On the evening before the new Scottish Parliament sat for the first time, SCoJeC Director Ephraim Borowski contributed a specially-composed prayer in Hebrew and English to the "Kirking" of the new Parliament in St Giles Cathedral in Edinburgh, in the presence of Prince Edward, the Duke of Wessex.

The service of music and readings was attended by many of the newly-elected MSPs, including the First Minister and the leaders of the other parties, and representatives of all sections of public life in Scotland. It was a genuinely interfaith event: the sermon was delivered by Archbishop Mario Conti, an Imam read from the Koran, and the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, the Primus of the Episcopal Church, and the Archbishop, jointly blessed the new Parliament.

The Jewish Community was also represented by Ephraim and SCoJeC Deputy Director Leah Granat at the reception in Parliament Hall that followed the service. This was a valuable opportunity to meet and congratulate new and returned MSPs and renew acquaintanceship with representatives of other faith communities and leaders of civil society in Scotland with whom we have had dealings over the past decade.

Click here for the text of the Hebrew prayer read at the Kirking of the Parliament.