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
Ruth Adler, child welfare campaigner and human rights campaigner Charlotte Auerbach, geneticistJewish Year Book 1977 p20 Philip Cohen, FRS FRSE professor of biochemistry, University of Dundee, winner of the Royal Medal and other awards David Daiches, writer and literary critic, professor of English, University of Sussex; father of Jenni Calder Shamai Davidson psychotherapist and Holocaust scholar Jack D. Dunitz, chemist Alfred Edersheim, Bible scholar Charles Frank, maker of scientific instruments Ralph Glasser, psychologist, economist, author of The Gorbals Trilogy Professor Sir Abraham Goldberg, Regius Professor of the Practice of Medicine, University of Glasgow Philip Hobsbaum, academic and literary critic at Glasgow University; an influence on many Scottish writers as diverse as Aonghas MacNeacail and Jeff Torrington Hans Kosterlitz, professor of pharmacology, University of Aberdeen Lesley Lokko, architect, academic, and novelist Stefan Reif, emeritus professor of medieval Hebrew studies, University of Cambridge and director of the Taylor-Schechter Genizah Research Unit John Michael Robson, geneticist, University of Edinburgh George Sassoon, electronics engineer, translator and author; son of Siegfried Sassoon, buried on Mull, where he spent much of his childhood Leonard Schapiro, historian Avivah Gottlieb Zornberg, contemporary Torah scholar and author
Visual and performing arts, literature and music Ronni Ancona, actor, comedian and impressionistJewish 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?" Chaim Bermant, author Arnold Brown, comedian Jenni Calder, literary figure and daughter of David Daiches Ivor Cutler, poet, songwriter and humourist Hannah Frank, sculptor, studied under Benno Schotz Muriel Gray, author, The Tube presenter Howie B, DJ, musician and producer Jeremy Isaacs, broadcaster A C Jacobs, poet Bernat Klein, textile artist David Knopfler, member of Dire Straits Mark Knopfler, co-founder (with brother David), lead vocalist, and lead guitarist for the band Dire Straits Peter Kravitz, literary critic, editor of the compilation Contemporary Scottish Fiction Daniel Lobell, stand-up comedian and podcaster Macdonald brothers, grandsons of the Hungarian-born English filmmaker Emeric Pressburger Andrew Macdonald, producer, Trainspotting Kevin Macdonald, director, Touching the Void Miriam Margolyes, actor Isi Metzstein, modernist architect Saul Metzstein, filmmaker, director of Late Night Shopping Rebecca Pidgeon, actor, singer and songwriter, married to playwright David Mamet Jack Ronder, author, dramatist, playwright Hugo Rifkind, journalist Jerry Sadowitz, comedian Benno Schotz, sculptor Shulman brothers (Simon Dupree and the Big Sound; Gentle Giant), rock musicians Derek Shulman, multi-instrumentalist and songwriter Phil Shulman, multi-instrumentalist and songwriter Ray Shulman, multi-instrumentalist and songwriter J. David Simons, author Edith Simon, artist Robin Spark, artist Scottie Wilson, artist and designer, born in Glasgow Eric Woolfson, musician and composer, founding member of The Alan Parsons Project
Politicians
Myer Galpern, Labour MP Harry Primrose, 6th Earl of Rosebery, Secretary of State for Scotland, elder son of Hannah de Rothschild Neil Primrose, MP and soldier, younger son of Hannah de Rothschild Malcolm Rifkind, Conservative MP Manny Shinwell, Labour MP
Athletes Noam Dar, professional wrestler Gary Jacobs, Scottish, British, Commonwealth, and European (EBU) boxing champion welterweight
Business and the professions
Philip Caplan, Lord Caplan, first Jewish Court of Session judge Hazel Cosgrove, Lady Cosgrove, first female Court of Session judge Sir Monty Finniston, industrialist, chairman of British Steel Corporation Esta Henry, art and antiques dealer in the 20th century B. Marcus Priteca, architect Sir Isaac Wolfson, businessman and philanthropist Harry Woolf, Baron Woolf, barrister and judge
Religious and communal leaders Rabbi Salis Daiches, father of David Daiches Rabbi Cyril Harris, Chief Rabbi of South Africa Rabbi Shmuel Yitzchak Hillman Rabbi Yaakov Benzion Mendelson Rabbi Nancy Morris, first female rabbi in Scotland Rabbi Louis Isaac Rabinowitz Rabbi Naftoli Shapiro
People of both Scottish and Jewish heritage
Simon Cowell, presenter of The X Factor (Jewish father, Scottish mother) David Duchovny, American actor, X-Files (Jewish father, Scottish mother) Isla Fisher, Australian actress, born to Scottish parents, converted to Judaism upon marriage to Sacha Baron Cohen; Oscar Hammerstein II, American lyricist, librettist, and theatrical producer (Jewish father, Scottish mother) Phil Ochs, American singer-songwriter and activist (Scottish-Jewish mother, Polish-Jewish father) Norman Swan, Australian paediatrician known for his work as a science and medical broadcaster on ABC, born in Glasgow Zarif, singertheguardian.co.uk New Band of the Day 448: Zarif (Scottish father, Iranian-Jewish mother) Dame Muriel Spark (Scottish-Jewish father, mother also of Jewish heritage) Eugene Levy, actor known for his roles in the American Pie series and Schitt's Creek.
See also History of the Jews in Scotland
References