Find information about Jewish Care Scotland from its earliest days over 150 years ago.
Click on the links below to find out more about Jewish care.
About us
To be Jewish is to share a deep sense of community – it has always been that way. 150 years ago, the founding fathers of the Glasgow Hebrew Philanthropic Society knew of their obligations to the vulnerable and less well off in society.
Today its successor organisation - Jewish Care Scotland - supports people in the community of all ages - in a professional and compassionate way.
Whether it is young people struggling with multiple sclerosis or mental health problems, or perhaps older people suffering from dementia, Jewish Care Scotland is there to offer a helping hand through its professional staff and its dedicated care agency volunteers.
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Our history
Our roots go back 150 years, to the earliest days of the Scottish Jewish community, when charitable caring for those in need was a priority for everyone in the community.
Today, at Jewish Care Scotland we carry on this tradition of care in our community, fulfilling the role of a big extended family.
Here are some key dates:
1858
The earliest written record of Glasgow Hebrew Philanthropic Society. The Society and the Synagogue Council dispensed charity to Glasgow’s Jewish needy.
1866
The Synagogue Council agreed to amalgamate its charity work with the Glasgow Hebrew Philanthropic Society.
1867
The merged Glasgow Jewish Board of Guardians and Philanthropic Association took on the whole responsibility for the relief of the poor.
1911
The organisation relocated, moving from Garnethill to the Gorbals, where most of those making a claim on its funds resided. Here the organisation was based in a large main door flat at 11 Apsley Place.
1917
The Glasgow Jewish Board of Guardians and Philanthropic Association name was shortened to The Glasgow Jewish Board of Guardians.
1926
The Glasgow Jewish Board of Guardians opened their new administrative offices and communal hall at 52 Thistle Street, Gorbals.
1970
The Glasgow Jewish Board of Guardians was renamed The Glasgow Jewish Welfare Board, coinciding with a move into new premises at 49 Coplaw Street and to reflect changing public attitudes to welfare services.
1996
A radical change - the Glasgow Jewish Welfare Board was professionalised, changed its name to Jewish Care Scotland and moved from Copelaw Street to temporary premises within the Maccabi complex in Giffnock.
A chief executive was appointed, together with professional social workers and staff.
East Renfrewshire Council entered into a partnership arangement with Jewish Care Scotland, leading to the development of social work services including day care and home support teams.
At this time, the Welfare Agency changed its name to the Social Care Agency and volunteers and professional staff joined together for the increased benefit of those in the community in need of help and support.
1999
Jewish Care Scotland moved into the purpose built Walton Community Care Centre, along with Cosgrove Care and the Jewish Blind Society.
Our team
Today Jewish Care Scotland is governed by its Memorandum and Articles of Association under the Companies Act 1985. It also adheres to the values and principles as set out by the offices of the Scottish Charity Regulator OSCR.
Board of Directors
A Board of Directors is elected at the Annual General Meeting. Today 12 directors are responsible for the policy and financial well being of the charity.
This new Board was elected in August 2007:
Chair: Maureen Solomons. Vice-Chair: David Bishop.
Honorary President: Albert Tankel.
Honorary Life
Vice-Presidents: Marcus Green, Freda Jackson, Melville Robinson, Joan Sellyn, David Strang, William Talbot.
Treasurer: Brian Links.
Secretary: Trevor Schuster-Davis
Members of the Board of Directors:
David Bishop, Colin Black, Sylvia Cohen, Angela Hecht, Brian Links, Paul Morron, Lesley Roles, Trevor Schuster-Davis, Maureen Solomons, Vivian Strang, Albert Tankel, Alice Tankel.
Finance Committee
The Chair, the Treasurer, Melville Robinson, Colin Black.
Delegate to Glasgow Jewish Representative Council
Ethne Woldman
The staff
Senior Management Team:
Chief Executive: Ethne Woldman
Social Work Manager: Ailsa Kellie,
Personnel & Administrative Manager: Michael McLellan,
Volunteer Services Manager: Neil Buchan,
Home Support and Day Care Manager: Agnes Peebles.
Development
Manager: Deborah Haase.
Office Manager: Irene Black.
The Social Care Agency Management Group
Chair: Lesley Roles.
Vice Chair: Angela Hecht.
Joan Sellyn, Vivian Strang, Alice Tankel,
Sarah Reinhold, Rochelle Blin, Rayner Howard.
Click here for details of how to volunteer.
The Social Care Agency now undertakes a wide range of voluntary activities to support the work of Jewish Care Scotland. Almost 100 volunteers work within 17 sub groups:
Arts and Crafts, Aviv Club, Bakers, Bowling Club, Computer Club, Convalescent Holiday Fund, Events, Kandu, Magazine, Outreach, Out and About, Reception and Support, Sunday Club, Thistle Club, Thistle Bus Escorts, Thistle Discussion Group and Wat’s On.
Three volunteers contribute Movement to Music, Medication Advice and Bridge Advice.
How we are funded
Jewish Care Scotland is a Scottish Charity registered under Charity No. SCO 05267.
As a not for profit organisation, we need to raise funds to cover the cost of the services we provide.
Our main funding comes from the Jewish community itself and from local authorities. We benefit from a unique partnership with East Renfrewshire Council. Approximately one third of our staff is either seconded from East Renfrewshire Council or have salaries covered by the council.
We also receive income from Glasgow City Council and from those who use some of our services.
We benefit too from voluntary input. The Social Care Agency volunteers contribute over 200,000 hours a year of practical help and a spirit of care that pervades everything we do.
However there is always a sizeable sum that we need to find each year to ensure we have the staff and resources to help people in need in the community.
We subsidise every client who attends our clubs by an average of £20 each day and we must also raise money for the social work team who work outwith East Renfrewshire.
We rely on the generosity of individual donors to make up this shortfall and we offer a range of ways of giving designed to suit individual requirements.
Each autumn, the annual appeal mailing is a major and crucial fundraising effort. It allows everyone in the community to offer their support.
Adding a name to the memorial board is a wonderful way to make a tribute to departed loved ones and help maintain services in the Walton Community Care Centre.
Making a donation into The Celebration and Anniversary Fund is a delightful way of extending the joy of a celebration even further, by making a gift to Jewish Care Scotland in the name of the celebrant.
Leaving a legacy to Jewish Care Scotland in your will means leaving a gift that will help others in the community.
Our Social Care Agency volunteers organise an annual fundraising sponsored walk and now a members’ committee from our Thistle Club is holding regular fundraising card nights.
All these types of donation are crucial to fund the social work team, the day centre, the clubs, specialist services, parties and the annual Troon and Bonnyton outings.
Please contact us on 0141 620 1800 or email us at admin@jcarescot.org.uk if you would like to find out more about how you can help.
Click here for more information on ways of helping Jewish Care Scotland.