The experience of Jews in Scotland

Question 1

Poor relief

Answer 1

Jews organised their own welfare and were rarely seen by Scots as a burden on society. The Glasgow Jewish Board of Guardians and the Hebrew Ladies’ Benevolent Society we’re dealing with 500 cases of needy jews in 1901. Very free Jews received help from local poor relief.

Question 2

Prejudice

Answer 2

Although there was some resentment toward poorer Jews and antisemitism, the Jews are thought to have faced less hostility than some other immigrant groups. Perhaps this is due to their independent and self contained existence.

Question 3

Trade unions

Answer 3

Tension with trade unions which complained that Jewish owned businesses forced workers to work longer hours for less pay in the “sweated trades” such as tailoring- which had an estimated 6000 workers employed in Glasgow in 1889.

Question 4

Religion

Answer 4

The Jewish population developed in to a community and built synagogues to worship in, such as at South Portland Street in Glasgow, built at a cost of £9000.

Question 5

Language

Answer 5

Maintained a distinct identity by continuing to speak Yiddish and read Yiddish newspapers. There were also Jewish reading rooms established. By the 1900s Yiddish language (and newspapers) was dying out.

Question 6

Settlement

Answer 6

Jewish tended to live together in similar areas, for example by 1915 there were an estimated 7000 jews in Glasgow, most living in the Gorbals. By the mid 1920s, Jews were moving out of the Gorbals and into the suburbs.

Question 7

Business

Answer 7

Jewish immigrants tended to set up small businesses, from peddlers and hawkers to shopkeepers- such as tailors, bakers and cabinet makers- by clothing manufacturers in 1901 nearly 200 loans were granted to Jewish businesses by the Benevolent loan Society.

Question 8

Education

Answer 8

Opportunities offered by the Scottish education system, allowed young Jews to improve their life chances. Many Jewish immigrants worked hard at school to go to university- attending Edinburgh and Glasgow Universities in particular. Many entered established professions- medicine being the most popular career choice- the feting in ready status and income for many Scottish Jews.

Question 9

Main topics (8)

Answer 9

• Poor relief
• Religion
• Prejudice
• Trade Unions
• Education
• Business
• Settlement
• Language