On 30th September, the Scottish Jewish Heritage Centre welcomed teachers from primary and secondary schools across Scotland to a free CPD event. The evening was designed to give teachers an insight into what we do, highlight the resources we offer, and showcase the unique learning opportunities available through our school visits.
Some teachers had visited before and were able to share wonderfully enthusiastic feedback on the tours they’d previously attended, which set a lovely tone for the evening. Over tea, coffee, and a delicious spread of mini bagels and cakes provided by Mark’s Deli, everyone had the chance to meet, chat, and settle in.
Our Manager, Kerry Patterson, opened the event with a presentation on the history of the Garnethill Synagogue and an overview of the Centre’s work. Kerry then introduced the range of sessions we provide for school groups:
- Synagogue Discovery – an engaging introduction for pupils of all ages to Jewish religion and culture, alongside the opportunity to explore Scotland’s oldest synagogue.
- Refugee Learning Kits – three individual kits focusing on people who escaped Nazi persecution and built new lives in Scotland. Each kit draws on powerful primary source materials from the Scottish Jewish Archives Centre, also based on-site. Teachers can choose the kits that best fits their class’s learning focus, whether on resilience, identity, or the refugee experience.
- Immigration: Making a Life in the Gorbals – an in-depth kit that links closely to the Migration and Empire topic in Higher History, using original archival material to bring Scotland’s migration story to life.
Following Kerry’s talk, Sydney Switzer from the Jewish Council of Scotland shared an impressive overview of JCoS’s work in schools and the wider community. She gave examples of how they support teachers and pupils in learning about Jewish culture, addressing sensitive issues, and fostering inclusive classroom environments.
The group was then guided upstairs to the magnificent Garnethill Synagogue. Standing in the Victorian prayer hall, teachers had the chance to connect directly with the history they’d had just heard about, and to ask questions in an open and welcoming discussion.
Back in the Study Centre, we displayed our learning kits for teachers to explore first-hand. This gave everyone time to engage directly with the materials, from archival photographs to personal testimonies, and to see how these resources can enrich classroom learning.
In just two hours we packed in history, resources, and discussion and we were delighted by the positive feedback we received. Teachers particularly highlighted the synagogue visit and the hands-on learning kits as valuable and inspiring.
We are so grateful to everyone who attended and helped make the evening such a success. We look forward to welcoming more teachers and schools in the future, and continuing to share the rich heritage and stories of Scotland’s Jewish community.
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