Giffnock Newton Mearns Synagogue

Giffnock Newton Mearns Synagogue seen from Maryville Avenue, Giffnock, Glasgow. From Google Maps.

Giffnock Shul is the largest Shul in Scotland with a membership of around 800 members. We also have a Banqueting Suite which can host functions up to 230 people and a Reception Hall which can accommodate up to 100. Both of these are available for hire for private functions, social events, organisational meetings and public forums.

The complex also houses a suite of rooms on the upper level used by various organisations including the JCC, JIA, Glasgow Jewish Representative Council, SCoJeC, Queens Park Charitable Trust, JNF KKL Scotland and others. The basement houses the Beth Medraish in which daily services take place and the Communal Mikveh. There is also a restaurant run by Glasgow Lubavitch (opening times vary) and a flat which is currently used by the Chaplaincy Board.^[1]

Registered Charity Number: SC049806.[1]
Registered Address: 222 Fenwick Rd, Glasgow, G46 6UE
Regulatory Type: Standard
Object: The principal Object of the charity shall be to contribute to public benefit by arranging Jewish worship and religious ceremonies and enabling persons of the Jewish faith to participate in them. It shall also, both on its own behalf and in collaboration with others, promote religious harmony and good relations between the Jewish Community and other religious, ethnic and racial groups, promote the participation of the Jewish community in civic life, and contribute to the education of the general public about the Jewish religion and the Jewish community. It shall have the power to undertake any lawful activity that is intended to further these Objects or any of the charitable purposes prescribed in statute or regulations, in particular, but not limited to, the advancement of education, religion, community development, heritage and culture, recreation, the promotion of equality, diversity, and religious or racial harmony, and other analogous purposes.

Creation

The members of Giffnock and Newlands Hebrew Congregation (GNHC) agreed by vote on the 8th March 2021 to merge with Newton Mearns Hebrew Congregation (NMHC) to from a new Congregation for the Glasgow and East Renfrewshire Jewish Community under the provisional name of “Glasgow Southside Hebrew Congregation (GSHC)”. The name was subsequently changed to Giffnock Newton Mearns Synagogue. Title to the property of both GNHC and NMHC was transferred on 20th October 2022 to a new SCIO, Eastwood Jewish Community Centres (SCIO N0 048957), the members, other assets, and liabilities of GNHC and NMHC were transferred to Giffnock Newton Mearns Synagogue on the 1st September 2022.^[2]

Details of charity's operations

Charity Status: Active
Last Updated: 28 Feb 2025
Constitutional Form: SCIO (Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation)
Constitutional Form Date: 09 Dec 2019
Geographical Spread: Wider, but within one local authority area
Main Operating Location: East Renfrewshire
Purposes: "the advancement of education","the advancement of religion","the advancement of citizenship or community development","the advancement of the arts, heritage, culture or science","the provision of recreational facilities, or the organisation of recreational activities, with the object of improving the conditions of life for the persons for whom the facilities or activities are primarily intended","the promotion of religious or racial harmony","the promotion of equality and diversity"
Beneficiaries: "No specific group, or for the benefit of the community"
Types of activity undertaken: "It carries out activities or services itself"
Notes: INCORP - You have advised us that Giffnock & Newlands Hebrew Congregation (SC016029) intends to wind up and transfer the assets and liabilities to Giffnock Newton Mearns Synagogue (SC049806) Previous charity name Giffnock Synagogue from 09 December 2019 to 11 June 2021. Previous name Glasgow Southside Synagogue from 12 June to 10 September 2021

People

Ed Faber - Parnass, circa 2024.^[3]
Rabbi Moshe M. Rubin

Management Team - circa 2025

Chair – Michael Goodman Vice Chair – Howard Beach Hon. Secretary – Ephraim Borowski Hon. Treasurer – Brian Fox Parnass (Senior Warden) – Ed Faber Gabbai (Junior Warden) – Rotation of member volunteers Building Convenor – Warren Karpf Events – Michelle Wilson IT / Online – Daniel Frank Immediate Past Chair – Jeffrey Jesner Committee Janine Beach Michelle Wilson Roger Mitchell Derek Livingston Jason Fisher Steohen Gordon Pamela Livingston David Katz Lenny Wilson Jeff Vulkan Daniel Frank Gary Cohen Eddie Talbot Ken Gerber Marcell Horvath^[4]

June 2022

Elected: Chairman, Jeffrey Jesner; vice-chairman, Alan Livingstone; secretary, Ephraim Borowski; treasurer, Brian Fox; parnass, Michael Goodman; and building convenor Howard Beach. Council: Janine Beach, Jason Fisher, Daniel Frank, Ken Gerber, Warren Karpf, David Katz, Derek Livingston, Pamela Livingston, Malcolm Livingstone, Roger Mitchell, Raymond Strang, Leonard Wilson and Evy Yedd. ^[5]

Founders of Giffnock Shul

Ministers

Cantors

• 1959 – 1963 | Rev P. Copperman • 1964 – 1990 | Rev E. Levy^[6]

Honorary Life Presidents

David Links^[7]

Income & Expenditure

Income and expenditures 2020-2025

Resources

https://www.oscr.org.uk/about-charities/search-the-register/charity-details?number=SC049806

Notes

[1] ttps://web.archive.org/web/20250321151604/https://www.giffnockshul.co.uk/about-us/

[report-2] ttps://web.archive.org/web/20250125093026/https://oscr-docs.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/gnms-accounts-ye-31-08-2023-redacted-32f00d54-d81d-ef11-840a-000d3a0d0909.pdf

[3] ttps://www.jewishglasgow.org/

[4] ttps://www.giffnockshul.co.uk/about-us/management/

[5] ttps://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10159318759502832&id=73371052831&set=a.10150360181797832

[people-6] 6.0 ^6.1 ^6.2 ^6.3 https://web.archive.org/web/20250321151604/https://www.giffnockshul.co.uk/about-us/

[7] ttps://www.giffnockshul.co.uk/about-us/management/

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