Sukkat Shalom Edinburgh - the Edinburgh Liberal Jewish Community
History
Sukkat Shalom Edinburgh, the Edinburgh Liberal Jewish Community, is now five years old. We became independent in March 2004, and affiliated to Liberal Judaism in September 2004, the same month in which we welcomed our first Sefer Torah into the community, so we are still at the beginning of our journey of discovery towards the community we want to be.
Liberal Judaism is the leading edge of modern Judaism. It respects Jewish tradition and preserves its values, while giving them contemporary force. It aspires to a Judaism that is an active force for good in the lives of Jewish individuals, families and communities, and works for the betterment of society as a whole. It is the Judaism of the past in the process of becoming the Judaism of the future.
In Edinburgh we have come together from a wide variety of backgrounds to take part in building a community whose Judaism will be relevant to our everyday lives, and in which everyone can participate equally. We meet regularly for services that are led by our members, to conduct study, and to enjoy fellowship together. As we learn, we hope to continue supporting each other in a friendly and informal atmosphere.
What we provide
We try to provide Liberal Jewish experiences for all aspects of a Jewish life. Our part-time Rabbi Mark Solomon visits us every 4-6 weeks to lead services, take classes, and to provide pastoral care. He is available for appointments with individual members at that time.
We run regular services, currently an erev Shabbat service on the first Friday of each month and a Shabbat morning service in the middle of each month. These are often followed by family meals. We also provide a full range of high holyday services usually with a visiting student rabbi from the Leo Baek College.
For children we have a small cheder group organised by members that meets on Sunday afternoons, as well as other events such as our Purim play.
We can arrange for Jewish burials and cremations and we have our own cemetery spaces in Edinburgh’s Dean cemetery,
We also arrange social events and our members are active in other aspects of Edinburgh Jewish life, such as the Jewish Literary Society and the Association of Jewish Refugees.
We have an active welfare group to look after the needs of members who need their help.
Current events
Sukkat Shalom welcomes visitors to our services. We use several different venues. If you'd like to join us for a service, please call the community phone (0131 777 8024) and leave us a message, or use the contact form. We'll get back to you as soon as we can.