Jewish Edinburgh and Scotland

 

Glasgow and Edinburgh are the two Scottish cities with sizeable Jewish communities.  The only other progressive Jewish Community is Glasgow Reform Synagogue (Or Hadash). Edinburgh has a somewhat smaller Jewish community than Glasgow, but this is boosted by many Jewish students and Jews who come to live here and enjoy our splendid city.

History of Jews in Edinburgh

The first synagogue in Edinburgh, and in Scotland) was founded just over 200 years ago. A recent article about Jews in Edinburgh,  can be accessed here Jews in Edinburgh and their marriages 1851-1911 , GM Raab, Book of the Old Edinburgh Club, New Series, 2022.

Jewish Walking Tour App

You can follow a walking tour of the history of Jews in Edinburgh from here , where you willl also find a lnk to download a mobile phone app to take you round the route.

Organisations

  • The Scottish Council of Jewish Communities (ScoJec) is the representative body of all the Jewish communities in Scotland. it represents the Jewish community in Scotland to government and  the Scottish Parliament. See http://www.scojec.org for more details or obtain more information from Gillian Raab, our ScoJeC representative.
  • The Edinburgh Jewish Literary Society (commonly known as "the Lit" ) holds meetings of Jewish interest on Sunday evenings during the winter months and meets in the community hall of the Orthodox synagogue in Salisbury Road. Membership is open to all and some of our members are past presidents of the society. See http://www.ejls.org for details. Meetings are publicised in our newsletter.
  • The Association of Jewish Refugees provides social and welfare services, and grants financial assistance to Jewish victims of Nazi persecution living in Great Britain. It now extends its membership to second third generations of survivors and refugees.
  • Jewish Care Scotland provides social care services for the Jewish Community in Scotland. Their  professional social work team visits people in their own homes to discuss with them their needs or any social work service they may require. Although they are Glasgow based they extend their services to Jews living anywhere in Scotland and have been provided valuable help to some Sukkat Shalom members. See http://www.jcarescot.org.uk for details or contact them on 0141 620 1800.
  • Jewish book club meets monthly in members’ homes to discuss books of Jewish interest. Contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. if interested.

Food

Edinburgh no longer has either a kosher butcher or baker.

 

However

  • Waitrose in Morningside stocks Challah on a Friday and Sweet & Sour bread from London, plus a small supply of kosher dry goods.

  • Kingsmill bread and other bread products are kosher and carry the "SKA" mark (Sephardic Kashrut Authority).
  • Allinson's  loaves and other bread products are also kosher. These include the new flavoured breads - Wholemeal & Honey, Olive & Rosemary.

  • Some Warburton products, including Gluten free Tiger Bloomer, are kosher.
  • Hovis Granary Bread carries the LBD / K kosher symbol (Hechsher).
  • Burgen breads (all varieties, including gluten/wheat free) are also kosher and carry the "SKA" mark (Sephardic Kashrut Authority).
  • Sainsbury’s supermarket at Cameron Toll - UPDATE - There is no longer a special section for Kosher foods and drinks. All Kosher products are mixed in with regular foods and drinks. They are in various aisles throughout the shop - find them if you can!!! There are other World Foods in special sections, but no Kosher Foods.

         [This Editor thinks this is a retrograde step on the part of the Sainsbury management.]

  • They stock frozen Yarden Chicken, Rakusen's 'Mister Rak's Mini Potato Latkes' and Tofutti Non-Dairy Frozen Dessert (Vanilla and Chocolate) in a special "kosher" freezer compartment. (With acknowledgment to the EHC website)
  • They also stock kosher wine in their wine section - both Palwin No. 10 and Kedem wines are available. They also stock Sabra Hummous (variant spelling) with pine nuts which have a "K" mark and may be found in the chiller cabinets where the spreads are. This sometimes gets moved around in Sainsbury's so you may have to hunt for it - it is often in one of the small stands at the back of the store near the deli counter.
  • A Manchester kosher butcher and deli (J.A.Hyman, Titanics, http://titanics.co.uk 0161 792 1888) makes deliveries to Edinburgh. [This Editor understands that Titanics are no longer trading].
  • There is a small stock of kosher products in the deli section at IKEA at Straiton.
  • Most Tesco supermarkets stock Mrs Elswood's Haimisha Cucumbers and Dill Pickles which are Kosher and carry a London Beit Din (LBD) "K" symbol. These are to be found in the regular pickles section of the store. Similarly the butter from Denmark, Lurpak, is also kosher and carries a Beit Din "K" mark and is to be found in the dairy products section. Lurpak butter products may be found in most supermarkets.
  • ASDA has some kosher products  you need too lok carefully at labels. This includes ONLINE ORDERS - look in the details of each product.
  • Most supermarkets stock Swedish Glacé non-dairy ice cream in its characteristic 8-sided WHITE (formerly black) container

Supplementary information

  • Other Kingsmill products, such as crumpets, muffins etc. also carry the SKA symbol.

      

  • Butter
  • Lurpak butters have the Danish Kosher symbol on the bottom of the packs, but it is NOT chalav Israel.

          London Beit Din Hechsher D

  • Miscellaneous (as sourced by members)
  • Lyle's Golden Syrup and Rowse's Honey carry the LBD    Tate & Lyle sugars.
  • Mackays Preserves (jam, marmalade etc.) -
  • 'Amy's Kitchen' Organic tinned soups (gluten free) - Kosher and Pareve (some Tesco and ASDA stores) - found in the "Free From" aisles.

 

  • Pre-prepared foods
  • McCains oven ready chips, potatoes, wedges etc. also carry a Kosher symbol.

 

  • Costco at Straiton
  • Some kosher products are available, including Smoked Salmon, cheesecake, Chicago Hot Dogs and often Falafel and Fish balls, Two-bite Cinnamon Rolls and Brownies
  • Wines
  • Sainsbury’s at Cameron Toll, some Tesco stores and a wine shop in Morningside stock (or can get) Palwins Kiddush wine.
  •  Sainsbury’s also has a limited stock of Israeli kosher wines from time to time
  • Kosher L’Pesach
  • Sainsbury’s sometimes have boxes Matzah (red boxes) around Pesach time (often this is too late).
  • Tesco has been asked to provide the red boxes of Matzah for Pesach but rarely provide them in time, if at all.
  • Blue boxes are available all the time in Sainsbury’s and Tesco stores. They also stock other Rakusen’s crackers etc.
  • Rakusen also has an online shop - some Gluten free products are available - e.g. GF Matzah (not kosher l' Pesach)

(Some information has been sourced from the EHC website - we acknowledge this help)

http://ehcong.com/index.php/kosher-food-outlets

 

For anyone who may be interested in the different kosher symbols, this is a useful website

https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/ask-the-expert-kosher-symbols