Board of Deputies President visits Edinburgh and Aberdeen communities

Board of Deputies President Marie van der Zyl spent the weekend last weekend in Scotland with Shabbat in Edinburgh followed by a trip to the UK’s most northerly Jewish community in Aberdeen.

Marie attended Friday night dinner in her honour in Edinburgh and was joined by five Members of the Scottish Parliament. On Saturday, she addressed members of the Edinburgh Hebrew Congregation before travelling to Aberdeen, where she was a guest at the Annual General Meeting of Aberdeen Synagogue.

Marie said: “Both Edinburgh and Aberdeen gave me a fantastic welcome. It’s very important that we support communities in all parts of the country. They need financial assistance and would like to form closer relationships with other Jews in Scotland. Aberdeen is a very warm and inclusive community which is proud to support Israel. However they need help to repair their beautiful old synagogue and to keep their community going.”

Chief Executive Gillian Merron was in Birmingham at the weekend where she was guest speaker at the World Jewish Relief Birmingham Brunch. More than 10 per cent of the Birmingham community attended.