New CEO of Jewish Council of Scotland announced

Speaking to the JC, McPherson said that her six weeks in the role so far had been a “thoroughly wonderful start” and that she had received “an overwhelmingly warm reception”.

She commended the “exceptional team” at JCoS, saying it was “a privilege to work with such incredible people, so much so it already feels like family”.

McPherson is “looking forward to strengthening the connections between all of the Jewish communities” in Scotland and she made particular reference to the smaller, more scattered communities, whose “voices and needs are equally important as the larger Jewish centres of Glasgow and Edinburgh”.

Under McPherson’s leadership, JCoS has pledged to work towards four goals: strengthen connections between Jewish communities across Scotland; build on existing partnerships with government, interfaith, and civic organisations; expand educational and cultural engagement and advocate for Jewish communal interests and concerns.

She has assumed the role at a critical juncture in Scottish politics, with the upcoming Holyrood elections occupying the forefront of their activities.

She said: “Our work in representing the Jewish population of Scotland is hard because of the current climate. However, JCoS is fortunate to have the opportunity to engage at a very high level politically, albeit that to do so requires a very robust response at times.”

Our concerns, fears and worries about antisemitism and ambient antisemitism are echoed in conversations with our Muslim friends and neighbours and their experiences of Islamophobia

In the next five months McPherson said the organisation would be producing its election manifesto and she hoped that “our political leaders will take notice of [it] and hear the voices of the Jewish community in Scotland”, in order to “bring about positive change”.

McPherson emphasised the importance of working with other faith communities to combat discrimination, saying that “our concerns, fears and worries about antisemitism and ambient antisemitism are echoed in conversations with our Muslim friends and neighbours and their experiences of Islamophobia”.

“The importance of our Interfaith work is very much at the heart of the JCoS vision,” she added. “Across Scotland, hatred in all forms has no place and for this to change across society, our political leaders need to stand with us.”

Recently, JCoS made a start on this mission, being present as Scotland’s senior rabbi, Moshe Rubin, signed the Glasgow 850 Interfaith Declaration – a unifying statement of shared values and commitments to build “a more just, inclusive, and compassionate Glasgow”, which celebrated the city’s 850th anniversary.

This was followed by a ceremony marking one year from the signing of the Drumlanrig Accords - a landmark agreement between Muslim and Jewish religious leaders in the UK.

Prior to taking up her role at JCoS, McPherson served as coordinator of Masorti Europe – a strategic lead for growth of the Masorti movement in the continent.

JCoS chair Timothy Lovat said that McPherson’s “experience and understanding of our community will play a key role as we take JCoS forward into its next chapter, especially during this challenging period for the Jewish people of Scotland”.

McPherson said: “Scotland is a wonderful country to call home and despite challenges and tensions facing Jews everywhere, I look forward to the future of the Jewish Council of Scotland and with hope and determination to see Jewish life continue to flourish and thrive here.”