Edinburgh Jews stories retold

An exhibition is taking place at the University of Edinburgh which will offer a unique insight in the history of the Jewish community in the city.

Edinburgh Jews offers a snapshot of the formation of the Jewish community which was transformed most radically, by migration from Eastern Europe during the period 1881-1910.

Cameos of world famous figures, such as author Muriel Spark, Nobel Prize winner Max Born and the founder of the Edinburgh International Festival Sir Rudolph Bing feature in the exhibition, alongside broader portraits of the geography and of the social and political history of Edinburgh Jews.

A unique display of private family collections

Commissioned by the Research Network in Jewish Studies at the University, the exhibition combines newspaper articles, historic maps, paintings, drawings and photographs. A number of sources are from private family collections, which have never before been on public display.

To date comparative little academic research has been undertaken on which is Scotland's oldest settled Jewish community. The exhibition is the beginning of a research avenue that we hope will be developed in coming years through further studies.

Dr Mark Gilfillan of the University of Ulster has also been instrumental in forming the content of the exhibition.

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