website. Funds at 30 June 2025 were £59,930 (General Fund £53,290; Special Projects Fund £6,640), after a £7,000 provision for recruitment costs. The bank balance was £66,930.[15] The accounts do not name donors.
The trustees of JSCS say that it funds "roughly one quarter of total costs, contributing roughly £25,000 from donations, from the estimated annual budget of £100,000. The remainder of costs are covered by University Jewish Chaplaincy." The chaplains "are employed by the University Jewish Chaplaincy who make their services available to the organisation".[15] University Jewish Chaplaincy is a London charity and company limited by guarantee (company 06543595), with its registered office at 305 Ballards Lane, London, N12 8GB.[22] It is registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales as charity 1126031.[23]
Funders
- Glasgow Jewish Community Trust: £17,000 in 2023, £17,000 in 2024 and £18,000 in 2025.[24][25]
- Esterson Trust: £1,000 in the year to 5 April 2025.[26][27] JSCS's joint vice chair Simon Dover is an Esterson trustee.[17]
Activities, 2024-25
The 2025 trustees' report says that "since October 7, 2023, the repercussions of the conflict in Israel and Gaza on campuses has persisted to cause tensions". It reports that "the chaplains reported that 2023-24 was the worst in terms of Jewish students affected by radical anti-Zionist activities (especially at Edinburgh U)", with cases continuing on other campuses "albeit on a smaller scale".[15] It gives average bagel-lunch attendances in 2024-25 of 30 at Glasgow, 50 at Edinburgh and 25 at St Andrews. It also describes "an inter-campus Friday night dinner with the First Minister" in Edinburgh in December 2024, which more than 200 people attended, and estimates that "800 students across Scotland" benefit.[15] The search for a second, part-time chaplaincy couple for the West of Scotland had "so far not succeeded" after three years.[15]
Israel and Zionist links
- The current chaplain, Eliran Shabo, is a graduate of the Ohr Torah Stone Straus-Amiel Educational Emissary Training Program in Israel. Before coming to Scotland, he and Ayala (Shapira) Shabo served as Ohr Torah Stone shlichim (emissaries) in Athens, where he was deputy rabbi.[28] The previous chaplains, Aharon and Hodaya Lemberger, are also described by Ohr Torah Stone as its shlichim (see above).[10]
- The 2025 trustees' report describes campus tensions since 7 October 2023 and "radical anti-Zionist activities", especially at the University of Edinburgh.[15]
- No grants to Israeli bodies or Israel-related organisations appear in the 2024-25 accounts.[15]
See also
- Union of Jewish Students
- University Jewish Chaplaincy
- Glasgow Jewish Students' Society
- Edinburgh Jewish Students' Association
- Edinburgh University Palestinian-Israeli Dialogue Society
- Glasgow Jewish Community Trust
- Esterson Trust
- Ohr Torah Stone
- Giffnock Newton Mearns Synagogue
External links
- Official website – Jewish Student Chaplaincy Scotland
- Full history and chaplain list
- UJC Scotland page
- Charity register entry
Notes
- ↑ 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 1.14 1.15 1.16 1.17 1.18 1.19 1.20 1.21 1.22 1.23 1.24 1.25 1.26 Jewish Student Chaplaincy Scotland, About us jscs.scot, accessed 11 November 2026.
- ↑ Jewish Student Chaplaincy Scotland, Home page jscs.scot, accessed March 2026.
- ↑ Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator, Jewish Student Chaplaincy Scotland oscr.org.uk, accessed March 2026.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 The Jewish Chronicle, Northern region appoints chaplain thejc.com, June 2009.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator, Jewish Student Chaplaincy Scotland (SC005999) Scottish Charity Register, accessed 20 October 2026.
- ↑ The Jewish Chronicle, Glasgow society celebrates landmark with gala dinner thejc.com, 22 November 2012.
- ↑ The Jewish Chronicle, Rabbi on the road to success thejc.com, 18 February 2016.
- ↑ The Algemeiner, Scottish Rabbi Says Family Is ‘Distressed’ After Being Assaulted algemeiner.com, 12 December 2016.
- ↑ Scottish Parliament, Time for Reflection: Rabbi Eli Grunewald scottishparliament.tv, 30 April 2019.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 Ohr Torah Stone, Our Shlichim Share – Rabbi Aharon and Hodaya Lemberger, Scotland ots.org.il, December 2022.
- ↑ Facebook (Aharon Lemberger), post confirming return to Israel after four years in Scotland, September 2022.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 University Jewish Chaplaincy, Rabbi Eliran & Ayalah Shabo mychaplaincy.co.uk, accessed March 2026.
- ↑ University of Edinburgh Chaplaincy, Jewish Chaplain chaplaincy.ed.ac.uk, updated June 2024.
- ↑ University Jewish Chaplaincy, Home page and structure mychaplaincy.co.uk, accessed March 2026.
- ↑ 15.00 15.01 15.02 15.03 15.04 15.05 15.06 15.07 15.08 15.09 15.10 15.11 15.12 15.13 Jewish Student Chaplaincy Scotland, Report and Financial Statements for the year to 30 June 2025, via Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator, accessed 20 October 2026.
- ↑ Glasgow Rabbinical College and Mikveh, Financial Statements for the year ended 31 December 2025, via Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator, accessed 20 October 2026.
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator, Esterson Trust (SC002824) Scottish Charity Register, accessed 20 October 2026.
- ↑ Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator, Simon Dover Charitable Trust (SC036095) Scottish Charity Register, accessed 20 October 2026.
- ↑ Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator, Netherlee and Clarkston Charitable Trust (SC042072) Scottish Charity Register, accessed 20 October 2026.
- ↑ Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator, Cosgrove Care (SC013208) Scottish Charity Register, accessed 20 October 2026.
- ↑ Glasgow Jewish Representative Council, Jewish Student Chaplaincy Scotland jewishglasgow.org, accessed 21 October 2026.
- ↑ Companies House, UNIVERSITY JEWISH CHAPLAINCY (06543595), accessed 21 October 2026.
- ↑ Charity Commission for England and Wales, Register of Charities public data extract (charity file), entry for UNIVERSITY JEWISH CHAPLAINCY (1126031), downloaded October 2026.
- ↑ Glasgow Jewish Community Trust, Report of the Trustees and Financial Statements for the year ended 31 December 2024 (redacted copy), note 5, via Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator, accessed 20 October 2026.
- ↑ Glasgow Jewish Community Trust, Report of the Trustees and Financial Statements for the year ended 31 December 2025, note 5, via Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator, accessed 20 October 2026.
- ↑ The Esterson Trust, Unaudited Financial Statements for the year ended 5 April 2025 (redacted copy), via Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator, accessed 20 October 2026.
- ↑ The Esterson Trust, Unaudited Financial Statements for the year ended 5 April 2026, via Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator, accessed 20 October 2026.
- ↑ Ohr Torah Stone, Meet the Shlichim: Ayala (Shapira) and Eliran Shebo ots.org.il, 14 March 2021, accessed 21 October 2026.