The Jewish Council of Scotland (JCoS – formerly known as SCoJeC) joined the Lothian Amphibian and Reptile Group to help with the annual toad migration project at Holyrood Park in Edinburgh.

Toads follow set migration patterns that remain in the group memory over generations. In Holyrood Park, a road now cuts through their route back to their pond, and, sadly, thousands of toads are run over each year by cars, cyclists, and pedestrians, while others are unable to make it over the high curbs to the other side. This is even more difficult for female toads, who often make the journey with a male mate perched on their back. But they are aided by volunteers, organised by Lothian Amphibian and Reptile Group, who come each night during the migration season to help the toads make it back to the pond.

JCoS Toad Day participants first gathered by St. Margaret’s Loch to learn about frogs and toads in the Jewish tradition from JCoS Senior Community Worker Sydney Switzer – see below to find out more!

After a snack, we all put on high-vis vests and powder-free gloves, collected buckets and head torches, and began to make our way through the park. We picked up toads on the way, placed them carefully in our buckets, and then released them into the pond. During the evening we collected over 400 toads, setting them free in the lochan. We had so much fun it felt as though we could have kept going all night!

It was inspiring to see so many Jewish people of all ages coming together from across the community, and everyone agreed it was a lovely way to connect to the Pesach story, while exploring our local communities, and learning something new. 

Frogs and toads in Jewish tradition

Because of their involvement in the second plague before the Exodus from Egypt, and the way they risked their lives by jumping into the ovens to do the will of G-d, frogs (and toads by extension) have become a symbol of commitment to G-d. The Zohar tells a story about King David, thinking himself most worthy after composing the book of Psalms but then a frog appears and reminds David that every creature (and person) worships in their own way, and all are part of the divine plan – reminding us to appreciate all parts of the ecosystem.

The Hebrew word for frog is ‘tzefarde'ah’, which can be broken down into ‘tzipor’ (as "p" and "f" are interchangeable in Hebrew), and ‘de'ah’, which mean ‘bird’ and ‘knowledge’ respectively. The Rabbis teach that this is because frogs act as an indicator species to help birds find water. Today, toads and frogs are all part of a healthy ecosystem, and their numbers in Holyrood Park (which we helped to record during our volunteering session) can serve as an indicator or how toads are doing in the park.