Scottish Jewish Archives Centre

The Scottish Jewish Archives Centre (SJAC) opened in 1987 as a national heritage, information and research centre, dedicated to preserving Scotland’s Jewish heritage. It collects historic material relating to the experiences of Jewish people in Scotland over the past 200 years.

The Centre aims to document, preserve, exhibit and publish aspects of the collections and make them available to the public for education, academic research, tourists and visitors of all kinds.

SJAC is a partner in The Scottish Jewish Heritage Centre in Garnethill Synagogue.

SJAC is housed at Garnethill Synagogue in Glasgow. Opened in 1879, Garnethill Synagogue is Scotland’s oldest synagogue.

The Archives Centre (SJAC) is documenting the experiences of those who came to Scotland in the 1930s and 1940s, including Kindertransport refugees, refugee doctors, domestic service visa holders, political refugees, Polish soldiers, businessmen, artists, rabbis, cantors, and concentration camp survivors. The collections include a wide range of documents such as birth, marriage, and death certificates, identity documents, military records, and personal testimonies. SJAC examines the contributions of these refugees to Scottish society and the role of the Jewish community and wider Scottish society in assisting them. The "Scotland a Sanctuary" display, located in the Succah, includes graphic panels and timelines, highlighting refugee contributions and responses in various Scottish regions. The Study Centre offers hands-on learning kits for schoolchildren, and the library holds over 200 reference books on the Holocaust. Digital resources include a catalogue of key documents and photographs, and searchable access to the Glasgow Jewish Echo. SJAC also has a collection of interviews, personal testimonies, and autobiographies documenting this period.