Talk:History of the Jews in Scotland

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So, no history of antisemitism until the SPSC came about? Well, barring that imported by the Irish Catholics (there is much historical and current antisemitic anti-zionism in Ireland) the same thing happened in Liverpool and there is a great deal of linkage there. Illustrated during 'The Troubles' by the opposing sides in Ulster, instigated by the Republicans identifying as Palestinians hanging out PLO flags (even more linkage between the PIRA and Republicans and Arab-Fascism, such as the Ghaddafi regime re-arming the IRA and backing their 'anti-Imperialism' ha, ha) which was met by the Ulster Nationalists hanging up the Israeli flag.

I have no Jewish background whatsoever, and nearly all the Scots I have met of Jewish backgrounds were either non-practising, or had only partial family backgrounds. So I hope that some better informed people might expand this a little.

I am hoping a similar article on Islam in Scotland might be written as well. --MacRusgail 20:05, 13 March 2006 (UTC)

This article lists Alicia Silverstone as being of Scottish-Jewish extraction, yet the Alicia Silverstone page lists both of her parents as being English. Which one is right? -- Siobhan

People often claim Scottish folk to be English, especially if they are English themselves, or from overseas. I seem to recall that her Scottish and Jewish ancestors came from different places. --MacRusgail 18:50, 3 April 2007 (UTC)

[edit] 2001 population

According to the article, the 2001 census listed 6400 Jews. It then immediately thereafter says that there are over 8,000. It cannot be both. Tomer^talk 04:06, 18 November 2007 (UTC)

6400 praticising Jews and over 8,000 raised Jewish, I believe that's what it means. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 172.189.220.78 (talk) 21:37, 2 April 2008 (UTC)

Although one cna be ethnically Jewish, but not practice the faith, the 2001 census did not ask whether someone was born Jewish but if they identified as such.

I would find that plausible. After all not all "Christians" go to church, and it's just the same with Jews. Hatch, match and despatch (+ bar-mitzvah) - and that's probably most of their visits to the synagogue. --MacRusgail (talk) 23:28, 2 April 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Scotland once had a Jewish Population of 80,000?

"Meanwhile in Scotland, members of the Jewish community admit many are nervous about being too upfront about their origins and faith. The community is in decline, with about 6,000 Jews north of the Border compared with a peak of 80,000 in the middle of the last century" and "The population peaked at about 80,000 in the mid-20th century and began to decline after the war, as many left for England, the United States or Israel. There are about 6,000 Jews in Scotland today. "

[[1]]

I remember the BBC series Scotland on Film had various shots of Jewish life in Scotland and it claimed that Glasgow Jewish population was as high as 40,000, unreliable censuses and in between Wars was to blame can anyone verify this? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 172.200.167.9 (talk) 20:28, 11 April 2008 (UTC)

See the comments above - depends whether you include non-practising Jews, or Cultural Jews as well. Bear in mind how Christianity has declined in Scotland, and a similar process probably occurs in Judaism. Add emigration - a common Scottish problem.--MacRusgail (talk) 22:43, 11 April 2008 (UTC)

Yes, it was me that posted the comments (answer) above but I can't believe that Scotland had a Jewish population of 80,000 maybe 50,000 but it does come from an Israeli newspaper so there's no smoke with out fire. :) —Preceding elitejcx comment added by 172.200.167.9 (talk) 17:41, 12 April 2008 (UTC)

Dundee had a substantial population, now invisble, and Edinburgh's has declined. God knows where Greenock's is now. Glasgow's was massive. I know a number of people with Jewish ancestry, but not a recent connection to the faith.--MacRusgail (talk) 00:00, 14 April 2008 (UTC)

[edit] When Scotland Was Jewish

This book claims that Jewish people may have been living in Scotland for 900 years and that many notable Scots have Jewish ancestory.

http://www.mcfarlandpub.com/book-2.php?id=978-0-7864-2800-7 —Preceding unsigned comment added by Elitejcx (talk • contribs) 20:33, 13 April 2008 (UTC)

Hmm... I take issue with any book that assumes that Celtic automatically means Christian. There's enough controversy over the term as it is. What do they mean by "burgs"? Burghs? --MacRusgail (talk) 23:55, 13 April 2008 (UTC)

The amount of antisemitism in this world is strangely echoed by disparate groups of loons claiming to be the Lost Tribes or the Real Israelites after some fashion. Seeing this in a 'Davidic Kingship', the fictions about the Stone of Destiny and the use of the heraldic Lion Rampant (also Kingdom of Judea) is one other example.

I would tend to agree with you, but Scotland has generally been free of anti-Semitism, thankfully, with some ignomonious exceptions. It has had a much lower profile here, than many other Western European countries, including England.--MacRusgail (talk) 15:46, 22 May 2008 (UTC)