SCoJeC’s “ability to keep in touch with members of our community living outside the main conurbations is a key facet of our role as an organisation that speaks for all of Scotland’s Jews” reported Walter Sneader, SCoJeC’s outgoing Chair, at the AGM. “SCoJeC was established at the time of Devolution ten years ago to enable the Jewish Community of Scotland to speak to the Scottish Government and other Scottish public bodies with a single, authoritative voice. Our track record since then clearly shows that SCoJeC is uniquely placed to represent the community.”

During the year we had a meeting with the First Minister, Alex Salmond, who pledged his support for strategies to help prevent and deter antisemitism. We also discussed the importance, not only to the Jewish community, of non-invasive methods of post-mortems with Mr Salmond, as well as with the Lord Advocate, and Solicitor General.

However, the most popular event of the year was undoubtedly our “Kosher Ceilidh” featuring the Israeli organisation, Soul Train. SCoJeC supported their tour of Scotland, which brought music, dancing and stories to almost 1,000 people, including almost 200 from outwith the central belt. They visited twelve venues, which included Maybole, Lochgilphead, Portree, Aberdeen, Dundee, St Andrews, Edinburgh, and Glasgow, receiving an unprecedented response wherever they went.

SCoJeC Director Ephraim Borowski reported that SCoJeC has only been asked to develop a proposal for a qualitative study "on what community safety means to the Jewish community ... to reassure [the] community that the Scottish Government is listening”, and that this would be discussed at a meeting following the AGM.

He thanked Walter, the Executive, and Council for their support and assistance during the year, and wished the new Chair, Professor Paul Spicker an interesting tenure!