List of Scottish Jews

This is a list of Scottish people of some Jewish background, or Jewish people with a Scottish background or connection.

See History of the Jews in Scotland for more information.

Academic figures and scientists

• Charlotte Auerbach, geneticist (JYB 1977 p207)
• Philip Cohen, FRS FRSE researcher, academic and Royal Medal winner; based at St Andrews and Dundee.
• David Daiches, writer and literary critic, and father of Jenni Calder
• Jack David Dunitz, chemist
• Alfred Edersheim, Bible scholar
• Charles Frank, maker of scientific instruments.
• Ralph Glasser, psychologist, economist and author of The Gorbals Trilogy
• Professor Sir Abraham Goldberg, Emeritus Regius Professor of the Practice of Medicine, University of Glasgow
• Philip Hobsbaum, academic and literary critic at Glasgow University and an influence on many Scottish writers as diverse as Aonghas MacNeacail and Jeff Torrington
• Peter Kravitz, editor of the compilation, Contemporary Scottish Fiction, and literary critic
• Stefan Reif, professor
• J. M. Robson geneticist and physicist, lived and worked in Edinburgh
• George Sassoon scientist, electronic engineer, linguist, translator and author, buried on Mull, where he spent much of his childhood.
• Leonard Schapiro historian
• Avivah Gottlieb Zornberg, contemporary Torah scholar and author

Arts, literature and music

• Jenni Calder, literary figure and daughter of David Daiches
• Ivor Cutler, poet, songwriter and humourist
• Hannah Frank, sculptor (studied under Benno Schotz below)
• Muriel Gray [1], Author, 'The Tube' presenter.
• Jeremy Isaacs, broadcaster
• Mark Knopfler, Dire Straits (band), co-founder (with brother David) and lead vocalist, lead guitarist
• Macdonald brothers, grandsons of the Hungarian-born English filmmaker Emeric Pressburger
  • Kevin Macdonald (director), Touching the Void
  • Andrew Macdonald, Trainspotting etc
• Isi Metzstein, modernist architect
• Saul Metzstein, director of Late Night Shopping
• Rebecca Pidgeon, actress, singer and songwriter, grew up in Edinburgh.[2]
• Shulman brothers (Simon Dupree and the Big Sound; Gentle Giant), rock musicians, born in Glasgow
  • Phil Shulman, multi-instrumentalist and songwriter
  • Derek Shulman, multi-instrumentalist and songwriter
  • Ray Shulman, multi-instrumentalist and songwriter
• J David Simons, author
• Muriel Spark, writer (e.g. Prime of Miss Jean Brodie)
• Scottie Wilson, artist and designer, born in Glasgow
• Eric Woolfson, musician and composer, founding member of The Alan Parsons Project

Politicians

Malcolm Rifkind

• Manny Shinwell, Labour M.P.
• Malcolm Rifkind, Conservative M.P.

Athletes

• Gary Jacobs, Scottish, British, Commonwealth, and European (EBU) boxing champion welterweight

Business and the professions

• Hazel Cosgrove, Lady Cosgrove first female Court of Session judge
• Esta Henry art and antiques dealer in the 20th century
• Sir Isaac Wolfson businessman and philanthropist

Religious and communal leaders

• Rabbi Cyril Harris, Chief Rabbi of South Africa.
• Rabbi Salis Daiches, father of David Daiches
• Rabbi Shmuel Yitzchak Hillman
• Rabbi Yaakov Benzion Mendelson
• Rabbi Louis Isaac Rabinowitz
• Rabbi Naftoli Shapiro
• Rabbi Nancy Morris, the first female Rabbi in Scotland.

Showbusiness

• Ronni Ancona (Sephardi), comedienne (Jewish Chronicle, 28 September 2005, Diary p. 66, "Could there a hint of racial stereotyping in the Almeida's decision to cast two Jewish actors – Ronni Ancona and Henry Goodman – in its upcoming production of The Hypochondriac?")
• Arnold Brown, comedian
• Muriel Gray [3], Author, 'The Tube' presenter.

People of Scottish-Jewish/Jews of Scottish extraction

Oscar Hammerstein II, right

• Simon Cowell, British presenter of X Factor.
• David Duchovny, American actor, X-Files etc;
• Isla Fisher, Australian actress, born to Scottish parents, converted to Judaism upon marriage to Sacha Baron Cohen. she has described herself as "quite observant".
• Zarif, singer,
• Oscar Hammerstein II, American lyricist, librettist, theatrical producer

See also

• History of the Jews in Scotland