Rudd goes to shul during Scottish trip
AMBER RUDD was given a tour of a Glasgow synagogue and attended an interfaith meeting on the same site during a Scottish visit.
Local leaders showed the Home Secretary around Giffnock Synagogue on the Jewish Community Centre complex, talking to her about issues such as hate crime, faith schools and rising antisemitism.
She also heard a talk on Judaism by Evy Yedd, a Glasgow Jewish Representative Council co-president.
“It was very encouraging that the Home Secretary came to visit us,” Mrs Yedd said. “She was very understanding of Jewish issues and anxieties. We were very impressed by her. She said she was committed to supporting us.”
Ms Rudd went on to a meeting with members of the Jewish, Catholic, Muslim and Church of Scotland communities, plus civic representatives.
Topics included improving links between faith groups and the challenges facing religious communities after recent terror attacks.
Earlier this year, Jewish leaders expressed disquiet over a Church of Scotland report marking the centenary of the Balfour Declaration which incorporated a resolution “deploring the increased expansion” of West Bank settlements.
The Scottish Council of Jewish Communities accused the Church of bias, pointing out that the report failed to condemn “Palestinian terrorism or Hamas’ institutionalised antisemitism”.
But Mrs Yedd said efforts were being made “to patch things up” and that, in general, local interfaith relations were strong.
“There has been some extremely good work done with other communities, including the Muslim community. There’s a big Muslim community hereand it’s getting larger. And I’d say we also have a very good relationship with local Christian communities.”
Ms Rudd said it had been “great” to attend the interfaith event, organised by Paul Masterton, the new East Renfrewshire MP. “The work being done by different groups and communities here who are working together to build a more cohesive community is vital and was very encouraging to see.”
The interfaith group plans further events to “strengthen the interfaith network across East Renfrewshire”.