Scottish Jewish Archives Centre

Scottish Jewish Archives Centre Open to everyone - we are not open full time, but appointments can be made Monday to Friday by prior arrangement or we have regular monthly open days.

Learn how Jewish
immigrants came to
Scotland, fleeing poverty
and persecution, to seek out
religious tolerance, political
freedom, educational
opportunity and a chance
to earn a better living. Documenting Jewish Heritage in Scotland

Founded in 1987 and based in Garnethill Synagogue in Glasgow (Scotland’s oldest), the Scottish Jewish Archives Centre aims to document and illustrate the religious, o

rganisational, social, economic, political, cultural and family life of Jews in Scotland since the eighteenth century. It provides a research facility and an educational resource for the Jewish, and also the wider community, in order to heighten awareness of the Jewish heritage in Scotland and to stimulate study of the history of the Jews in this country. Our Collections

The Centre collects a wide range of material, and its large collection includes old synagogue minute books and registers, membership lists, over 6,000 photographs, oral history recordings, annual reports of many communal organisations, a small library of books of Scottish Jewish interest, friendly society regalia, personal papers, war medals, ceremonial keys, newspapers, magazines, trophies, plaques, paintings and sculptures. These collections are documented, preserved and exhibited for the benefit of the general public, and visitors including researchers, school pupils, students, postgraduates, journalists, television producers, tourists, family historians and others. Interested in Volunteering? If you would like to get involved with helping us do please email us at: [email protected]. LIST OF VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES – TRAINING, GUIDANCE AND SUPPORT WILL BE PROVIDED FOR ALL ROLES

• Cataloguing and filing
• Scanning documents
• Photocopying documents
• Other administrative help
• Assisting in putting on events
• Research to produce display folders
• Guiding in Archives and synagogue
• Conducting Oral History interviews
• Producing Oral History transcripts
• Fundraising
• IT support
• Website and FaceBook maintenance
• Publicity and marketing
• Finance and budgeting
• Committee work

The SJAC presents our next Speaker and Brunch Event, Sunday 25th OCTOBER at 12 noon - booking essential https://www.tryb...
10/09/2026

The SJAC presents our next Speaker and Brunch Event, Sunday 25th OCTOBER at 12 noon - booking essential https://www.trybooking.com/uk/events/landing/120683.
Guest speaker: Jackson Carlaw CBE
“Times & Tides; 50 years in politics”
Venue will be advised at time of booking.

This week, for the 7th year in a row, Harvey, Deborah and Fiona led SJAC's Jewish Govanhill Walking Tour as part of the ...
14/08/2026

This week, for the 7th year in a row, Harvey, Deborah and Fiona led SJAC's Jewish Govanhill Walking Tour as part of the Govanhill International Festival.

The next Open Day at the Scottish Jewish Archives Centre will be  on Sunday, the 30th August from 2pm till 4pm.Our Open ...
14/08/2026

The next Open Day at the Scottish Jewish Archives Centre will be on Sunday, the 30th August from 2pm till 4pm.

Our Open Days are FREE BUT BOOKING IS ESSENTIAL:
https://www.trybooking.com/uk/GVLR

Come along and have a look at our displays on the history of the Jewish community in Scotland, speak to members of our team and see the beautiful historic Garnethill Synagogue.

An opportunity to learn about the history of the Jewish community in Scotland and view the Scottish Jewish Archives Centre's displays. The Centre...

Last week our Director hosted a group of visitors from Israel, showing them round Garnethill Synagogue and our Archives'...
14/08/2026

Last week our Director hosted a group of visitors from Israel, showing them round Garnethill Synagogue and our Archives' displays.

The next Open Day at the Scottish Jewish Archives Centre will be  on Sunday, the 26th July from 2pm till 4pm.Come along ...
22/07/2026

The next Open Day at the Scottish Jewish Archives Centre will be on Sunday, the 26th July from 2pm till 4pm.

Come along and have a look at our displays on the history of the Jewish community in Scotland, speak to members of our team and see the beautiful historic Garnethill Synagogue. Since our Open Day coincides with the Commonwealth Games happening in Glasgow we'll be showing sporting material from our collections!

Our Open Days are FREE BUT BOOKING IS ESSENTIAL:

Our Open Day will coincide with the Glasgow Commonwealth Games.

As part of the Govanhill International Festival we are leading a guided walk highlighting the Jewish History of Govanhil...
22/07/2026

As part of the Govanhill International Festival we are leading a guided walk highlighting the Jewish History of Govanhill. It will take place on 12th August from 2pm till 4pm.

Throughout much of the 20th Century, many Jewish people lived in the Govanhill/Crosshill area, forming a community with synagogues, educational organisations, social groups, youth groups and shops.

Harvey Kaplan, Fiona Brodie & Deborah Haase of the Scottish Jewish Archives Centre will lead the walk around the area exploring the Jewish History.

THIS IS A FREE EVENT BUT BOOKING IS ESSENTIAL:
https://www.trybooking.com/uk/FZAC
Meeting place for start of walk will be notified to those who book.

An exploration of the history of the once large Jewish community of the Govanhill area. Jewish people have lived in Govanhill since the beginning...

2 lovely group visits during the past week: 9 members of a family with Glasgow Jewish connections and a tour group from ...
30/06/2026

2 lovely group visits during the past week: 9 members of a family with Glasgow Jewish connections and a tour group from Israel.

Our Annual General Meeting will be on  Wednesday 24th June 2026 at 7pm on ZOOMAll Friends and supporters are welcome.If ...
09/06/2026

Our Annual General Meeting will be on Wednesday 24th June 2026 at 7pm on ZOOM

All Friends and supporters are welcome.

If you wish to attend please email [email protected] for joining instructions

Delighted to share an article on the Hidden Treasures website where the latest Archivist in the Spotlight feature focuse...
09/06/2026

Delighted to share an article on the Hidden Treasures website where the latest Archivist in the Spotlight feature focused on the SJAC's Alison Scott who's been helping us to professionalise what we do since early 2025 - well worth a read to see how she's tackled the challenge of getting to grips with our collections!

For our fifth Archivist in the Spotlight, Alison Scott, Archivist at the Scottish Jewish Archives Centre, reflects on her first year in […]

Garnethill Hebrew Congregation and the Scottish Jewish Archives Centre were delighted to welcome visitors from New York....
18/03/2026

Garnethill Hebrew Congregation and the Scottish Jewish Archives Centre were delighted to welcome visitors from New York. The great grandsons of the late Rev. Dr IK Cosgrove, minister of Garnethill Hebrew Congregation 1935-1973, and his wife Dorothy, enjoyed a tour of Garnethill Synagogue, the Archives Centre, the Scottish Jewish Heritage Centre and the Scottish Holocaust-era Study Centre, led by Archives Centre director Harvey Kaplan, who also showed them photographs from the Archives collections, illustrating their great grandparents' career at Garnethill, including their interfaith work.

Address

Garnethill Synagogue, 129 Hill Street
Glasgow
G36UB

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm
Saturday 9am - 5pm
Sunday 9am - 5pm

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